Fishing / Saltwater
Saltwater fish in Texas.
Bays, jetties, surf, and the Gulf. The coast uses a slot-and-tag system for its prize fish, and these rules change the most - so confirm before you keep a fish, especially seatrout, flounder, and red snapper.
Texas state water reaches 9 nautical miles from shore.
State water - to 9 nautical miles
State water (out to 9 nm): Texas rules. Red snapper is open year-round, 4 per day, 15-inch minimum.
Federal water - past 9 nautical miles
Federal water (past 9 nm): federal rules. Red snapper is 2 per day, 16-inch minimum, only during the season that's set each year.
Out in the Gulf, Texas state waters extend 9 nautical miles from the beach - unusually far (most states only get 3; Texas and the Gulf side of Florida are the exceptions). Past 9 miles you're in federal water, where some rules differ. This matters most for red snapper.
Drum
Drum
Red drum (redfish)
Tightly managed with a slot limit and a trophy tag.
- Daily:
- 3 per day.
- Size:
- 20 to 28 inch slot (keep only fish between those sizes).
Drum
Black drum
A coastal workhorse, good eating at the smaller end of the slot.
- Daily:
- 5 per day.
- Size:
- 14 to 30 inch slot.
Trout
Flatfish
Snapper
Snapper
Recently changedRed snapper
Different limits depending on whether you're in state or federal water.
- Daily:
- State waters: 4 per day, open year-round. Federal waters: 2 per day, during the federal season.
- Size:
- State waters: 15-inch minimum. Federal waters: 16-inch minimum.
Snapper
Lane & vermilion snapper
Smaller reef snappers with size minimums but no daily cap.
- Daily:
- No daily limit.
- Size:
- Lane: 8-inch minimum. Vermilion: 10-inch minimum.
Mackerel
Sharks
Other
Other
Sheepshead
Hangs around jetties, piers, and pilings - good eating.
- Daily:
- 5 per day.
- Size:
- 15-inch minimum.
Other
Tarpon
A legendary fighter that almost everyone releases.
- Daily:
- 1 per day.
- Size:
- 85-inch minimum.
Other
Snook
A prized inshore fish near the lower coast.
- Daily:
- 1 per day.
- Size:
- 24 to 28 inch slot.
Other
Tripletail
Often found drifting near buoys and weed lines.
- Daily:
- 3 per day.
- Size:
- 17-inch minimum.
Other
Gray triggerfish
A reef dweller with a generous daily limit.
- Daily:
- 20 per day.
- Size:
- 16-inch minimum.
Other
Cobia (ling)
A hard-pulling fish with a large minimum size.
- Daily:
- 1 per day.
- Size:
- 40-inch minimum.
Quick limits table
Possession is usually twice the daily limit. Saltwater limits change often - the official page is the final word.
- Size limit 20 to 28 inch slot (keep only fish between those sizes).Daily limit 3 per day.
- Spotted seatrout (speckled trout) Recently changedSize limit 15 to 20 inch slot.Daily limit 3 per day.
- Southern flounder Recently changedSize limit 15-inch minimum.Daily limit 5 per day - except November 1 to December 14, when the season is closed and you can't keep any.
- Size limit 14 to 30 inch slot.Daily limit 5 per day.
- Size limit 15-inch minimum.Daily limit 5 per day.
- Red snapper Recently changedSize limit State waters: 15-inch minimum. Federal waters: 16-inch minimum.Daily limit State waters: 4 per day, open year-round. Federal waters: 2 per day, during the federal season.
- Size limit Lane: 8-inch minimum. Vermilion: 10-inch minimum.Daily limit No daily limit.
- Size limit King: 27-inch minimum. Spanish: 14-inch minimum.Daily limit King: 3 per day. Spanish: 15 per day.
- Size limit Varies by species: 24-inch minimum for Atlantic sharpnose, blacktip, and bonnethead; 64 inches for most other allowed sharks; 99 inches for hammerheads.Daily limit 1 per day among the allowed species.
- Size limit 85-inch minimum.Daily limit 1 per day.
- Size limit 24 to 28 inch slot.Daily limit 1 per day.
- Size limit 17-inch minimum.Daily limit 3 per day.
- Size limit 16-inch minimum.Daily limit 20 per day.
- Size limit 40-inch minimum.Daily limit 1 per day.
Also on the coast
Oysters, crabs & shrimp
You can gather these for fun, but each has its own rules - seasons, approved areas, sizes, and gear or trap tags. If you plan to crab, oyster, or cast-net shrimp, read the specific TPWD pages first.
TPWD Saltwater Fishing ->Official sources
Saltwater limits come from Texas Parks & Wildlife; the offshore red snapper season is set by the federal government (NOAA / Gulf council). Confirm before you keep a fish.
- Data vintage:
- Built on the 2025-2026 license year
- Last reviewed:
- June 15, 2026
- TPWD Saltwater Bag & Length Limits - Coastal and Gulf limits
- TPWD Fishing in Federal Waters
- NOAA Fisheries (red snapper & reef fish)
Caution: Saltwater limits change often, and the federal red snapper season is reset every year. The official pages are the final word.