Freshwater / Catfish
Channel & blue catfish
Texas's bread-and-butter catch.
Found in nearly every lake and river in the state.
Recently changed
Since 2021 the statewide rule is 25 combined, only 10 of them 20 inches or longer, with no minimum length.
Daily limit
25 per day combined (channel and blue together), and no more than 10 may be 20 inches or longer.
Size limit
No minimum length.
Good to know
- Channel and blue catfish are game fish, but you can also take them on a trotline, jugline, throwline, or by hand (noodling).
Source to confirm: TPWD Freshwater Bag & Length Limits / Catfish ID
More freshwater fish
Others to target
Catfish
Flathead catfish
The bruiser of Texas catfish.
- Daily:
- 5 per day.
- Size:
- 18-inch minimum.
Bass
Largemouth, smallmouth & other black bass
Largemouth are the giants people chase; Guadalupe bass is the official Texas state fish.
- Daily:
- 5 per day, in any combination of the five black bass.
- Size:
- 14-inch minimum for largemouth and smallmouth. No minimum for spotted, Guadalupe, and Alabama bass.
Bass
Striped & hybrid striped bass
A strong fight in big open water and tailraces.
- Daily:
- 5 per day, in any combination.
- Size:
- 18-inch minimum (statewide).
Bass
White bass
A smaller cousin that runs up rivers to spawn in spring.
- Daily:
- 25 per day.
- Size:
- 10-inch minimum.
Official sources
Fishing rules for channel & blue catfish come from Texas Parks & Wildlife. Confirm the size and bag limit before you keep one.
- Data vintage:
- Built on the 2025-2026 license year
- Last reviewed:
- June 15, 2026
- TPWD Freshwater Bag & Length Limits / Catfish ID - Official page for this fish
- TPWD Freshwater Bag & Length Limits
- TPWD Fishing Regulations
Caution: Sizes and bag limits change, and saltwater rules change the most. The official TPWD pages are the final word.