28 Texas Parks and Wildlife Outdoor Annual 2017-2018 REGULATIONS SUMMARY
FISHING REGULATIONS
DEFINITIONS
Artifi cial Lure:
Any lure (including fl ies) with hook or hooks attached that is man-made and is used as a bait while fi shing.
Bait:
Something used to lure any wildlife resource. It is unlawful to use game fi sh or any part thereof as bait.
Community Fishing Lake:
All public impoundments 75 acres or smaller located totally within an incorporated city limits or a public park,
and all impoundments of any size lying totally within the boundaries of a state park. See pgs. 34-37 for a
listing of specifi c fi shing regulations for these waters. For a list of Community Fishing Lakes in your area, call
(800) 792-1112 (menu 3) or check the TPWD website at: www.tpwd.texas.gov/fi shboat/fi sh/recreational/lakes
Daily Bag:
Quantity of a species of a wildlife resource, such as fi sh, that may be taken in one day.
Day:
A 24-hour period of time that begins at midnight and ends at midnight.
Fishing:
Taking or attempting to take aquatic animal life by any means.
Fishing Guide:
A person who, for compensation, accompanies, assists, or transports a person or persons engaged in fi shing
in the water of this state.
Fishing Guide Deck Hand:
A person in the employ of a fi shing guide who assists in operating a boat for compensation to accompany or
to transport a person or persons engaged in fi shing in the water of this state.
Game Fish (includes hybrids or subspecies of fi sh on this list):
• Bass: Alabama, Guadalupe, largemouth,
• Pickerel
• Spearfi sh, longbill
smallmouth, spotted, striped, white, yellow
• Red drum
• Swordfi sh, broadbill
• Catfi sh: blue, channel, fl athead
• Sailfi sh
• Tarpon
• Cobia
• Sauger
• Tripletail
• Crappie: black, white
• Seatrout, spotted
• Trout: brown, rainbow
• Mackerel: king, Spanish
• Sharks
• Wahoo
• Marlin: blue, white
• Snook
• Walleye
Gear Tag:
A tag constructed of material as durable as the device to which it is attached. The gear tag must be legible,
contain the name and address of the person using the device and the date the device was set out. Date
is not required for saltwater trotlines or crab traps fi shed under a commercial license. For juglines and
freshwater trotlines, properly-marked buoys or fl oats qualify as valid gear tags.
Nongame Fish:
All species not listed as game fi sh except endangered and threatened fi sh which are defi ned and
regulated under separate rules.
Possession Limit:
The maximum number of fi sh a person may possess before returning to their residence. Possession limit is
twice the daily bag on game and nongame fi sh, except as provided in this guide, and does not apply to fi sh in
the possession of or stored by a person at their residence.
Residence:
A permanent structure where a person regularly sleeps and keeps personal belongings such as furniture and
clothes, but does not include a temporary abode or dwelling such as a hunting or fi shing club, or any club
house, cabin, tent, or trailer house or mobile home used as a hunting or fi shing camp, or any hotel, motel or
rooming house used on a temporary basis.
Wildlife Resources:
Any wild animal, wild bird, or aquatic life.
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FISHING REGULATIONS
DEFINITIONS
Artifi cial Lure:
Any lure (including fl ies) with hook or hooks attached that is man-made and is used as a bait while fi shing.
Bait:
Something used to lure any wildlife resource. It is unlawful to use game fi sh or any part thereof as bait.
Community Fishing Lake:
All public impoundments 75 acres or smaller located totally within an incorporated city limits or a public park,
and all impoundments of any size lying totally within the boundaries of a state park. See pgs. 34-37 for a
listing of specifi c fi shing regulations for these waters. For a list of Community Fishing Lakes in your area, call
(800) 792-1112 (menu 3) or check the TPWD website at: www.tpwd.texas.gov/fi shboat/fi sh/recreational/lakes
Daily Bag:
Quantity of a species of a wildlife resource, such as fi sh, that may be taken in one day.
Day:
A 24-hour period of time that begins at midnight and ends at midnight.
Fishing:
Taking or attempting to take aquatic animal life by any means.
Fishing Guide:
A person who, for compensation, accompanies, assists, or transports a person or persons engaged in fi shing
in the water of this state.
Fishing Guide Deck Hand:
A person in the employ of a fi shing guide who assists in operating a boat for compensation to accompany or
to transport a person or persons engaged in fi shing in the water of this state.
Game Fish (includes hybrids or subspecies of fi sh on this list):
• Bass: Alabama, Guadalupe, largemouth,
• Pickerel
• Spearfi sh, longbill
smallmouth, spotted, striped, white, yellow
• Red drum
• Swordfi sh, broadbill
• Catfi sh: blue, channel, fl athead
• Sailfi sh
• Tarpon
• Cobia
• Sauger
• Tripletail
• Crappie: black, white
• Seatrout, spotted
• Trout: brown, rainbow
• Mackerel: king, Spanish
• Sharks
• Wahoo
• Marlin: blue, white
• Snook
• Walleye
Gear Tag:
A tag constructed of material as durable as the device to which it is attached. The gear tag must be legible,
contain the name and address of the person using the device and the date the device was set out. Date
is not required for saltwater trotlines or crab traps fi shed under a commercial license. For juglines and
freshwater trotlines, properly-marked buoys or fl oats qualify as valid gear tags.
Nongame Fish:
All species not listed as game fi sh except endangered and threatened fi sh which are defi ned and
regulated under separate rules.
Possession Limit:
The maximum number of fi sh a person may possess before returning to their residence. Possession limit is
twice the daily bag on game and nongame fi sh, except as provided in this guide, and does not apply to fi sh in
the possession of or stored by a person at their residence.
Residence:
A permanent structure where a person regularly sleeps and keeps personal belongings such as furniture and
clothes, but does not include a temporary abode or dwelling such as a hunting or fi shing club, or any club
house, cabin, tent, or trailer house or mobile home used as a hunting or fi shing camp, or any hotel, motel or
rooming house used on a temporary basis.
Wildlife Resources:
Any wild animal, wild bird, or aquatic life.
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