REGULATIONS SUMMARY Texas Parks and Wildlife Outdoor Annual 2017-2018 33
FISHING REGULATIONS
Statewide Bag and Length Limits (see below and pgs. 34-37 for exceptions)
Daily bag and possession limit defi ned on pg. 28.
Species
Daily Bag
Length in Inches
(Minimum)
Bass:
5
largemouth
a and smallmouth
14
Alabama, Guadalupe, and spotted
(in any combination)
No limit
Bass, striped and hybrid striped bass (also known
5
18
as palmetto or sunshine bass)
(in any combination)
Bass, white
25
10
Bass, yellow
No limit
No limit
Catfi sh: channel and blue catfi sh, their hybrids
25
12
and subspecies
(in any combination)
Catfi sh, fl athead
5
18
Crappie: white and black crappie, their hybrids
25
10
and subspecies
(in any combination)
Paddlefi sh
No harvest allowed
Gar, alligator
b, c
1
No limit
Shad: Gizzard and threadfi n
d
No limit
No limit
Sunfi sh: various species including bluegill,
No limit
No limit
redear, green, warmouth, and longear
Trout: rainbow and brown trout, their hybrids
5
No limit
and subspecies
(in any combination)
Walleye, Saugeye
5
No limit
(only two can be less than
16 inches in length)
For fi shes not listed above, there are NO statewide bag or length limits. There are special requirements
associated with the harvest of harmful or potentially harmful exotic fi shes (tilapia, grass carp); see pg. 24.
a See listing for “Southeast Texas” for largemouth bass limit on pg. 35. b See alligator gar fi shing restrictions on pg. 25.
c
See notes on “Lawful Archery Equipment” on pg. 29.
d
Collection of shad for personal use, such as for bait, and transport of
those shad from a public water body in containers that total 82 quarts or more requires a permit to possess or sell nongame
fi sh taken from public fresh waters. For additional information, visit tpwd.texas.gov/publications/fi shboat/forms
Exceptions to Statewide Freshwater Harvest Regulations
Bait Fish Exceptions
In Brewster, Crane, Crockett, Culberson, Ector, El Paso, Jeff Davis, Hudspeth, Kinney, Loving, Pecos,
Presidio, Reeves, Terrell, Upton, Val Verde, Ward, and Winkler counties, the only fi shes that may be used
or possessed for bait while fi shing are common carp, fathead minnows, gizzard and threadfi n shad, golden
shiners, goldfi sh, Mexican tetra, Rio Grande cichlid, silversides (Atherinidae family) and sunfi sh (Lepomis).
How to use the table (see pgs. 34-37): First, look for your location of interest (lake or river) under Location. The
locations are listed in alphabetical order. If you fi nd the location you are looking for, fi rst check the counties
listed to the right of the locations to make sure you have the correct location. If those match, continue reading to
the right and note the codes for regulation exceptions. Exception codes are listed starting on pg. 36.
For instance, Lake Bastrop is located in Bastrop County. The codes for regulations that are exceptions to
statewide regulations are Bass9 and Gear3. Locate these codes listed on pgs. 36-37. Then read the description for
each regulation exception. Please note MLL = Minimum Length Limit.
If you do not fi nd the location you are looking for, that means statewide regulations apply. Please see above
for Statewide Bag and Length Limits. If the lake is less than 75 acres and within a public park, it is most likely
a Community Fishing Lake. See the Community Fishing Lakes listing for regulation exceptions and also see the
defi nition on pg. 28.
291
FISHING REGULATIONS
Statewide Bag and Length Limits (see below and pgs. 34-37 for exceptions)
Daily bag and possession limit defi ned on pg. 28.
Species
Daily Bag
Length in Inches
(Minimum)
Bass:
5
largemouth
a and smallmouth
14
Alabama, Guadalupe, and spotted
(in any combination)
No limit
Bass, striped and hybrid striped bass (also known
5
18
as palmetto or sunshine bass)
(in any combination)
Bass, white
25
10
Bass, yellow
No limit
No limit
Catfi sh: channel and blue catfi sh, their hybrids
25
12
and subspecies
(in any combination)
Catfi sh, fl athead
5
18
Crappie: white and black crappie, their hybrids
25
10
and subspecies
(in any combination)
Paddlefi sh
No harvest allowed
Gar, alligator
b, c
1
No limit
Shad: Gizzard and threadfi n
d
No limit
No limit
Sunfi sh: various species including bluegill,
No limit
No limit
redear, green, warmouth, and longear
Trout: rainbow and brown trout, their hybrids
5
No limit
and subspecies
(in any combination)
Walleye, Saugeye
5
No limit
(only two can be less than
16 inches in length)
For fi shes not listed above, there are NO statewide bag or length limits. There are special requirements
associated with the harvest of harmful or potentially harmful exotic fi shes (tilapia, grass carp); see pg. 24.
a See listing for “Southeast Texas” for largemouth bass limit on pg. 35. b See alligator gar fi shing restrictions on pg. 25.
c
See notes on “Lawful Archery Equipment” on pg. 29.
d
Collection of shad for personal use, such as for bait, and transport of
those shad from a public water body in containers that total 82 quarts or more requires a permit to possess or sell nongame
fi sh taken from public fresh waters. For additional information, visit tpwd.texas.gov/publications/fi shboat/forms
Exceptions to Statewide Freshwater Harvest Regulations
Bait Fish Exceptions
In Brewster, Crane, Crockett, Culberson, Ector, El Paso, Jeff Davis, Hudspeth, Kinney, Loving, Pecos,
Presidio, Reeves, Terrell, Upton, Val Verde, Ward, and Winkler counties, the only fi shes that may be used
or possessed for bait while fi shing are common carp, fathead minnows, gizzard and threadfi n shad, golden
shiners, goldfi sh, Mexican tetra, Rio Grande cichlid, silversides (Atherinidae family) and sunfi sh (Lepomis).
How to use the table (see pgs. 34-37): First, look for your location of interest (lake or river) under Location. The
locations are listed in alphabetical order. If you fi nd the location you are looking for, fi rst check the counties
listed to the right of the locations to make sure you have the correct location. If those match, continue reading to
the right and note the codes for regulation exceptions. Exception codes are listed starting on pg. 36.
For instance, Lake Bastrop is located in Bastrop County. The codes for regulations that are exceptions to
statewide regulations are Bass9 and Gear3. Locate these codes listed on pgs. 36-37. Then read the description for
each regulation exception. Please note MLL = Minimum Length Limit.
If you do not fi nd the location you are looking for, that means statewide regulations apply. Please see above
for Statewide Bag and Length Limits. If the lake is less than 75 acres and within a public park, it is most likely
a Community Fishing Lake. See the Community Fishing Lakes listing for regulation exceptions and also see the
defi nition on pg. 28.
291