40 Texas Parks and Wildlife Outdoor Annual 2017-2018 REGULATIONS SUMMARY
Bag and Length Limits for Saltwater Fish
• Daily bag and possession limit defi nitions, see pg. 28.
• There are no bag, possession, or length limits on game or nongame fi sh, except as listed in this guide.
Species
Daily Bag
Length in Inches
(Minimum — Maximum)
Amberjack, greater
1
38 — No limit
Bass: striped, its hybrids
5
18 — No limit
and subspecies
(in any combination)
Catfi sh: channel and blue catfi sh,
25
12 — No limit
their hybrids and subspecies
(in any combination)
Catfi sh, fl athead
5
18 — No limit
Catfi sh, gafftopsail
No limit
14 — No limit
Cobia
2
37 — No limit
Drum, black a
5
14 — 30 a
Drum, red b
3
20 — 28 b
Flounder: all species, their hybrids
5/2 c
14 — No limit c
and subspecies c
(in any combination)
Gar, alligator
1
No limit — No limit
Grouper, black
4
24 — No limit
Grouper, gag
2
24 — No limit
Grouper, goliath (formerly called Jewfi sh)
0
Catch and release only
Grouper, Nassau
0
Catch and release only
Mackerel, king
2
27 — No limit
Mackerel, Spanish
15
14 — No limit
FISHING REGULATIONS
SALTWATER FISHING – GENERAL INFORMATION
• For freshwater fi nfi sh species caught in the public salt waters of this state, statewide bag, possession
and length limits as listed on pg. 33 apply.
• A person taking or attempting to take game and nongame fi sh from salt water for non-commercial
purposes is required to have a valid fi shing license and a saltwater fi shing endorsement.
Texas State Waters – Federal Waters
Texas recreational and commercial fi shermen fi shing more than nine (9) nautical miles off the coast of
Texas are in federal waters and are subject to rules and regulations that may differ from those in state
waters. An example would be the federal requirement to use non-stainless circle hooks when fi shing for
reef fi sh. Recreational anglers must have a Texas fi shing license and saltwater endorsement to possess
in state water or land in Texas any fi sh taken in federal waters. To ensure that you are in compliance with
federal regulations, you should contact the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council at (888) 833-1844
(toll free). Federal rules may be found online at www.gulfcouncil.org
The limits and restrictions in this guide apply to aquatic life caught in the public waters of Texas out to nine
(9) nautical miles in the Gulf of Mexico, and also apply to aquatic life caught between 9 and 200 nautical
miles in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and possessed in state waters or landed in this state. (Federal
law also regulates species between 9 and 200 nautical miles managed under a Federal Fishery Management Plan.) See pg. 23 for Importation of Wildlife Resources.
IT IS UNLAWFUL TO POSSESS AQUATIC LIFE IN TEXAS WATERS THAT WAS ILLEGALLY TAKEN IN FEDERAL WATERS.
(Continued)
298
Bag and Length Limits for Saltwater Fish
• Daily bag and possession limit defi nitions, see pg. 28.
• There are no bag, possession, or length limits on game or nongame fi sh, except as listed in this guide.
Species
Daily Bag
Length in Inches
(Minimum — Maximum)
Amberjack, greater
1
38 — No limit
Bass: striped, its hybrids
5
18 — No limit
and subspecies
(in any combination)
Catfi sh: channel and blue catfi sh,
25
12 — No limit
their hybrids and subspecies
(in any combination)
Catfi sh, fl athead
5
18 — No limit
Catfi sh, gafftopsail
No limit
14 — No limit
Cobia
2
37 — No limit
Drum, black a
5
14 — 30 a
Drum, red b
3
20 — 28 b
Flounder: all species, their hybrids
5/2 c
14 — No limit c
and subspecies c
(in any combination)
Gar, alligator
1
No limit — No limit
Grouper, black
4
24 — No limit
Grouper, gag
2
24 — No limit
Grouper, goliath (formerly called Jewfi sh)
0
Catch and release only
Grouper, Nassau
0
Catch and release only
Mackerel, king
2
27 — No limit
Mackerel, Spanish
15
14 — No limit
FISHING REGULATIONS
SALTWATER FISHING – GENERAL INFORMATION
• For freshwater fi nfi sh species caught in the public salt waters of this state, statewide bag, possession
and length limits as listed on pg. 33 apply.
• A person taking or attempting to take game and nongame fi sh from salt water for non-commercial
purposes is required to have a valid fi shing license and a saltwater fi shing endorsement.
Texas State Waters – Federal Waters
Texas recreational and commercial fi shermen fi shing more than nine (9) nautical miles off the coast of
Texas are in federal waters and are subject to rules and regulations that may differ from those in state
waters. An example would be the federal requirement to use non-stainless circle hooks when fi shing for
reef fi sh. Recreational anglers must have a Texas fi shing license and saltwater endorsement to possess
in state water or land in Texas any fi sh taken in federal waters. To ensure that you are in compliance with
federal regulations, you should contact the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council at (888) 833-1844
(toll free). Federal rules may be found online at www.gulfcouncil.org
The limits and restrictions in this guide apply to aquatic life caught in the public waters of Texas out to nine
(9) nautical miles in the Gulf of Mexico, and also apply to aquatic life caught between 9 and 200 nautical
miles in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and possessed in state waters or landed in this state. (Federal
law also regulates species between 9 and 200 nautical miles managed under a Federal Fishery Management Plan.) See pg. 23 for Importation of Wildlife Resources.
IT IS UNLAWFUL TO POSSESS AQUATIC LIFE IN TEXAS WATERS THAT WAS ILLEGALLY TAKEN IN FEDERAL WATERS.
(Continued)
298