Freshwater Bag and Length Limits
Harvest Regulations
- Statewide regulations apply to all public fresh waters except locations noted in the Exceptions to Statewide Freshwater Harvest Regulations.
- For freshwater fishes not listed, there are no statewide daily bag or length limits.
- It is a violation to leave unattended for any period of time or anchor a barge, boat, or fishing platform in the Trinity River below Livingston Dam in an area 1,000 feet from the dam to a point 1,500 feet downstream from the dam for more than 10 hours in a 24-hour period without moving 100 feet or more during that time, or for five or more consecutive days, whether or not it has been moved.
- For saltwater finfish species caught in the brackish or fresh waters of this state, saltwater bag, possession and length limits apply.
Possession Limits
- Possession limits are twice the statewide daily bag limits except for striped bass from Lake Texoma and alligator gar from Falcon International Reservoir.
- For locations that have larger daily bag limits for some species (Caddo Reservoir, Lake Livingston, the Sabine River below Toledo Bend Reservoir, Sam Rayburn Reservoir, and Toledo Bend Reservoir), possession limits remain twice the statewide daily bag limits.
- Definitions of daily bag and possession limit.
Largemouth bass
Daily Bag: 5 fish for any combination of largemouth, smallmouth, Alabama, Guadalupe, and spotted bass.
Minimum Length: 14 inches
Special regulations may apply to certain waterbodies. See Exceptions to Statewide Limits.
Smallmouth bass
Daily Bag: 5 fish for any combination of largemouth, smallmouth, Alabama, Guadalupe, and spotted bass.
Minimum Length: 14 inches
Special regulations may apply to certain waterbodies. See Exceptions to Statewide Limits.
Spotted, Guadalupe & Alabama bass
Daily Bag: 5 fish for any combination of largemouth, smallmouth, Alabama, Guadalupe, and spotted bass.
Minimum Length: None
Special regulations may apply to certain waterbodies. See Exceptions to Statewide Limits.
Striped & Hybrid Striped bass
Daily Bag: 5 in any combination
Minimum Length: 18 inches
Possession Limit Exception: Lake Texoma
Also Known As: Palmetto or Sunshine bass
Special regulations may apply to certain waterbodies. See Exceptions to Statewide Limits.
White bass
Daily Bag: 25
Minimum Length: 10 inches
Special regulations may apply to certain waterbodies. See Exceptions to Statewide Limits.
Yellow bass
Daily Bag: No limit
Minimum Length: None
Catfish: Channel, blue, their hybrids & subspecies
Daily Bag: 25 (in any combination - only 10 can be 20 inches or greater in length)
Minimum Length: No Limit
Special regulations may apply to certain waterbodies. See Exceptions to Statewide Limits.
Catfish: Flathead
Daily Bag: 5
Minimum Length: 18 inches
Special regulations may apply to certain waterbodies. See Exceptions to Statewide Limits.
Crappie: White, black, their hybrids & subspecies
Daily Bag: 25 (in any combination)
Minimum Length: 10 inches
Special regulations may apply to certain waterbodies. See Exceptions to Statewide Limits.
Gar: Alligator
Daily Bag: 1
Minimum Length: None
Possession Limit Exception: Falcon Reservoir
Restrictions for Spawning Gar: Certain areas may be temporarily closed to fishing when optimum spawning conditions occur.
Mandatory Harvest Reporting: All alligator gar harvested from the public waters of the state other than Falcon International Reservoir must be reported within 24 hours to the department using the “Texas Hunt & Fish” mobile app, or online in a web browser.
Release Restrictions: Gar may not be released back into the water after being taken with lawful archery equipment.
Special regulations may apply to certain waterbodies. See Exceptions to Statewide Limits.
Paddlefish
No harvest allowed
Saugeye
Daily Bag: 5 (only 2 can be less than 16 inches in length)
Minimum Length: None
Shad: Gizzard & threadfin
Daily Bag: No limit; however, a person who collects shad for personal use and transports those fish from a public water body in a container or containers that total 30 gallons or more in volume will be required to get a Permit to Possess or Sell Nongame Fish Taken from Public Fresh Water. Minimum Length: None
Special regulations may apply to certain waterbodies. See Exceptions to Statewide Limits.
Sunfish: various including bluegill, redear, green, warmouth & longear
Daily Bag: No limit
Minimum Length: None
Trout: Rainbow & brown
Daily Bag: 5 in any combination
Minimum Length: None
Special regulations may apply to certain waterbodies. See Exceptions to Statewide Limits.
Walleye
Daily Bag: 5 (only 2 can be less than 16 inches in length)
Minimum Length: None
For fishes not listed above, there are no statewide bag or length limits. However, there are special requirements associated with the harvest of harmful or potentially harmful exotic fishes (tilapia, grass carp).
