Texas Fishing Compliance Checklist
Source: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). Fees verified for 2026. Generated by FishFig — informational only, not legal advice.
1 · What license do you need?
| Angler | Annual fee |
|---|---|
| Resident | $40.00 |
| Non-resident | $68.00 |
Source: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department — 2026 fishing license package fees (Outdoor Annual). (2026). Verify the exact product and any one-day or short-term options with the agency.
2 · Size & bag limits
| Species | Min size | Bag limit | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 14 in | 5 | TX Parks & Wildlife Code / 2026 Outdoor Annual (one bass may exceed 24 in). |
| Channel & Blue Catfish (combined) | — | 25 | TX Outdoor Annual 2026 (flathead catfish separate 5/day). |
| Red Drum (redfish) | 20 in | 3 | TX Outdoor Annual 2026 (slot 20–28 in, bag 3). |
3 · Required stamps & report cards
TPWD 2026 packages: resident freshwater $30, saltwater $35, all-water $40; nonresident all-water $68. A $5 online administrative fee may apply. Under-17 exempt.
4 · Legal citations
- TX Parks & Wildlife Code / 2026 Outdoor Annual (one bass may exceed 24 in).
- TX Outdoor Annual 2026 (flathead catfish separate 5/day).
- TX Outdoor Annual 2026 (slot 20–28 in, bag 3).
- Texas Parks and Wildlife Department — 2026 fishing license package fees (Outdoor Annual). (2026)
5 · Who to contact
State agency & contact
Licenses, regulations, and stocking are set by the agency below. When FishFig can’t verify a figure, contact them directly.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD)
FishFig is an independent guide and is not affiliated with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). Verify every figure with the agency before purchasing a license, keeping fish, or relying on stocking data.
6 · Work the checklist in this order
Read the sections on this sheet in sequence, because each one can invalidate the one before it. The license comes first: without a current one, nothing else on the sheet matters. The limits come second, and they are statewide defaults. The stamps and report cards come third — a species endorsement or a harvest card can be required on top of the license, and holding the license alone does not satisfy it. The waterbody-specific rules come last, and they win: where a named lake, river section, or zone has its own size, slot, bag, or season rule, that rule replaces the statewide default on this sheet.
Two habits catch most of what a printed sheet cannot. Fill in the water you actually intend to fish before you leave, and check that specific water’s current regulation rather than relying on the statewide line. And photograph or write down the tag, date, and location of anything you keep that may fall under a reporting requirement — the obligation usually attaches to the fish, not to the license, so a fully licensed angler can still be out of compliance for failing to register a catch inside the window.
This sheet is deliberately narrow. It states the fees and statewide limits FishFig can attribute to a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) publication, and it names the agency for everything else, rather than printing a number that may already be out of date. In-season closures, emergency orders, drawdowns, and special-regulation waters are published by the agency and are not tracked here.
7 · Limits, reporting and inspection rules tracked for Texas
Every figure below is read from FishFig's verified Texas data layer and names its source. Where a value could not be verified it reads "verify locally" rather than a placeholder number.
Size and bag limits tracked for Texas
Texas has 11 statewide limits resolved in this tool — Channel Catfish, Crappie, Flathead Catfish, Flounder, Largemouth Bass, Red Drum (Redfish), Smallmouth Bass and Snook, among 11 in the tracked set. Each entry below carries the agency citation it came from.
Channel Catfish: bag 25 (channel, blue and hybrids combined; only 10 may be 20 in or longer); season Year-round. Citation: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department — 2026–27 Outdoor Annual (Freshwater). https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/fish_hunt/fish/freshwater_limits.phtml
Crappie: minimum length 10 in; bag 25 (white and black combined); season Year-round. Citation: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department — 2026–27 Outdoor Annual (Freshwater). https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/fish_hunt/fish/freshwater_limits.phtml
Flathead Catfish: minimum length 18 in; bag 5; season Year-round. Citation: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department — 2026–27 Outdoor Annual (Freshwater). https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/fish_hunt/fish/freshwater_limits.phtml
Flounder: minimum length 15 in; bag 5; season Year-round (closed Nov 1 – Dec 14; bag = 0 during closure); 2026–27 minimum raised to 15 in; seasonal closure Nov 1 – Dec 14.. Citation: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department — 2026–27 Outdoor Annual (Saltwater Flounder Bag & Length Limits). https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/fishing/saltwater-fishing/bag-length-limits/flounder-bag-length-limits
Largemouth Bass: minimum length 14 in; bag 5 (combined black bass: largemouth, smallmouth, spotted, Alabama, Guadalupe); season Year-round. Citation: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department — 2026–27 Outdoor Annual (Freshwater Bag & Length Limits, effective Sep. 1, 2026). https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/fish_hunt/fish/freshwater_limits.phtml
Red Drum (Redfish): protected slot 20–28 in (release fish in the slot); bag 3 (1 over 28 in allowed per license year with Red Drum Tag); season Year-round. Citation: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department — 2026–27 Outdoor Annual (Saltwater Drum Bag & Length Limits). https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/fishing/saltwater-fishing/bag-length-limits/drum-bag-length-limits
These are statewide general rules only. Slot limits, special-regulation waters, catch-and-release stretches, and zone-by-zone seasons override them — and a general rule that is absent from this list is not the same as no restriction. Confirm the rule for the exact water you are fishing with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) before keeping a fish.
Mandatory harvest reporting in Texas
Texas requires mandatory harvest reporting or registration for specific species. The tracked rule set covers Alligator Gar.
Reporting window: Report within 24 hours of harvest.. How to report: All alligator gar harvested from public fresh and saltwater waterbodies (except Falcon International Reservoir) must be reported to TPWD within 24 hours via the Texas Hunt & Fish mobile app or online. Falcon International Reservoir is exempt (5/day, 10 possession there). Texas Hunt & Fish app or https://tpwd.texas.gov. Citation: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department - Alligator Gar Harvest Reporting / Outdoor Annual (https://tpwd.texas.gov)
A reporting requirement usually attaches to the fish, not the license: you can be fully licensed and still be out of compliance for failing to register a tagged or sensitive species within the stated window. Record the tag number and the date before you leave the water.
Boat inspection and invasive species rules in Texas
No statewide AIS stamp or universal inspection mandate for Texas is tracked here, so this section states the baseline rule that applies everywhere rather than a state-specific one.
No decal program; compliance is enforced through mandatory drain laws and transport prohibitions. Violations can carry fines up to $500.
The baseline is not optional in practice. Water, mud, and plant fragments carried on a trailer or in a livewell are the main transport path for zebra mussels, Eurasian watermilfoil, and spiny water flea, and an inspection station can turn you around at the ramp. Clean, drain, and dry the hull, trailer, anchors, waders, and any livewell before you leave the water, and again before you launch somewhere new.
Citation: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department — https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/fish_hunt/fish/exotic.phtml
Free fishing days in Texas
Reported license-free dates for 2026: June 6, 2026. Most states waive the license only, not the rules — size and bag limits, gear restrictions, seasons, and any required report card still apply, and some states still require a free or zero-cost license to be issued before you fish.
Reported for 2026 by public aggregators and may not match the official state schedule. Always confirm the current year’s dates and any species/stamp exceptions with the agency before planning.
Source: Compiled from 2026 public Free-Fishing-Day roundups (modefreefinds.com, heyitsfree.net, fishkillflea.com). Not an official source — verify with the state agency. (compiled 2026-08-29).
Always confirm current fees, seasons, and closures with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) before fishing. This checklist is a planning aid and may not reflect in-season changes.