Black Drum regulations
Texas · Curated reference from cited public sources · listings, not permission to fish or retain a catch · This selected Texas saltwater reference subset is not a complete rulebook.
SPECIES LINKS
FIELD GUIDE
Pogonias cromis
speciesBASICA drum of the western Atlantic off the coasts of North and South America, black or gray with distinctive stripes on juveniles. Powerful jaws crush oysters and shellfish; produces drumming tones during spawning.
HABITAT
Western Atlantic coastal waters and estuaries from North to South America.
SIZE
most 5–30 lb (2–14 kg)
TEXT CONDENSED FROM WIKIPEDIA, AVAILABLE UNDER CC BY-SA 4.0
Black Drum identification is educational; species identification does not establish legal applicability for Texas.
- LISTED LIMIT
- Possession limit is double the 5-fish daily bag. No more than one black drum over 52 inches may be retained per person per day; that fish counts as part of daily bag and possession limits.
- LISTED MIN SIZE
- 14 inches
- LISTED MAX SIZE
- 30 inches
- APPLICABILITY
- TPWD 2026-27 Drum page lists 14-inch minimum and 30-inch maximum, with the separate one-over-52-inch exception. TPWD marks these 2026-27 rules valid September 1, 2026 through August 31, 2027 — before September 1 the prior season's rules apply.
- SOURCE AUTHORITY
- Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Drum Bag & Length Limits, 2026-27 Outdoor Annual
UPDATED September 1, 2026 · CHECKED Sep 28, 2026, 12:00 PM UTC · EFFECTIVE YEAR 2026
TPWD outdoor annual saltwater regulations ↗The TPWD page is an informational summary; the Texas Administrative Code and emergency orders are authoritative.
LAUNCH SITES
Curated launch sites in Texas (4)
This reference does not grant permission to fish or retain a catch. Location, method, vessel, species identification, and emergency closures can change what applies. Verify the applicable official rules.