Red Snapper 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
Lutjanus campechanus
speciesBASICThe northern red snapper, native to the western Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico, inhabiting reef-associated environments. Long-lived, with an oldest reported age over 57 years.
HABITAT
Reef-associated environments of the western Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico.
SIZE
common 60 cm (24 in); up to 100 cm
TEXT CONDENSED FROM WIKIPEDIA, AVAILABLE UNDER CC BY-SA 4.0
Red Snapper identification is educational; species identification does not establish legal applicability for Texas.
- LISTED LIMIT
- No more than 4 red snapper may be possessed while fishing in state waters; the state-water daily bag is 4 fish per person.
- LISTED MIN SIZE
- 15 inches
- APPLICABILITY
- Private recreational anglers in Texas state waters: open year-round, 4 fish daily and 15-inch minimum. The same TPWD page separately states the 2026 federal-water season opened May 22 with a 2-fish/16-inch rule and an in-season closure date to be monitored; that federal rule is not encoded here. 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, Red Snapper, 2026 private recreational season page
UPDATED August 4, 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.