Species
Texas redfish limits — and the Port Aransas fishery
The state rules first, dated and sourced, then the local application: Port Aransas sits on one of the waters those rules were written for.
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What is the redfish limit in Texas?
Three redfish per person per day, inside a 20 to 28 inch slot, statewide — figures from the 2026–2027 license year, verified below. Fish over the slot are tag fish: up to two oversized reds per license year, each in addition to the daily bag. TPWD — Bag & Length Limits
| Daily bag | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 20 in | 28 in |
Plus up to 2 oversized fish per license year, each in addition to the daily bag: one on the free Red Drum Tag, one on the $3 Bonus Red Drum Tag.
- Verified against
- TPWD Outdoor Annual, saltwater bag and length limits, 2026–27 edition (2026–2027 license year, valid through 2027-08-31)
- Retrieved
- 2026-08-29
- Next revision
- Texas re-issues these rules every September 1; this page is re-verified against the new edition when it publishes
The same row sits in the full coastwide table on the licenses and limits page, alongside the endorsement and tag rules the slot depends on.
When is the best redfish fishing in Texas?
There is no season to wait for — the bays hold slot reds all year. The sourced peak is early fall: TPWD puts red drum spawning from mid-August into mid-October near the mouths of passes, with large adults moving to Gulf beaches in what TPWD itself names the bull redfish run. TPWD — Red Drum
Port Aransas sits on exactly that geography: the ship channel is the pass, and the jetties and beachfront are where the run shows. The month-by-month picture is on the seasons page.
Where do you catch redfish in Port Aransas?
Everywhere the water moves or the grass grows: tailing fish on the Redfish Bay flats, slot reds on the channel edges and pier lights, and the fall bulls at the jetties and in the surf. It is the one species every access point in town can produce.
On foot, start with the piers or the south jetty; the sight-casting game lives on the Redfish Bay flats with its seagrass rule. Redfish are the namesake trip of the bay guides.
Straight answers
Frequently asked questions
Is there a redfish season in Texas?
No closed season — redfish are legal year-round in Texas, which is why the limit and slot do the conservation work. The famous window is early fall, when TPWD’s own species page describes large adults moving to Gulf beaches in what it calls the bull redfish run.
Can you keep a bull redfish in Texas?
Only with a tag: fish over the 28-inch slot maximum are limited to two per license year — one on the free Red Drum Tag that comes with your saltwater endorsement, one on the $3 Bonus Red Drum Tag — each in addition to the daily bag. Most bull reds here are released.
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