Texas Porch

Saltwater / Flatfish

Southern flounder

A flatfish prized for eating - with a yearly closure.

Great on the table, and the one you can also gig at night.

Recently changed

The flounder season closes every year from November 1 to December 14.

Daily limit

5 per day - except November 1 to December 14, when the season is closed and you can't keep any.

Size limit

15-inch minimum.

Good to know

  • During the open season, flounder can be taken by gig as well as rod and line, and night gigging is a Texas tradition - just mind the November-December closure.
  • The closed season protects flounder during their fall run to the Gulf to spawn.

Source to confirm: TPWD Flounder Bag & Length Limits

More saltwater fish

Others to target

Drum

Red drum (redfish)

Tightly managed with a slot limit and a trophy tag.

Daily:
3 per day.
Size:
20 to 28 inch slot (keep only fish between those sizes).
Details & official link ->

Trout

Recently changed

Spotted seatrout (speckled trout)

A coastal staple with a tight slot to protect breeding fish after hard winter freezes.

Daily:
3 per day.
Size:
15 to 20 inch slot.
Details & official link ->

Drum

Black drum

A coastal workhorse, good eating at the smaller end of the slot.

Daily:
5 per day.
Size:
14 to 30 inch slot.
Details & official link ->

Other

Sheepshead

Hangs around jetties, piers, and pilings - good eating.

Daily:
5 per day.
Size:
15-inch minimum.
Details & official link ->

Official sources

Fishing rules for southern flounder come from Texas Parks & Wildlife. Confirm the size and bag limit before you keep one.

Data vintage:
Built on the 2025-2026 license year
Last reviewed:
July 10, 2026

Before you act: Sizes and bag limits change, and saltwater rules change the most. The official TPWD pages are the final word. How to use Texas Porch carefully.

Page feedback

Report something wrong or unclear.

Send a note about this page. The page address will be included automatically.

Send a note