Saltwater / Trout
Spotted seatrout (speckled trout)
The other coastal favorite - and the rule that changed most recently.
A coastal staple with a tight slot to protect breeding fish after hard winter freezes.
Recently changed
In 2024 the slot tightened to 15-20 inches and the daily bag dropped to 3 (it was 15-25 inches and 5 fish).
Daily limit
3 per day.
Size limit
15 to 20 inch slot.
Good to know
- A Spotted Seatrout Tag lets you keep one trout over 28 inches per license year; a Bonus Spotted Seatrout Tag (about $3) allows one more.
- This is the saltwater rule that changed most recently. Confirm the exact inches on the official page before you keep one.
Source to confirm: TPWD Seatrout 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).
Flatfish
Recently changedSouthern flounder
Great on the table, and the one you can also gig at night.
- Daily:
- 5 per day - except November 1 to December 14, when the season is closed and you can't keep any.
- Size:
- 15-inch minimum.
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.
Other
Sheepshead
Hangs around jetties, piers, and pilings - good eating.
- Daily:
- 5 per day.
- Size:
- 15-inch minimum.
Official sources
Fishing rules for spotted seatrout (speckled trout) 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
- TPWD Seatrout Bag & Length Limits - Official page for this fish
- TPWD Saltwater Bag & Length Limits
- TPWD Fishing Regulations
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.
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