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.

15 to 20 inch slot.

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

Drum

Tightly managed with a slot limit and a trophy tag.

Flatfish

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

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

Other

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

Official sources

Fishing rules for spotted seatrout (speckled trout) come from Texas Parks & Wildlife. Confirm the size and bag limit before you keep one.

Caution: Sizes and bag limits change, and saltwater rules change the most. The official TPWD pages are the final word.

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