Is redfish open in Texas?
Live status for · rules verified 2026-08-14
Know the fish
Coppery-bronze to reddish body, blunt nose, one or more black spots at the tail base. Galveston 'rat reds' (16–20") to slot fish 20–28" are the everyday catch; bull reds of 30–45"+ show at the jetties and passes in fall.
When they bite
Year-round. Prime is fall (Sept–Nov): the bull red 'run' stacks big fish at the jetties, San Luis Pass, and surf on moving tides. Slot reds feed shallow on warming spring/summer mornings. Historical catch records along the Texas coast peak in Mar, Oct, Nov (GBIF occurrence data, coastwide).
Where & how
Where: Galveston Bay/West Bay flats and marsh drains, oyster reefs, back-lake shorelines, the North/South Jetty, the Texas City Dike, Seawolf Park, San Luis Pass, and the surf guts along Galveston Island beachfront.
How: Sight-cast or blind-cast the flats (wade or drift) with soft plastics under a popping cork; fish cut/live bait on bottom at the jetties, dike and passes with a fish-finder rig; work the surf guts on moving tide for bulls. Popping corks call schooling reds in stained water.
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