Can you keep tarpon in Texas?
Live status for · rules verified 2026-08-14
Know the fish
Huge, prehistoric silver fish with enormous chrome scales, a large upturned bony mouth, and a long last dorsal filament. An air-breather (rolls at the surface to gulp air).
When they bite
Summer through fall — roughly July–October, peaking late summer/early fall as big schools migrate along the upper Texas coast chasing bait. Warm, stable water and calm mornings/evenings are prime; feeds tied to moving tide and bait movement. Rolling fish at first light are the tell. Historical catch records along the Texas coast peak in Aug, Sep, Oct (GBIF occurrence data, coastwide).
Where & how
Where: Nearshore along the Galveston beachfront and just off the jetties, around the surf's outer bars, near passes, tide lines, and the ship channel/Bolivar area, and around bait schools within a few miles of the beach. Sight-fished from boats to rolling/free-jumping fish; occasionally hooked from the jetties/piers.
How: Sight-cast to rolling/feeding schools from a boat: present live bait (menhaden, mullet, or crabs) free-lined or under a float ahead of the fish, or throw large swimbaits, plugs, and jigs. Use a circle hook and let the fish eat before coming tight. On the jump, 'bow to the king' (drop the rod to give slack) so the hard-mouthed fish doesn't throw the hook.
Verified spots for the whole coast → · Today's live bite scores →
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