TX · REGULATIONS · SEPTEMBER 2026

Sheepshead TX legal size & bag limits.

Sheepshead (also known as Convict Fish, Sheephead) in Texas. Minimum legal size, daily bag limit, possession limit — verified against the TPWD guide, 2026.

In Texas, the minimum legal size for Sheepshead is 15 in and the daily bag limit is 5 per person (possession 10). There is no closed season in TX.

What is the legal size & bag limit for Sheepshead in TX?

Minimum size
15in
Daily bag
5 per person (possession 10)
Possession
5 per person (possession 10)
Legal size for Sheepshead in TX: Sheepshead must be at least 15 in to keep. There is no maximum size. 15 inTOO SMALLLEGAL — NO MAXIMUM
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Is there a closed season for Sheepshead in TX?

No closed season

Why these rules exist

Gulf of Mexico, all Texas state waters. STATE waters (Gulf, to 9 nm). No separate federal recreational limit.

Source & verification

These limits are pulled from the TPWD saltwater bag and length limits. Last verified September 2026.

Always check the official guide before keeping any fish. Regulations change. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department updates its guide annually and occasionally mid-year. Fines for over-bag or undersized fish are significant.

Texas requires a fishing licence plus a Saltwater Fishing Endorsement (stamp) to fish in public salt water. Texas fishing licences.

See related

Common questions

What is the minimum legal size for Sheepshead in TX?
In Texas, the minimum legal size for Sheepshead (also known as Convict Fish, Sheephead) is 15 in. Verified against the TPWD saltwater bag and length limits (September 2026).
What is the bag limit for Sheepshead in TX?
In Texas, the daily bag limit for Sheepshead is 5 per person (possession 10). Verified against the TPWD saltwater bag and length limits (September 2026).
Is there a closed season for Sheepshead in TX?
No — there is no closed season for Sheepshead in Texas. You can fish for it year-round, subject to the size and bag limits. Verified against the TPWD guide (September 2026).
Do you need a fishing licence to fish in Texas?
Texas requires a fishing licence plus a Saltwater Fishing Endorsement (stamp) to fish in public salt water.
Written by
Olli-Mikael Vaittinen, founder of Fishare, holding a yellowfin tuna boatside
Olli-Mikael Vaittinen

Olli-Mikael Vaittinen has fished his whole life. Fifteen years of fly fishing, guiding seasons on Norway's Lakselva — his favourite Atlantic salmon river — and a blue marlin landed in Vava'u, Tonga. Founder of Fishare — the app that puts the data behind the decisions every angler makes on the water.

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