Texas Redfish Slot Limit, Bull Red Tags & Saltwater Rules
Redfish rules should not take five minutes to understand at the water. Use this page to decide fast: release it, keep it as a slot fish, or tag/report it as a bull red.
Built for Texas coast anglers: clear size card, tag workflow, app vs paper instructions, measurement steps, local bay tips, gear warnings, and official TPWD links only after the answer.
Texas Redfish Limit Card: Only 4 Numbers Matter First
This is the scannable answer for anglers who do not want a long regulation paragraph.
Right Now at the Water: Should You Keep This Redfish?
Use this before the fish goes in a cooler, livewell, stringer, basket, or on a cleaning table.
| What You Have | Answer | Do This | Do Not Do This |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redfish under 20 inches | Release | Unhook quickly and return it to water. | Do not stretch or squeeze the fish to “make it legal.” |
| Redfish exactly 20 inches | Can keep if measured correctly | Recheck jaw closed, body straight, tail at maximum length. | Do not guess if the ruler mark is unclear. |
| Redfish 20-28 inches | Normal slot keeper | Count it toward your daily bag of 3. | Do not keep a fourth normal slot fish. |
| Redfish exactly 28 inches | Still slot legal | Measure twice before keeping. | Do not call it oversized unless it is over 28 inches. |
| Redfish over 28 inches | Only legal with tag/report compliance | Use Red Drum Tag or Bonus Red Drum Tag if eligible. | Do not keep first and “figure out the tag later.” |
| No ruler / broken ruler / unclear mark | Release | Take a quick photo and let it go. | Do not risk possession on a guess. |
How to Measure Redfish Without Making a Costly Mistake
Most redfish mistakes happen near 20 inches and 28 inches. Do not eyeball those fish.
Use a hard, flat ruler
Best options: bump board, verified cooler ruler, kayak ruler, or clearly marked measuring board.
Close the mouth
Measure from the tip of the snout with the jaw closed.
Straighten the fish
Do not measure around the curve of the body. Use a straight line.
Use maximum tail length
Squeeze or turn the tail to get the maximum overall length.
Check both slot marks
20 inches decides short vs keeper. 28 inches decides slot vs bull red tag rule.
Pre-Mark Gear
Put bright tape at 20 and 28 inches on your board or kayak before leaving home.
Night Tip
Use glow tape or a headlamp. Pier-light redfish often get measured too fast.
Surf Tip
In wind and sand, measure twice. Fish slide, rulers shift, and tails curl.
Bull Red Tag Rules: Keep One, Bonus One, or Release
A bull red over 28 inches is where the article must help users, not just quote a regulation.
Use Red Drum Tag
One red drum over 28 inches may be retained per license year with a properly completed Red Drum Tag.
Use Bonus Red Drum Tag
One additional oversized red drum may be retained with a Bonus Red Drum Tag. TPWD lists it at $3.
Check Exempt Tag
License-exempt anglers may still need an Exempt Angler Red Drum Tag before keeping an oversized red drum.
| Bull Red Situation | Practical Answer | Best User Action | Insider Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| You want a photo only | No tag needed if released | Keep fish wet, support belly, photo fast, revive and release. | Most anglers release big breeding-size redfish after photos. |
| You want to keep one over 28 inches | Red Drum Tag required | Complete tag/report immediately after take. | Decide before the trip if you are willing to use your once-per-year tag. |
| You already used your Red Drum Tag | Bonus Red Drum Tag question | Confirm you purchased/hold the bonus tag before keeping. | Do not assume you can buy the tag after the fish is already kept. |
| Your friend caught the fish | The angler’s own tag matters | The tag/license belongs to the person who harvested the fish. | Do not use someone else’s tag as a shortcut. |
Paper Tag vs Digital Tag: Exact Bull Red Steps
Do not mix these up. Paper license holders and digital license holders follow different tag workflows.
Printed License / Paper Tag
- Immediately remove the red drum tag from the license.
- Use the entire tag.
- Fill all information spaces on the front of the tag.
- Cut out the correct day and month.
- Attach with string or wire to the narrowest part of the tail, just ahead of the tail fin.
- Keep the tag readable and attached while required.
Digital License / Digital Tag
- Use the Texas Hunt & Fish mobile app or online app.
- Execute the correct digital tag immediately upon take.
- For oversized red drum, no physical document is required after the completed digital harvest report.
- Track tag usage in the app.
- Sync when service is available.
- Do not harvest if you are not certain a tag is available.
Saltwater License Check for Redfish Trips
If your trip targets redfish in Texas coastal public waters, think saltwater license/endorsement first.
| Trip Type | Usually Best License Route | Why | Quick Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas resident, coast only | Resident Saltwater Package | Includes saltwater endorsement and applicable red drum tag coverage. | Good for coast-only anglers. |
| Texas resident, lakes + coast | Resident All-Water Package | Covers both freshwater and saltwater trips. | Best if you fish Lake Conroe and Galveston, or inland + bay trips. |
| Visitor, coast only | Nonresident Saltwater Package | Visitor saltwater coverage. | Use all-water if plans may change. |
| Short one-day redfish trip | One-Day All-Water License | Endorsements are not required for this license. | Check one-day red drum tag handling before keeping a bull red. |
| License-exempt angler | Exemption + possible red drum tag | Exemption may remove license requirement, not necessarily tag planning. | Check exempt angler red drum tag before the trip. |
Real Texas Coast Insider Tips for Redfish
These tips answer what searchers actually worry about at the pier, ramp, beach, flat, or cleaning table.
Galveston Bay / Texas City Dike
Carry a rigid measuring board outside your tackle bag. Around rocks, channels, and lights, redfish often look legal until measured flat.
Port Aransas / Rockport
Passes, flats, and jetties can mix slot reds and bull reds. Decide before fishing whether you are keeping a bull red or releasing all oversize fish.
Matagorda / Freeport
Surf and bay drains can produce oversized redfish quickly. If you hold digital tags, open the app before leaving town or camp.
South Padre / Laguna Madre
Clear shallow water makes redfish size easy to overestimate. Measure every close fish and release short fish fast.
Kayak / Wade Anglers
Pre-mark your kayak, paddle, or board at 20 and 28 inches. Wind and current make loose tape measures frustrating.
Night Pier Anglers
Use a headlamp and a ruler with bright marks. Do not let crowd pressure rush your measurement or tag decision.
Legal Gear Warnings: Slot Size Is Not the Only Rule
The fish can be the right size and still illegal if the device or method is wrong.
| Method | Redfish Rule Snapshot | Field Advice |
|---|---|---|
| Rod and reel / pole and line | Standard method for game fish such as red drum. | Still measure, count, license-check, and tag-check. |
| Sail line | TPWD lists red drum among species that may be taken with sail line, subject to restrictions. | Check sail-line tag, attendance, hook, length, color, and placement rules first. |
| Trotline | Red drum caught on a trotline may not be retained or possessed. | Release redfish caught on trotline even if slot-size. |
| Cast net | Cast nets are for nongame fish and other aquatic life under listed rules. | Do not use a cast net to take game fish such as red drum. |
| Gaffing | Only use after you know the fish can legally be kept. | Do not gaff a borderline fish that may need release. |
Redfish Field Kit: What to Pack Before You Leave
This micro-checklist prevents the most common real-world problems.
Rule Proof
- Current TPWD red drum page saved.
- Outdoor Annual app opened once before the trip.
- License and saltwater endorsement checked.
- Digital tag or paper tag status confirmed.
Measuring Gear
- Rigid board or verified ruler.
- Bright 20-inch and 28-inch marks.
- Headlamp for night fishing.
- Wet hands or fish grip for fast handling.
Low-Signal Backup
- Phone charged.
- Power bank packed.
- License proof saved offline.
- Paper tag packed if you use paper license/tags.
Questions to Ask a Guide, Bait Shop, or Local Angler
These scripts help users get the exact answer without sounding confused.
Before a Charter or Guided Trip
- “Are we fishing Texas state waters, federal waters, or both?”
- “Do I need my own Texas saltwater license today?”
- “Are we keeping bull reds or releasing all fish over 28 inches?”
- “If I have a digital license, will I need app access on the boat?”
At a Bait Shop Before You Go
- “Is this spot saltwater or a special boundary area?”
- “Are anglers catching slot reds or mostly bull reds right now?”
- “Do I need to watch for seatrout, flounder, or other local rules too?”
- “Is phone service weak at this ramp, pier, or beach access?”
Watch: TPWD App for License Proof and Rules
The TPWD app is useful for redfish anglers because rules, license proof, harvest history, and digital tag tools may be needed in the field.
Use this video for TPWD app context only. Verify live red drum rules on TPWD before keeping fish.
Official TPWD Links: Use the Right Page for the Right Task
Official links come after the answer so users understand what to check before clicking.
Helpful TexasFishingLicense.website Pages
Only useful verified live internal pages are included. No category, tag, search, or doorway links.
Texas Redfish Limits FAQ
What is the Texas redfish limit?
The Texas redfish daily bag limit is 3 fish, with a 20-inch minimum and 28-inch maximum length.
What size redfish can you keep in Texas?
You can normally keep redfish from 20 through 28 inches if your bag is not full and all license, endorsement, tag, and method rules are met.
Can you keep a redfish under 20 inches in Texas?
No. Redfish under 20 inches are below the legal minimum and should be released.
Can you keep a redfish exactly 28 inches in Texas?
Yes. A redfish exactly 28 inches is within the normal slot if measured correctly and your bag is not full.
Can you keep a redfish over 28 inches in Texas?
Yes, but only under oversized red drum tag rules. One over-28-inch red drum may be kept during a license year with a properly completed Red Drum Tag, and one additional oversized red drum may be kept with a Bonus Red Drum Tag.
Does a bull red count toward the daily bag?
TPWD says fish retained under Red Drum Tag or Bonus Red Drum Tag authority may be retained in addition to the stated daily bag and possession limit.
What is a Texas Red Drum Tag?
A Red Drum Tag is required to take one red drum longer than 28 inches per license year. It is included with a saltwater fishing endorsement or a package that includes the saltwater endorsement.
How much is a Texas Bonus Red Drum Tag?
TPWD lists the Bonus Red Drum Tag at $3. It is required to take one additional red drum longer than 28 inches per license year, and only one is allowed per angler per license year.
Do digital license holders attach a physical red drum tag?
No. Digital license holders report oversized red drum through the Texas Hunt & Fish mobile app or online app instead of attaching a physical tag.
How do paper license holders tag an oversized redfish?
Immediately remove the tag, use the entire tag, fill all information spaces, cut out the day and month, and attach it with string or wire to the narrowest part of the tail just ahead of the tail fin.
Do I need a saltwater endorsement for redfish?
Most anglers fishing Texas public salt water need a valid Texas fishing license with saltwater endorsement unless an official exemption applies.
Can redfish caught on a trotline be kept in Texas?
No. TPWD states red drum, spotted seatrout, and sharks caught on a trotline may not be retained or possessed.
How should I measure a Texas redfish?
Place the fish on its side with the jaw closed, keep the body straight, position the tail for maximum length, and measure from snout tip to the extreme tail tip.
Where should I verify Texas redfish rules?
Verify through TPWD’s Drum Bag & Length Limits page, Fishing Endorsements, Tags & Permits page, tagging instructions, digital tagging page, measurement tips, and legal devices page.
Final Take: Redfish Rules Are a Field Decision
Use this simple rule at the water: under 20 inches release, 20-28 inches can be a normal keeper, and over 28 inches is a tag/reporting decision.
The safest habit is to measure first, count your bag, check your license and saltwater endorsement, confirm tag availability, and release any redfish you cannot clearly prove is legal to keep.