🎣 Red Drum · Fishing gear
Texas Redfish Fishing Gear Guide and Red Drum Limits
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Redfish are the most popular inshore fish on the Texas coast. You can catch them wading, from a kayak, from a pier or from a bay boat in Galveston, Matagorda, Aransas and the Laguna Madre.
Red drum limits (2026-27)
- Daily bag: 3 red drum, 20 to 28 inches (slot).
- Each license year you may keep one red drum over 28 inches with a Red Drum Tag, and one more with a Bonus Red Drum Tag. These are in addition to the daily bag.
- Possession limit is double the daily bag.
- Digital tags must be reported in the Texas Hunt & Fish app or online.
- You need a fishing license with a Saltwater Fishing Endorsement.
Source: TPWD Drum Bag & Length Limits, valid Sept. 1, 2026 – Aug. 31, 2027.
The gear checklist
1. A 7-foot medium spinning or baitcasting rod
A medium-power, fast-action rod casts soft plastics, spoons and topwaters and can handle a slot red. Saltwater-rated reels resist corrosion better.
2. Braid and fluorocarbon leader
Braided main line casts far and gives sensitivity. A fluorocarbon leader resists abrasion from oyster shell.
3. Gold spoons and soft plastics
A weedless gold spoon is a classic Texas redfish lure in shallow grass. Paddle-tail soft plastics on jigheads work almost everywhere.
4. Live or fresh bait rig
Live shrimp under a popping cork, or cut mullet or crab on a Carolina rig, are reliable around jetties and marsh drains.
5. Wading gear
Wading boots protect your feet from oyster shell and stingrays. Shuffle your feet as you wade. A wading belt with a rod holder and stringer keeps your hands free.
6. Pliers, lip grip and measuring tape
Salt-resistant pliers remove hooks quickly. A measuring tape keeps you inside the 20 to 28 inch slot.
7. Sun protection
A long-sleeve sun shirt, buff, hat and polarized glasses are must-haves on open Texas bays.
TPWD drum limits · Solunar fishing times
Regulation details checked against the TPWD 2026-27 Outdoor Annual on October 23, 2026. Regulations can change mid-year. Confirm at tpwd.texas.gov before you go.
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