Federal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species) · Texas lists none of its own
No recreational limits, unlike yellowfin's 3-fish/27-inch rule — but the boat still needs an HMS Angling permit.
NOAA HMS 2025 · checked · the official rulebook is the final word
Often mistaken for
Bigeye tunaStockier with a bigger eye; pectorals never reach that far. Tell them apartNot listed by Texas: the default applies (No size limit, no bag limit).
Yellowfin tunaYellow finlets and shorter pectorals. Tell them apartNot listed by Texas: the default applies (No size limit, no bag limit).
Keep the wrong fish and its rule applies.
How to tell it
Pectoral fins absurdly long, sweeping back past the anal fin; deep-blue back, chalk belly. More on the albacore page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Questions anglers ask4
What is the size limit for albacore in Texas?
No size limit.
How many albacore can you keep in Texas?
No bag limit.
When is albacore season in Texas?
Open year-round.
How current is this Texas albacore rule?
Source: NOAA HMS 2025, last checked Sep 20, 2026. A watchman re-reads the agency's pages nightly. Rules change mid-season by proclamation; the official rulebook is the final word.
In the appPoint the camera at an albacore in Texas and this rule is on the screen before you take the picture. No signal needed.
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