Texas state waters, out to 9 miles
Venting tool or descending device required for fish showing barotrauma.
TPWD 2026 · checked · the official rulebook is the final word
Past 9 miles: federal waters Different rule
Season set annually by quota projection; 43-day 2026 season confirmed by NOAA bulletin.
NOAA SERO 2026 / Gulf Council 2026 · checked 2026-09-20
Often mistaken for
Almaco jackDeeper body, tall sickle-shaped dorsal lobe. Tell them apartKeep the wrong fish and its rule applies.
Texas state record
TPWD State Records (Saltwater, Rod & Reel) · checked 2026-08-23
How to tell it
Dark band through the eye to the first dorsal; amber side stripe; 11 or fewer dorsal rays than almaco's tall sickle. More on the greater amberjack page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Greater amberjack in other states10 rulebooks
Questions anglers ask5
What is the size limit for greater amberjack in Texas?
38 in total length. Measured as total length: snout to the tip of the tail, tail lobes squeezed together.
How many greater amberjack can you keep in Texas?
1.
When is greater amberjack season in Texas?
Open year-round.
What is the Texas record greater amberjack?
133 lb, Gulf of America (2019).
How current is this Texas greater amberjack rule?
Source: TPWD 2026, 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 a greater amberjack in Texas and this rule is on the screen before you take the picture. No signal needed.
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