Texas state waters, out to 9 miles
Retention closed Nov 1 - Dec 14; flounder possession limit equals the daily bag (not doubled).
TPWD 2026 · checked · the official rulebook is the final word
Often mistaken for
Southern flounderNo eye-ringed spots at all. Tell them apart
Summer flounderFive eye-ringed spots in an X. 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
Three ocellated (eye-ringed) spots in a triangle — two above, one below the lateral line — on a sandy left-facing flatfish. More on the Gulf flounder page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Gulf flounder in other states9 rulebooks
Questions anglers ask4
What is the size limit for Gulf flounder in Texas?
15 in total length. Measured as total length: snout to the tip of the tail, tail lobes squeezed together.
How many Gulf flounder can you keep in Texas?
5. Counts toward the Flounder: all species, their hybrids and subspecies aggregate.
When is Gulf flounder season in Texas?
Open year-round except closed Nov 1 – Dec 14. As of Sep 21, 2026 it is open.
How current is this Texas Gulf flounder 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 Gulf flounder in Texas and this rule is on the screen before you take the picture. No signal needed.
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