Federal rule (Gulf federal waters) · Texas lists none of its own
Feb-Mar closure applies only beyond 20 fathoms.
NOAA SERO 2026 / Gulf Council 2026 · checked · the official rulebook is the final word
Often mistaken for
Red snapperSnapper is brighter red with a snapper jaw and forked tail. Tell them apart
Red hindSmaller, covered in discrete red spots. Tell them apartNot listed by Texas: the default applies (No size limit, no bag limit).
Keep the wrong fish and its rule applies.
Texas state record
TPWD State Records (Saltwater, Rod & Reel) · checked 2026-08-23
How to tell it
Brick-red mottle, pale blotches, sloped straight head profile; inside of mouth washed red. More on the red grouper page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Red grouper in other states11 rulebooks
Questions anglers ask5
What is the size limit for red grouper in Texas?
20 in total length. Measured as total length: snout to the tip of the tail, tail lobes squeezed together.
How many red grouper can you keep in Texas?
2 per person within 4-fish grouper aggregate. Aggregate: grouper aggregate.
When is red grouper season in Texas?
Open year-round except Feb 1 - Mar 31 shallow-water grouper closure seaward of the 20-fathom break.
What is the Texas record red grouper?
25 lb, Gulf of America (2020).
How current is this Texas red grouper rule?
Source: NOAA SERO 2026 / Gulf Council 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.
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