Texas state waters, out to 9 miles
Circle hook rule applies; 99-in minimum for hammerheads.
TPWD 2026 · checked · the official rulebook is the final word
Often mistaken for
Scalloped hammerheadNotched, wavy hammer edge. Tell them apart
Great hammerheadNearly straight hammer, tall sickle dorsal. Tell them apartKeep the wrong fish and its rule applies.
How to tell it
The hammer's front edge is smoothly curved with NO center notch — the scalloped's is scalloped. More on the smooth hammerhead page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Questions anglers ask4
What is the size limit for smooth hammerhead in Texas?
99 in total length. Measured as total length: snout to the tip of the tail, tail lobes squeezed together.
How many smooth hammerhead can you keep in Texas?
1 (all sharks combined, any combination). Counts toward the Sharks — hammerhead (smooth, great, scalloped) aggregate.
When is smooth hammerhead season in Texas?
Open year-round.
How current is this Texas smooth hammerhead 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 smooth hammerhead in Texas and this rule is on the screen before you take the picture. No signal needed.
Get the app