Texas state waters, out to 9 miles
TPWD 2026 · checked · the official rulebook is the final word
Past 9 miles: federal waters Different rule
The water you are in decides. the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council writes the rule past the line.
NOAA SERO 2026 / Gulf Council 2026 · checked 2026-09-20
Often mistaken for
Red snapperHeavier head and jaw, angular anal fin. 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
Slender vermilion body, series of short diagonal blue lines on the back, deeply forked tail. More on the vermilion snapper page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Vermilion snapper in other states10 rulebooks
Questions anglers ask5
What is the size limit for vermilion snapper in Texas?
10 in total length. Measured as total length: snout to the tip of the tail, tail lobes squeezed together.
How many vermilion snapper can you keep in Texas?
No bag limit.
When is vermilion snapper season in Texas?
Open year-round.
What is the Texas record vermilion snapper?
6.84 lb, Gulf of America (2022).
How current is this Texas vermilion snapper 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 vermilion snapper in Texas and this rule is on the screen before you take the picture. No signal needed.
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