Fishing Licenses and Packages

Effective September 1, 2006 through August 31, 2007

A valid fishing license with a freshwater or saltwater stamp is required to take fish, mussels, clams, crayfish or other aquatic life in the public waters of Texas. A hunting license is required to take turtles and frogs.

The first Saturday in June of each year is the annual Free Fishing Day and no person is required to have a fishing license or stamp endorsements while fishing on that day.

A fishing license and stamp endorsement are not required if fishing from the bank in a state park or in waters completely enclosed by a state park. All other fishing regulations, such as length and bag limits, remain in effect.

See General Information About Licenses, Stamps and Tags for information on Lifetime, Disabled Veteran, Texas Resident Active Duty Military, and Combination licenses/packages.

Resident Fishing Licenses

Required of any resident who fishes in the public waters of Texas (Note: All members of the U.S. Armed Forces on active duty and their dependents are considered residents).

You do not need a license/package if you:

• are under 17 years of age.
• were born before Sept. 1, 1930.
• are a mentally disabled person who is engaging in recreational fishing as part of medically approved therapy, and who is fishing under the immediate supervision of personnel approved or employed by a hospital, residence, or school for mentally disabled persons. The mentally disabled person must carry an authorization identifying the entity supplying the service. This authorization may be in the form of an I.D. card that contains the name of the sponsoring entity.
• are a mentally retarded person and you are recreational fishing under the direct supervision of a licensed angler who is a family member or a licensed angler that has permission from the family to take the mentally retarded person fishing. While fishing, the mentally retarded person needs a note from a doctor stating the person has been diagnosed as mentally retarded.

A resident fishing license is included in all Super Combination and Combination packages (including Texas Resident Active Duty Military), the Lifetime Resident Combination and Lifetime Resident Fishing licenses, and the various resident fishing packages offered by the Department (see table below). A resident who holds one of these licenses/packages is not required to purchase a separate resident fishing license.

Non-Resident Fishing Licenses

Required of all non-residents who fish in the public waters of Texas. Licenses/Packages are not required if you are a:

• non-resident under 17 years of age;
• Louisiana resident 65 years of age or older who possesses a valid Louisiana Recreational Fishing License (includes Senior Fish/Hunt License); or
• Oklahoma resident 64 years of age or older.

Fishing Packages

The Department offers a variety of fishing packages from which the public may select based on the type of fishing (freshwater, saltwater, or both) and term/duration of license desired.

License Year Fishing Packages provide a resident, special resident, or non-resident fishing license valid from September 1, 2006 to August 31, 2007 and either a freshwater stamp endorsement, a saltwater stamp endorsement with a red drum tag, or both stamp endorsements valid for the same time period.

Special Resident Fishing Packages are available to any Texas resident who is at least 65 years if age and was born on or after Sept. 1, 1930; or is legally blind. The packages include a special resident fishing license, and either a freshwater stamp endorsement, a saltwater endorsement with a red drum tag, or both depending on the package selected.

"Day Plus" Packages provide a resident or non-resident fishing license valid for the selected day or days purchased and either a freshwater stamp endorsement, a saltwater stamp endorsement with a red drum tag, or both stamp endorsements valid for the same days. Consecutive days may be bought at the time of purchase. A future purchase of the same type of "Day Plus" Fishing Package within the same license year is available according to the pricing schedule below.

July and August Fishing Packages (available only to Texas residents) provide a resident fishing license valid from July 1, 2007 to August 31, 2007 and either a freshwater stamp endorsement, a saltwater stamp endorsement with a red drum tag, or both stamp endorsements valid for the same time period.

Year-from-Purchase All-Water Fishing Package (available only to Texas residents) provides a resident fishing license valid from the date of purchase through the end of the purchase month of the next license year, and a freshwater stamp endorsement and saltwater stamp endorsement with a red drum tag, valid for the same time period.

 

Resident Fishing Packages

Term/Duration	Type of Fishing
	Fresh Water	Salt Water	All-Water
License Year: September - August	Resident Freshwater Fishing Package: $28	Resident Saltwater Fishing Package: $33	Resident All-Water Fishing Package: $38
	Special Resident Freshwater Fishing Package: $11	Special Resident Saltwater Fishing Package: $16	Special Resident All-Water Fishing Package: $21
Selected number of days	"Day Plus" Freshwater Fishing Package 1st Purchase: - One Day $11 - Additional Days $4/day Later Purchases: - One Day $6 - Additional Days $4/day	"Day Plus" Saltwater Fishing Package 1st Purchase: - One Day $16 - Additional Days $4/day Later Purchases: - One Day $6 - Additional Days $4/day	"Day Plus" All-Water Fishing Package 1st Purchase: - One Day $21 - Additional Days $4/day Later Purchases: - One Day $6 - Additional Days $4/day
July and August	July and August Freshwater Fishing Package: $25	July and August Saltwater Fishing Package: $30	July and August All-Water Fishing Package: $35
Year-from-Purchase	N/A	N/A	Year-from-Purchase All-Water Fishing Package: $45

 

Non-Resident Fishing Packages

Term/Duration	Type of Fishing
	Fresh Water	Salt Water	All-Water
License Year: September-August	Non-Resident Freshwater Fishing Package: $55	Non-Resident Saltwater Fishing Package: $60	Non-Resident All-Water Fishing Package: $65
Selected number of days	"Day Plus" Freshwater Fishing Package 1st Purchase: - One Day $17 - Additional Days $8/day Later Purchases: - One Day $12 - Additional Days: $8/day	"Day Plus" Saltwater Fishing Package 1st Purchase: - One Day $22 - Additional Days $8/day Later Purchases: - One Day $12 - Additional Days $8 /day	"Day Plus" All-Water Fishing Package 1st Purchase: - One Day $27 - Additional Days $8/day Later Purchases: - One Day $12 - Additional Days $8 /day

Please note that if you own any valid freshwater fishing package, you will be able to purchase a saltwater stamp endorsement, and conversely, if you own any valid saltwater fishing package you will be able to purchase a freshwater stamp endorsement.

Sport Oyster Boat License

Required when using a sport oyster dredge or tongs to take oysters

• Resident (Type 328): $12 - For boats registered in Texas or having a U.S. Coast Guard document that shows the owner's address is in Texas.
• Non-resident (Type 428): $48

Fishing Guide License

Required for any person who for compensation, accompanies, assists, or transports any person engaged in fishing in the waters of the state.

• $125 for operating as a resident or non-resident fishing guide in the fresh waters of the state. (Type 600 Resident; Type 700 Non-Resident)
• $200 for operating as a resident fishing guide in the salt waters or both salt and fresh waters of the state (Type 610 Resident)
• $1,000 for operating as a non-resident fishing guide in salt waters or both salt and fresh waters of the state (Type 710 Non-Resident).

Saltwater fishing guide licenses available only at TPWD Law Enforcement Offices. Freshwater fishing guide licenses available at any location where licenses are sold.

A vessel operator's license is required from the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) to carry passengers for hire on waters designated as navigable by the USCG. It is the operator's responsibility to assure compliance with USCG regulations. No person operating a vessel or boat as a fishing guide on or in the salt waters of this state may be issued a Fishing Guide License unless the person presents documentation to the license deputy that the applicant possesses a valid and appropriate U.S. Coast Guard Operator's License. For additional information, contact the USCG Regional Examination Center in Houston, TX at (713) 948-3350.