Fishing in Texas
PiscaMaps covers 4,995 public fishing venues across Texas in 8 regions — 1,938 lakes and reservoirs and 3,034 rivers. The largest is Toledo Bend Reservoir, at 165,599 acres. Brazos River is the longest mapped river, running 754 km. Central Texas has the most venues on file, with 1,782. 2 venues are documented trout waters.
The most commonly recorded species across Texas's public waters are Largemouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish, Bluegill, Smallmouth Bass, Spotted Bass, Common Carp and Longnose Gar — the exact mix varies by water type and region. 231 venues have a real boat ramp on file, 167 have nearby camping, and 654 have mapped parking — sourced from OpenStreetMap and recreation.gov's federal facilities database (RIDB) where available.
Fishing Regions in Texas
Texas's public fishing venues are spread across 8 regions on PiscaMaps:
Central Texas · 1,782
Gulf Coast & Houston · 660
East Texas Piney Woods · 538
North Texas & Metroplex · 531
Panhandle & Plains · 423
Hill Country · 386
South Texas & Rio Grande · 367
West Texas & Big Bend · 285
Species Recorded in Texas
The most frequently recorded species across Texas's public venues on PiscaMaps:
Largemouth Bass · 4,962
Channel Catfish · 4,956
Flathead Catfish · 4,913
Bluegill · 4,860
Smallmouth Bass · 4,660
Spotted Bass · 4,660
Common Carp · 3,032
Longnose Gar · 2,756
Guadalupe Bass · 2,743
Rio Grande Cichlid · 2,742
Fishing Licence in Texas
Everyone 17 or older needs a Texas fishing licence with a Freshwater Fishing endorsement — the resident freshwater package is about $30, an all-water package about $47, and a non-resident annual about $58. A 1-day all-water licence is about $16. No separate trout stamp. Buy from Texas Parks & Wildlife. A Texas fishing licence covers public rivers. In Texas a watercourse is public if it is 'navigable in fact' (roughly a 30-foot average bed) — you may wade and fish the bed and banks up to the gradient line, but adjacent land is usually private.
Full access to public fishing venues in Texas
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Frequently Asked Questions
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How many public fishing venues are there in Texas?+
PiscaMaps covers 4,995 public fishing venues across Texas in 8 regions — 1,938 lakes and reservoirs and 3,034 rivers. The largest is Toledo Bend Reservoir, at 165,599 acres. Brazos River is the longest mapped river, running 754 km. Central Texas has the most venues on file, with 1,782. 2 venues are documented trout waters.
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Do I need a fishing licence in Texas?+
Everyone 17 or older needs a Texas fishing licence with a Freshwater Fishing endorsement — the resident freshwater package is about $30, an all-water package about $47, and a non-resident annual about $58. A 1-day all-water licence is about $16. No separate trout stamp. Buy from Texas Parks & Wildlife. A Texas fishing licence covers public rivers. In Texas a watercourse is public if it is 'navigable in fact' (roughly a 30-foot average bed) — you may wade and fish the bed and banks up to the gradient line, but adjacent land is usually private.
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Are there boat ramps and camping near Texas's fishing lakes?+
231 venues have a mapped boat ramp and 167 have nearby camping on PiscaMaps, sourced from OpenStreetMap and the federal RIDB database.
Notable Lakes & Reservoirs in Texas
Toledo Bend Reservoir
Texas
165,599 acres — largemouth bass, spotted bass, white bass, yell...
Sam Rayburn Reservoir
Texas
111,758 acres — largemouth bass, spotted bass, white bass, yell...
Lake Livingston
Texas
83,286 acres — largemouth bass, white bass, hybrid striped bas...
Falcon Reservoir
Texas
80,555 acres — largemouth bass, white bass, striped bass, blac...
Lake Texoma
Texas
59,414 acres — striped bass, blue catfish, channel catfish, la...
Sabine Lake
Texas
57,050 acres — largemouth bass, white bass, hybrid striped bas...
