Gray snapper
Lutjanus griseus
Texas recreational state waters: no species-specific bag, possession or length limit is listed for gray (mangrove) snapper in the reviewed Outdoor Annual. Federal Gulf rules differ; verify them separately before fishing offshore.
Texas recreational state waters · Regulation reference 2026-09-01–2027-08-31. General license, gear and area restrictions still apply.
TPWD rule source ↗TPWD general limit policy ↗NOAA Fisheries · federal Gulf regulations ↗
Identify your catch
Brown to gray, sometimes with reddish markings; two prominent upper-jaw canine teeth. Young fish often have a dark stripe through the eye. This is mangrove snapper, not red snapper.
Habitat & biology
Uses coastal structure, reefs, seagrass and mangroves; young fish can enter low-salinity water. Feeds on crustaceans and small fish.
Fishing knowledge
Confirm the species before applying snapper rules. The red, lane and vermilion snapper entries do not describe gray snapper.
Species-level knowledge, not current fishing activity or a bay-specific catch forecast.
FWC identification & biology ↗Not named in Advisory 50, but all fish are covered in the specified Houston Ship Channel area.
Exact areas & meal guidance →Source scope
Galveston Bay
Recorded occurrence is historical evidence, not an abundance estimate or a promise of a common local catch.
Official species record evidence ↗Before you go
Sources & coastal evidence
Coastal reference review 2026-10-14. Record evidence: Galveston Bay. Historical records establish recorded occurrence, not current abundance. Artwork is illustrative scenery, not a geographical survey or a conditions feed.