Sand seatrout
Cynoscion arenarius
Texas recreational state waters: no species-specific bag, possession or length limit is listed for sand seatrout in the reviewed Outdoor Annual. Spotted seatrout regulations apply to spotted seatrout, not this species.
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 ↗
Identify your catch
Pale silver with a tan or yellowish back, a yellow mouth interior and prominent upper-jaw canine teeth. Lacks the dark back spots of spotted seatrout and has no chin barbels.
Habitat & biology
Uses Gulf coastal waters over sandy bottoms. Eats small fish and shrimp. Silver seatrout is a separate, similar-looking species.
Fishing knowledge
Do not use the spotted seatrout slot or tags for sand seatrout. Check identification against the official reference when an unspotted trout is uncertain.
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.