Tripletail
Lobotes surinamensis
Texas recreational limits: daily bag 3; minimum length 17 inches; no maximum listed. General possession limit is 6.
Texas recreational state waters · Regulation reference 2026-09-01–2027-08-31. General license, gear and area restrictions still apply.
TPWD rule source ↗
Identify your catch
Deep-bodied, with rounded rear dorsal and anal fins that make the tail end look three-lobed. Color ranges from dark to bronze or mottled.
Habitat & biology
Uses bays and Gulf waters and may float on its side at the surface, resembling debris. Eats shrimp, crabs and small fish.
Fishing knowledge
Its surface behavior is useful identification context. A floating fish or object alone does not confirm a tripletail or justify retaining one below the minimum.
Species-level knowledge, not current fishing activity or a bay-specific catch forecast.
TPWD identification & biology ↗Not Listed in Advisory for this named bay in the reviewed DSHS index. Nearby water may have different restrictions; this is not a safety guarantee.
Exact areas & meal guidance →Source scope
Matagorda 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: Matagorda Bay. Historical records establish recorded occurrence, not current abundance. Artwork is illustrative scenery, not a geographical survey or a conditions feed.