Fish guide
Sea Catfish (hazard)
Hardhead and gafftopsail catfish.
Not prohibited in Texas; listed for identification.
Showing the fish for Lower Texas coast, South Padre.
Season in Lower Texas
Peak months: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep.
JFMAMJJASOND
Same as hardhead-catfish. (Our inference)
Season by region
| Southwest Florida | JFMAMJJASOND |
|---|---|
| Tampa Bay | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Big Bend | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Panhandle | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Alabama | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Mississippi | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Louisiana | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Upper Texas | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Middle Texas | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Lower Texas | JFMAMJJASOND |
Handling
- Venomous, serrated dorsal and pectoral spines
Do not grab it. Pin it with a towel or your foot, unhook with long pliers, or cut the line.
Keep or release
Legal to keep; not very tasty (TPWD).
Limits
FishOS has not checked the TX limits yet. Check the size, bag and season rules with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department before you keep a fish.
Sources
- TPWD species profile: hardhead catfish (Official source)
- SC finfish size and catch limits 2026-2027 (eRegulations, linked from SCDNR), last updated Aug 11, 2026 (Official source)