Species guide · Texas
Gray snapper fishing in Texas
Lutjanus griseus, a nearshore species also called mangrove snapper, mango snapper and black snapper. Listed for the Western Gulf region. Off season, about 25 more weeks.
Right now it scores best in San Antonio, Mesquite, and Espiritu Santo Bays at 64, one of 9 Texas bay systems where the Waterlands engine is scoring it.
Season now
Off seasonSeason by month
From the Waterlands saltwater species research: when the fish are present and biting, not whether retention is open.
Western Gulf
Off season, about 25 more weeks- Jan: Off season
- Feb: Off season
- Mar: Off season
- Apr: Off season
- May: Shoulder season
- Jun: Peak season
- Jul: Peak season
- Aug: Peak season
- Sep: Shoulder season
- Oct: Shoulder season
- Nov: Off season
- Dec: Off season
Peak: Jun to Aug. In season (shoulder or peak): May to Oct.
Research notes, Western Gulf region
Summer fish on Texas jetties (Port Aransas, Port Mansfield, South Padre) and on Louisiana rigs, where they hold higher in the water column than red snapper.
Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.
Where it's scoring now · 9
Texas bay systems ranked by the Waterlands engine's gray snapper score this hour.
Best window today 9 PM-12 AM (64) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 9 AM (66) · 54 named spots
Best window today 9 PM-12 AM (63) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 5 PM (64) · 37 named spots
Best window today 9 PM-12 AM (62) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 6 PM (65) · 8 named spots
Best window today 9 PM-12 AM (62) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 9 AM (63) · 97 named spots
Best window today 9 PM-12 AM (61) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 7 PM (64) · 51 named spots
Best window today 9 PM-12 AM (62) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 5 PM (65) · 61 named spots
Best window today 9 PM-12 AM (59) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 6 PM (64) · 2 named spots
Best window today 9 PM-12 AM (56) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 6 PM (62) · 5 named spots
Best window today 9 PM-12 AM (57) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 5 PM (61) · 14 named spots
How and where it feeds
- Water temperature
- Feeds from 62°F to 91°F, best between 74°F and 86°F.
- Water depth
- 3 to 180 ft of water.
- Structure
- Mangrove, bridge, reef, jetty, ledge, channel, wreck and pier, in that order of preference.
- Tide and current
- Prefers moving water, with moderate current.Inshore fish feed along mangrove edges, bridge pilings and channel drop-offs while the tide runs, and the bite slows at slack. On offshore reefs a light current carries chum and pulls fish up off the bottom.
- Light
- Bites best around dawn and dusk; feeds at night too.
- Pressure
- Little response to pressure changes.
- Wind and sea limits
- 18 kt of wind and 4 ft of sea. The Waterlands engine scores hours down as conditions pass them.
Tackle and technique
Mangrove snapper hold tight to mangrove roots, bridge pilings, jetties and reef ledges, from a few feet deep inshore to 150 feet offshore. Chum to pull them out of cover, then freeline or lightly weight a live shrimp or pilchard on fluorocarbon leader, since they shy away from heavy line in clear water. The bite improves at dusk and after dark.
- Methods
- bottom fishing, chumming, freelining, light jigging
- Lures
- small bucktail jigs, jig heads tipped with shrimp
- Bait
- live shrimp, pilchards, cut ballyhoo, squid, pinfish, fiddler crabs
Regulations
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Synced with TPWD Oct 31, 2026. Rules shown verified Sep 13, 2026.
10 Gulf snappers combined per day · Minimum 12 in, total length
Season: No closed season on file
No separate gray snapper limit. Gray snapper count toward the 10-snapper bag. Excludes red, lane and vermilion snapper. No more than 5 mutton snapper.
50 CFR part 622, subpart B (Gulf reef fish) · verified Sep 13, 2026