Species guide · Texas
King mackerel fishing in Texas
Scomberomorus cavalla, a pelagic species also called kingfish, king and smoker kingfish. Listed for the Western Gulf region. Shoulder season, about 5 more weeks.
Right now it scores best in Copano, Aransas, and Redfish Bays at 56, one of 9 Texas bay systems where the Waterlands engine is scoring it.
Season now
Shoulder seasonSeason by month
From the Waterlands saltwater species research: when the fish are present and biting, not whether retention is open.
Western Gulf
Shoulder season, about 5 more weeks- Jan: Off season
- Feb: Off season
- Mar: Off season
- Apr: Shoulder season
- May: Peak season
- Jun: Peak season
- Jul: Peak season
- Aug: Peak season
- Sep: Shoulder season
- Oct: Shoulder season
- Nov: Off season
- Dec: Off season
Peak: May to Aug. In season (shoulder or peak): Apr to Oct.
Research notes, Western Gulf region
Western Gulf fish move north from Mexico in spring and back south in fall. A resident group of large fish stays around Louisiana platforms year-round (LSU Sea Grant). The Texas nearshore run starts in spring and ends with the first strong November front.
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 king mackerel score this hour.
Best window today 3-10 PM (61) · Best day Sun, Sep 20 at 8 AM (62) · 61 named spots
Best window today 3-10 PM (59) · Best day Mon, Sep 21 at 6 PM (60) · 37 named spots
Best window today 3-10 PM (58) · Best day Sun, Sep 20 at 8 AM (58) · 54 named spots
Best window today 3-10 PM (57) · Best day Wed, Sep 23 at 7 PM (58) · 97 named spots
Best window today 3-10 PM (55) · Best day Mon, Sep 28 at 7 AM (57) · 51 named spots
Best window today 6-10 PM (57) · Best day Sun, Sep 20 at 9 AM (60) · 8 named spots
Best window today 6-10 PM (52) · Best day Sun, Sep 20 at 8 AM (52) · 14 named spots
Best window today 7-10 PM (54) · Best day Sun, Sep 20 at 8 PM (54) · 2 named spots
Best window today 6-10 PM (51) · Best day Sun, Sep 20 at 9 AM (51) · 5 named spots
How and where it feeds
- Water temperature
- Feeds from 68°F to 86°F, best between 70°F and 81°F.
- Water depth
- 15 to 250 ft of water.
- Structure
- Reef, wreck, ledge, pier, inlet, open water and bank, in that order of preference.
- Tide and current
- Prefers incoming tide and moving water, with moderate current.Near the beach and at pier ends, kings bite best when moving water pushes clean green water and bait along the shoreline and inlet mouths. Offshore, bait and current edges matter more than tide stage.
- Light
- Bites best around dawn and dusk.
- Pressure
- Little response to pressure changes.
- Wind and sea limits
- 20 kt of wind and 5 ft of sea. The Waterlands engine scores hours down as conditions pass them.
Tackle and technique
Kings roam from beaches and pier ends out to reefs, wrecks and ledges in 40 to 200 feet, usually feeding in the upper half of the water column. Slow-troll live menhaden, blue runners or cigar minnows on a light wire stinger rig, or pull spoons and ribbonfish past bait schools. Look for clean green water above 68 F with bait and birds on it.
- Methods
- slow trolling, trolling, drifting live bait, pier fishing, casting
- Lures
- spoons, deep-diving plugs, skirted duster rigs with ribbonfish, jigs
- Bait
- live menhaden, blue runners, cigar minnows, Spanish sardines, ribbonfish, ballyhoo, threadfin herring
Regulations
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Synced with TPWD Sep 20, 2026. Rules shown verified Sep 13, 2026.
3 per day · Minimum 24 in, fork length
Season: No closed season on file
50 CFR part 622, subpart Q (coastal migratory pelagics) · verified Sep 13, 2026
3 per day · 6 in possession · Minimum 27 in, total length
Season: No closed season on file
The possession limit is double the daily bag and does not count fish stored at your residence. While fishing, you may not hold more than the daily bag.
TPWD 2026-27 Outdoor Annual, Mackerel Bag & Length Limits · verified Sep 13, 2026