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Striped bass in Texas: where, when & how to catch them
Striped bass are the biggest of the 'true' bass and among the hardest-pulling fish in Texas lakes. TPWD ranks them the fourth most preferred species among licensed Texas anglers. Lake Texoma is the best-known striper lake in Texas, and TPWD stocks stripers in a number of other reservoirs.
Also called striper, rockfish, lineside.
How to identify striped bass
- Silvery, shading to olive-green on the back and white on the belly, with seven or eight unbroken horizontal stripes on each side.
- The dorsal fin is clearly split into spiny and soft-rayed parts, as in white bass.
- Young stripers look like white bass. Stripers have two tooth patches on the back of the tongue and two sharp points on each gill cover; white bass have one of each.
- Hybrid striped bass (a cross between striped and white bass) are stocked in many Texas lakes and count toward the same bag limit.
Sources: TPWD: Striped bass; TPWD: Bass identification.
Where to find striped bass in Texas
Striped bass aren't native to Texas, but TPWD has stocked them in a number of reservoirs. They need flowing water to spawn: in spring, as the water approaches 60°F, landlocked stripers run up the tributaries of their lake, and the eggs must keep drifting in moving water until they hatch, which generally takes at least 50 miles of stream. That's why most Texas reservoir populations aren't self-sustaining and are kept up by stocking. Lake Texoma on the Red River is the notable exception. Adults feed mostly on gizzard and threadfin shad, so finding the shad is usually the key to finding stripers.
Source: TPWD: Striped bass.
Lakes we cover where TPWD lists striped bass
These are lakes on Texas Lake Report where TPWD's lake page lists striped bass among the main species, with today's percent full. Each page has the current water level, boat ramps, weather and sun & moon times.
- Amistad Reservoir · 46.5%
- Lake Buchanan · 95.8%
- Canyon Lake · 97.0%
- Lake Livingston · 92.2%
- Possum Kingdom Lake · 90.0%
- Lake Tawakoni · 89.9%
- Lake Texoma · 95.5%
- Toledo Bend Reservoir · 84.9%
- Lake Travis · 94.2%
- Lake Whitney · 91.2%
Striped bass month by month
General Texas patterns. Timing shifts by a few weeks from north to south and from year to year, and fronts, rain, wind and water temperature move fish day to day.
| Month | What fish are typically doing |
|---|---|
| January | Stripers follow shad in cold water; schools often hold on deeper main-lake structure. TPWD's white bass guide notes stripers also turn up around lighted docks at night in January and February. |
| February | Like January. Fish begin moving toward the upper lake and tributaries as the water warms. |
| March | Pre-spawn: stripers move up the lake toward the rivers as water nears 60°F. |
| April | Spawning runs in the tributaries on lakes with river flow; other fish feed on the main lake. |
| May | Post-spawn fish return to the main lake. Schooling with white bass at creek mouths and main-lake points; watch for birds. |
| June | Early-morning schooling, then deeper main-lake structure as the water heats up. Live shad works well. |
| July | Summer: deep humps, points and channel edges near the thermocline. Electronics are key. Fish early. |
| August | Like July. Short surface blitzes at dawn; deeper schools later in the day. |
| September | Late summer patterns hold until the water starts to cool. |
| October (now) | Fall feeding: stripers chase shad near the surface, often mixed with white bass at creek mouths and points. |
| November | Surface schooling and bird activity on many lakes as the water cools. |
| December | Schools follow shad onto deeper structure for winter. |
Proven baits and techniques
- Live shad: Gizzard and threadfin shad are what stripers eat most, and live shad on a downline or free line is a staple.
- Spoons: TPWD notes that stripers are often caught on lures that imitate small fish, such as silver spoons. Jig slab spoons vertically over deep schools.
- Deep-running lures: Deep-diving plugs cast or trolled along channel edges and humps.
- Cut bait: TPWD lists cut bait as another option.
- Topwaters and swimbaits: For schools pushing shad to the surface in late spring and fall.
Sources: TPWD: Striped bass; TPWD: White bass seasonal patterns.
Texas striped bass limits (statewide)
| Daily bag | 5 striped and hybrid striped bass in any combination |
|---|---|
| Minimum length | 18 inches |
| Lake Texoma exception | No minimum length; daily bag 10 and possession limit 20; only 2 may be 20 inches or longer each day; culling prohibited |
Statewide limits valid Sept. 1, 2026 through Aug. 31, 2027 (checked Oct. 20, 2026). Other lakes can have their own rules, and they override the statewide rule. TPWD is the authority, and limits can change. See our License & regulations guide for licenses, tags and how to check a specific lake.
Sources: TPWD: Freshwater bag and length limits; TPWD: Lake Texoma regulations; TPWD: Lake-specific exceptions.
Hybrid striped bass
Hybrid striped bass, which TPWD notes are also called palmetto or sunshine bass, are stocked in many Texas lakes, including several where TPWD's lake page lists hybrids but not true stripers. They share the striped bass bag and length limits. Check each lake page for the species TPWD lists there.
Source: TPWD: Freshwater bag and length limits.
Records
For Texas state records by category, search TPWD's official fish records.
Source: TPWD: Fish records.
Gear for striped bass
Stripers pull hard and can run, so use a reel with a smooth drag and plenty of line capacity. A 7'–7'6" medium to medium-heavy spinning rod with a sealed 3000–4000 size reel handles spoons, swimbaits and topwaters; a round baitcaster on a medium-heavy rod is popular for live bait and trolling.
Examples from our comparisons (specs and dated manufacturer prices are on the comparison pages):
- Abu Garcia C3 Striper Special Round Reel · Check current price on Amazon for the Abu Garcia C3 Striper Special Round Reel
- Penn Battle IV · Check current price on Amazon for the Penn Battle IV
- Ugly Stik Inshore Select Spinning · Check current price on Amazon for the Ugly Stik Inshore Select Spinning
Some links are affiliate links: as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See our affiliate disclosure.
Striped bass FAQ
What is the striped bass limit in Texas?
Statewide, the daily bag is 5 striped and hybrid striped bass in any combination, with an 18-inch minimum length. Lake Texoma is different: no minimum length, a daily bag of 10 and possession limit of 20, only 2 fish 20 inches or longer per day, and no culling.
Do striped bass reproduce in Texas lakes?
Mostly not. TPWD says striped bass need long stretches of flowing river (generally at least 50 miles) for their eggs to hatch, so most Texas reservoir populations are maintained by stocking. Lake Texoma is the notable exception.
What do striped bass eat?
TPWD says adult stripers feed mainly on gizzard and threadfin shad. Lures that imitate small fish, such as silver spoons, deep-running plugs, live bait and cut bait all catch them.
More species: Largemouth bass · Crappie · Catfish (blue, channel & flathead) · White bass · Red drum (redfish) · Spotted seatrout (speckled trout) · Southern flounder · Black drum