Go Fishing

Before You Go

• Learn how to ID Fish
• Know the Rules (Outdoor Annual)
• Get Your License
• Read Fishing Reports
• Check Fish Consumption Advisories

Where to Get Started Fishing

Download the free Outdoor Annual App to find fishing spots near you (5 miles, 10 miles, 25 miles, 50 miles) or by waterbody

• Neighborhood Fishin' lakes and ponds in urban areas are stocked regularly with fish. These parks are perfect for first-timers and families with kids.
• More maps of easy-access fishing in cities: 
  
  • Austin region (PDF) 
  • Dallas - Fort Worth (PDF) 
  • Houston (PDF) 
  • San Antonio (PDF) 
• Community Fishing Lakes are all 75 acres or smaller. Many are stocked annually.
• State Parks offer free fishing with normal park entry fees (no fishing license is required) at 70+ locations.
  • Fishing Tip Sheets: Texas State Parks
  • Tackle Loaner Program: Borrow fishing equipment for free
• Sea Center Texas is located in Lake Jackson, south of Houston
• Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center is located in Athens, east of Dallas 
  ANNOUNCEMENT: The Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center will be closed to the public for renovations starting August 28, 2023 with a tentative reopening in Spring 2025.