LivewellTexas · Angelina County · Reservoir
Sam Rayburn Reservoir
Is the fish you caught here safe to eat? Below is every consumption advisory on file for Sam Rayburn Reservoir, by species and size, in plain English — plus what's legal to keep.
9 species with advisories · contaminants: Dioxins, Mercury
What's safe to eat from Sam Rayburn Reservoir
Alligator Gar
| Size | Who | Guidance |
|---|---|---|
| All sizes | Adults and children 12 and older | Limit to one meal per month due to elevated Dioxin and Mercury. |
| Women of childbearing age, pregnant or nursing | For women of childbearing age, pregnant or nursing: do not eat due to elevated Dioxin and Mercury. | |
| Children under 12 | For children under 12: do not eat due to elevated Dioxin and Mercury. |
Source: official advisory· updated 2026-09-22
Blue Catfish
| Size | Who | Guidance |
|---|---|---|
| Over 30" | Adults and children 12 and older | Limit to two meals per month due to elevated Dioxin and Mercury. |
| Women of childbearing age, pregnant or nursing | For women of childbearing age, pregnant or nursing: do not eat due to elevated Dioxin and Mercury. | |
| Children under 12 | For children under 12: do not eat due to elevated Dioxin and Mercury. |
Source: official advisory· updated 2026-09-22
Flathead Catfish
| Size | Who | Guidance |
|---|---|---|
| All sizes | Adults and children 12 and older | Limit to one meal per month due to elevated Dioxin and Mercury. |
| Women of childbearing age, pregnant or nursing | For women of childbearing age, pregnant or nursing: do not eat due to elevated Dioxin and Mercury. | |
| Children under 12 | For children under 12: do not eat due to elevated Dioxin and Mercury. |
Source: official advisory· updated 2026-09-22
Largemouth Bass
| Size | Who | Guidance |
|---|---|---|
| Over 16" | Adults and children 12 and older | Limit to two meals per month due to elevated Dioxin and Mercury. |
| Women of childbearing age, pregnant or nursing | For women of childbearing age, pregnant or nursing: do not eat due to elevated Dioxin and Mercury. | |
| Children under 12 | For children under 12: do not eat due to elevated Dioxin and Mercury. |
Source: official advisory· updated 2026-09-22
Longnose Gar
| Size | Who | Guidance |
|---|---|---|
| All sizes | Adults and children 12 and older | Limit to one meal per month due to elevated Dioxin and Mercury. |
| Women of childbearing age, pregnant or nursing | For women of childbearing age, pregnant or nursing: do not eat due to elevated Dioxin and Mercury. | |
| Children under 12 | For children under 12: do not eat due to elevated Dioxin and Mercury. |
Source: official advisory· updated 2026-09-22
Shortnose Gar
| Size | Who | Guidance |
|---|---|---|
| All sizes | Adults and children 12 and older | Limit to one meal per month due to elevated Dioxin and Mercury. |
| Women of childbearing age, pregnant or nursing | For women of childbearing age, pregnant or nursing: do not eat due to elevated Dioxin and Mercury. | |
| Children under 12 | For children under 12: do not eat due to elevated Dioxin and Mercury. |
Source: official advisory· updated 2026-09-22
Smallmouth Buffalo
| Size | Who | Guidance |
|---|---|---|
| All sizes | Adults and children 12 and older | Do not eat due to elevated Dioxin and Mercury. |
| Women of childbearing age, pregnant or nursing | For women of childbearing age, pregnant or nursing: do not eat due to elevated Dioxin and Mercury. | |
| Children under 12 | For children under 12: do not eat due to elevated Dioxin and Mercury. |
Source: official advisory· updated 2026-09-22
Spotted Bass
| Size | Who | Guidance |
|---|---|---|
| Over 16" | Adults and children 12 and older | Limit to two meals per month due to elevated Dioxin and Mercury. |
| Women of childbearing age, pregnant or nursing | For women of childbearing age, pregnant or nursing: do not eat due to elevated Dioxin and Mercury. | |
| Children under 12 | For children under 12: do not eat due to elevated Dioxin and Mercury. |
Source: official advisory· updated 2026-09-22
Spotted Gar
| Size | Who | Guidance |
|---|---|---|
| All sizes | Adults and children 12 and older | Limit to one meal per month due to elevated Dioxin and Mercury. |
| Women of childbearing age, pregnant or nursing | For women of childbearing age, pregnant or nursing: do not eat due to elevated Dioxin and Mercury. | |
| Children under 12 | For children under 12: do not eat due to elevated Dioxin and Mercury. |
Source: official advisory· updated 2026-09-22
How to prepare fish from Sam Rayburn Reservoir
Some contaminants build up in fat and skin, so cleaning and cooking can lower your exposure. Others — mercury and PFAS — are in the muscle itself and trimming does nothing.
Dioxins
- Skin the fish — most of the contaminant sits in the fat just under the skin.
- Trim the fatty areas away: the belly flap, the top of the back, and the dark lateral line down each side.
- Cook on a rack — grill, broil, or bake — so the fat drips off the fillet.
- Throw the drippings out; don't use them for soup, sauce, or chowder.
- Choose smaller, younger fish — they've had less time to build it up.
Is it legal to keep?
These are Texas's statewide limits — a water-specific rule may override them. Always verify the current regulations before keeping a fish.
| Species | Size | Daily limit | Open season | Keep season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 14" min | 5 | Year-round | Same as open |
| Smallmouth Bass | 14" min | 5 | Year-round | Same as open |
| Spotted Bass | — | 5 | Year-round | Same as open |
| Guadalupe Bass | — | 5 | Year-round | Same as open |
| Alabama Bass | — | 5 | Year-round | Same as open |
| Striped Bass | 18" min | 5 | Year-round | Same as open |
| Hybrid Striped Bass | 18" min | 5 | Year-round | Same as open |
| White Bass | 10" min | 25 | Year-round | Same as open |
| Yellow Bass | — | — | Year-round | Same as open |
| Channel Catfish | — | 25 | Year-round | Same as open |
| Blue Catfish | — | 25 | Year-round | Same as open |
| Flathead Catfish | 18" min | 5 | Year-round | Same as open |
| White Crappie | 10" min | 25 | Year-round | Same as open |
| Black Crappie | 10" min | 25 | Year-round | Same as open |
| Alligator Gar | — | 1 | Year-round | Same as open |
| Paddlefish | — | 0 | Year-round | Same as open |
| Saugeye | — | 5 | Year-round | Same as open |
| Gizzard Shad | — | — | Year-round | Same as open |
| Threadfin Shad | — | — | Year-round | Same as open |
| Bluegill | — | — | Year-round | Same as open |
| Redear Sunfish | — | — | Year-round | Same as open |
| Green Sunfish | — | — | Year-round | Same as open |
| Warmouth | — | — | Year-round | Same as open |
| Longear Sunfish | — | — | Year-round | Same as open |
| Rainbow Trout | — | 5 | Year-round | Same as open |
| Brown Trout | — | 5 | Year-round | Same as open |
| Walleye | — | 5 | Year-round | Same as open |
Official rules: Texas — Texas TPWD
Getting on the water
- Boat ramp boat ramp 1.5 mi Directions
Access points from OpenStreetMap contributors.