Keith Lusher 12.15.25
Texas anglers who have been using drones to carry bait past the breakers now have a definitive answer from state officials. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) announced that drones cannot be used for fishing activities in Texas waters, following a regulatory review prompted by a surge in public questions about the technology.
In a release posted on the agency’s website, TPWD said staff examined Title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations § 19.11, which has been in place since 1956 under the Federal Airborne Hunting Act (AHA). After consulting with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, officials determined that the AHA prohibits the use of aircraft, including unmanned aircraft systems, to take or attempt to take wildlife. That definition includes using drones to deploy bait for fish.
According to federal definitions included in the statute, an aircraft is any device used for flight. The term “take” covers any attempt to pursue, trap, capture, or kill wildlife. TPWD said that deploying bait with a drone qualifies as aiding in the attempt to take fish, which places the practice under federal restriction.
The department also clarified that Texas cannot issue permits to allow drone fishing. Under 50 CFR § 19.31, states are barred from authorizing the use of aircraft for sport hunting, which includes recreational fishing.
Texas Game Wardens released their own message on X, noting that this restriction comes from federal statute rather than new state policy. TPWD echoed that in its statement to FOX Local, explaining that the department is only relaying existing federal law and updating guidance to avoid confusion.
“If someone chooses to use an unmanned aircraft system to deploy bait while bank or surf fishing, it is a federal, not state-level violation,” the statement said. “However, we do not condone or authorize violating federal law.”
The penalties for violating the Airborne Hunting Act were not included in the TPWD guidance.
As drone technology becomes more accessible, TPWD expects questions to continue to arise. Still, for now, the agency says the federal interpretation makes one thing clear: deploying bait with a drone is not permitted in Texas fishing.
For more information about Texas’s hunting and fishing regulations, visit tpwd.texas.gov
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