General Mountain Trout Regulations

Brook, brown and rainbow trout require cold, clean water and are therefore generally restricted to mountain streams and lakes. Those mountain waters that support trout and are open to public fishing are designated as “Public Mountain Trout Waters” by the Wildlife Resources Commission and are man­aged for public trout fishing. A significant number of trout fishing opportunities in western North Carolina are located on private property. These landowners have generously allowed public access for fish­ing. Please respect their property. Your cooperation is needed
to protect fishing opportunities for future generations. The Commission conspicuously marks Public Mountain Trout Waters with regulation signs that indicate locations for public access. When anglers encounter “posted against trespass” signs along these designated sections on private lands, they should respect the property owner’s rights and choose another location along that stream to fish. Maps of trout water and their classifi­cations may be viewed at ncwildlife.org.

Fishing in Public Mountain Trout Waters

• Fishing is limited to hook and line only.
• An artificial lure is defined as a fishing lure that neither con­tains nor has been treated with any substance that attracts fish by the sense of taste or smell.
• An artificial fly is defined as one single hook dressed with feathers, hair, thread, tinsel, rubber, or any similar material to which no additional hook, spinner, spoon or similar device is added.
• Natural bait is defined as any living or dead organism (plant or animal), or parts thereof, or prepared substances designed to attract fish by the sense of taste or smell.
• A single hook is defined as a fish hook with only one point.
• It is unlawful to take fish bait or bait fish from Public Mountain Trout Waters.
• It is unlawful to possess natural bait while fishing Wild Trout and Catch and Release waters, unless those waters are also specifically classified for use of natural bait.
• Dropper flies may be used when fishing any Public Mountain Trout Waters.

• Fishing is not allowed in Hatchery Supported Trout Waters dur­ing the closed season except in the Linville River and tributaries within Linville Gorge Wilderness Area and on power reservoirs and municipal water supply reservoirs designated as trout waters (Bear Creek Lake, Buckeye Creek Reservoir, Calderwood Reservoir, Cedar Cliff Lake, Cheoah Reservoir, Cliffside Lake, Tanassee Creek Lake, Queens Creek Lake, and Wolf Lake).
• Non-trout species may be harvested from Delayed Harvest Trout Waters during the catch-and-release only trout season under applicable size and creel limits.
• It is unlawful to place hatchery-reared fish into Wild Trout Waters or move wild fish from one stream to another on game lands without prior written authorization.
• Information and regulations about trout fishing on game lands are listed on Other Trout Fishing Waters.

Trout Fishing in Undesignated Waters

Some waters that are not designated as Public Mountain Trout Waters contain mountain trout. When fishing in undesignated waters, there is no size limit or bait restrictions and the creel limit is seven trout per day, with no closed season.

Public Mountain Trout Waters

Some Public Mountain Trout Waters are managed for self-sustaining trout populations, while others have to be stocked periodically to provide a fishery. Public Mountain Trout Waters are as follows:

• “Catch and Release/Artificial Flies and Lures Only Trout Waters”
• “Delayed Harvest Trout Waters”
• “Hatchery Supported Trout Waters”
• “Special Regulation Trout Waters”
• “Wild Trout Waters”
• “Wild Trout/Natural Bait Waters”

Some of these public trout waters are also classified as Mountain Heritage Trout Waters and are identified on Other Trout Fishing Waters.

Class Definitions

Catch and Release/Artificial Flies and Lures Only Trout Waters

These waters and their tributaries, except as noted, may be fished only with artificial flies and lures having one single hook. No trout may be harvested or possessed while fishing these streams. These streams are marked with red-and-yellow signs.

Delayed Harvest Trout Waters

Delayed Harvest Trout Waters, excluding tributaries except as noted, may be fished only with artificial lures with one single hook, no natural bait may be possessed, and no trout may be harvested or possessed while fishing these waters between Oct. 1 and 30 minutes after sunset on the Friday before the first Saturday of the following June. At 12 p.m. on the first Saturday of June, these waters open for all anglers under Hatchery Supported Trout Waters regulations. These waters are marked with black-and-white signs.

Hatchery Supported Trout Waters

In Hatchery Supported Trout Waters there is no size limit or bait restriction, and the creel limit is seven trout per day. These waters are marked with green-and-white signs.

Special Regulation Trout Waters

These portions of Public Mountain Trout Waters, excluding tributaries except as noted, are subject to watercourse-specific, special regulations. These streams are marked with white-and-red signs.

Wild Trout Waters

In all Wild Trout Waters, the minimum length limit is seven inches and the creel limit is four trout per day. Only artificial lures with one single hook may be used. All Public Mountain Trout Waters located on game lands are Wild Trout Waters unless classified and posted otherwise. Wild Trout Waters are marked with blue-and-yellow signs.