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North Carolina

Fishing

Fishing

Warmwater Game Fish Regulations

State waters are classified as: inland, joint and coastal (see “Gen­eral Information” on Inland Fishing Regulations). These state waters are collectively referred to as public fishing waters. Certain fishes, including large­mouth bass, crappie and mountain trout are designated inland game fish and under the jurisdiction of the Wildlife Resources Com­­mission in all public waters; whereas, other species, including striped bass, white and yellow perch, flounder and red drum, are desig­nated as inland game fish only in inland waters (see list on Inland Fishing Regulations).

Warmwater Game Fish

Species

Size Limit

Daily Creel Limit*

Largemouth Bass

All public waters except those listed below:

14-inch minimum, except 2 may be less than 14 inches

5, including only 2 less than 14 inches

Lake Santeetlah (Graham Co.)

No minimum size limit, and only 5 largemouth bass and smallmouth bass in combination may be greater than 14 inches

No daily creel limit for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass less than 14 inches, and only 5 largemouth bass and smallmouth bass in combination may be greater than 14 inches

Lake Cammack (Alamance Co.)

No minimum size limit, and only 2 may be greater than 14 inches

10, including only 2 greater than 14 inches

Lake Holt (Granville Co.)

New River (Alleghany Co. portion downstream of Fields Dam in Grayson Co., VA)

No minimum size, none between 14–22 inches may be possessed, and only 1 largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, or spotted bass may be greater than 22 inches

5 largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and spotted bass in combination, including only 1 largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, or spotted bass greater than 22 inches

Lake Chatuge (Clay Co.)

12-inch minimum

10 largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, Alabama bass, and spotted bass in combination

In the following waters and their tributaries:

  • Albemarle, Croatan, Currituck, and Roanoke Sounds
  • Alligator River (including the Alligator/Pungo Canal (Intra-coastal Waterway) east of the U.S. 264/N.C. 45 bridge)
  • Big Flatty Creek (Pasquotank Co.)
  • Chowan River (including the Meherrin River)
  • Little River (Pasquotank and Perquimans counties)
  • North River (Camden and Currituck counties)
  • Northwest River (Currituck Co.)
  • Pasquotank River
  • Perquimans River
  • Roanoke River downstream of Roanoke Rapids Dam
  • Scuppernong River
  • Yeopim River
  • All other associated tributaries and canals to the waters listed above

14-inch minimum

5

New Lake (Hyde Co.)

Pungo Lake (Hyde and Washington counties)

Lake Raleigh (Wake Co.)

Sutton Lake (New Hanover Co.)

Lake Hampton (Yadkin Co.)

14-inch minimum, except 2 may be less than 14 inches and none between 16–20 inches may be possessed

5, including only 2 less than 14 inches

Lake Phelps

14-inch minimum, and none between 16–20 inches may be possessed

5

Buckhorn Reservoir (Nash and Wilson counties)

16-inch minimum

5

Cane Creek Lake (Union Co.)

Lake Mattamuskeet and associated canals (Hyde Co.)

16-inch minimum, and only 1 may be greater than 20 inches

5, including only 1 greater than 20 inches

Lake Thom-A-Lex (Davidson Co.)

18-inch minimum

5

Jean Guite Creek and assoicated canals within the Town of Southern Shores (Dare Co.)

No largemouth bass may be possessed

Ponds associated with Martin Marietta Park (Craven Co.)

Smallmouth Bass

All public waters except those listed below:

14-inch minimum, except 2 may be less than 14 inches

5, including only 2 less than 14 inches

Lake Chatuge (Clay Co.)

No minimum size limit

10 largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, Alabama bass, and spotted bass in combination

New River (Alleghany Co. portion downstream of Fields Dam in Grayson Co., VA)

No minimum size limit, none between 14–22 inches may be possessed, and only 1 largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, or spotted bass may be greater than 22 inches

5 largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and spotted bass in combination, including only 1 largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, or spotted bass greater than 22 inches

Lake Santeetlah (Graham Co.)

No minimum size limit, and only 5 largemouth bass and smallmouth bass in combination may be greater than 14 inches

No daily creel limit for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass less than 14 inches, and only 5 largemouth bass and smallmouth bass in combination may be greater than 14 inches

Alabama Bass And Spotted Bass

All public waters except those listed below:

None

None

Lake Chatuge (Clay Co.)

No minimum size limit

10 largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, Alabama bass, and spotted bass in combination

New River (Alleghany Co. portion downstream of Fields Dam in Grayson Co., VA)

No minimum size limit, none between 14–22 inches may be possessed, and only 1 largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, or spotted bass may be greater than 22 inches

5 largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and spotted bass in combination, including only 1 largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, or spotted bass greater than 22 inches

Bartram’s Bass

All public waters

14-inch minimum, except 2 may be less than 14 inches

5, including only 2 less than 14 inches

Crappie (Black And White)

All public fishing waters except those listed below:

None

None

Buckhorn Reservoir (Nash and Wilson counties)

None

20 in combination

Lake Chatuge (Clay Co.)

None

30 in combination

In the following waters and their tributaries:

  • B. Everett Jordan Reservoir
  • Cane Creek Lake (Union Co.)
  • Cape Fear River
  • Deep River downstream of Lockville Dam
  • Lake Hampton (Yadkin Co.)
  • Haw River downstream of Jordan Lake Dam
  • Hyco Lake
  • Lumber River including Drowning Creek
  • Neuse River downstream of Falls Lake Dam
  • Lake Norman
  • Tar River downstream of Tar River Reservoir Dam
  • Waccamaw River downstream of Lake Waccamaw Dam
  • All other public waters east of I-95, except Tar River Reservoir (Nash Co.), Sutton Lake (New Hanover Co.), and Roanoke River
  • All public waters west of I-77, except Lake Chatuge (Clay Co.)

8-inch minimum

20 in combination

John H. Kerr Reservoir

9-inch minimum

25 in combination

Cashie, Eastmost, Middle, and Roanoke River (downstream of Roanoke Rapids Dam), and their tributaries

10-inch minimum

20 in combination

Lake Mattamuskeet and assoicated canals (Hyde Co.)

Sunfish (Except Crappie, Rock Bass, & Roanoke Bass)

All public fishing waters except those listed below:

None

None

In the following waters and their tributaries:

  • Cape Fear River
  • Deep River downstream of Lockville Dam
  • Haw River downstream of Jordan Lake Dam
  • Lumber River including Drowning Creek
  • Neuse River downstream of Falls Lake Dam
  • Roanoke River downstream of Roanoke Rapids Dam
  • Tar River downstream of Tar River Reservoir Dam
  • Waccamaw River downstream of Lake Waccamaw Dam
  • All public waters east of I-95, except Tar River Reservoir (Nash Co.)

None

30 in combination, including no more than 12 redbreast sunfish

Striped Bass And Bodie Bass (Striped Bass Hybrid)

Inland Impoundments And Tributaries

Impounded inland waters and their tributaries except those listed below:

20-inch minimum

4 in combination

Lake Chatuge (Clay Co.)

No minimum size limit, and only 2 fish may be greater than 22 inches

15 in combination, including only 2 greater than 22 inches

Hyco Lake, Moss Lake, Oak Hollow Lake, Lake Townsend, Farmer Lake and Salem Lake

16-inch minimum

4 in combination

Lake Gaston

20-inch minimum (Oct. 1 – May 31)

No minimum size limit (June 1 – Sept. 30)

4 in combination

Roanoke Rapids Reservoir

Dan River (Caswell Co.), downstream of Danville, VA

20-inch minimum, and no fish may be greater than 26 inches (Oct. 1 – May 31)

No minimum size limit (June 1 – Sept. 30)

2 in combination (Oct. 1 – May 31)

4 in combination (June 1 – Sept. 30)

John H. Kerr Reservoir

Coastal Rivers And Impoundments

Lake Mattamuskeet

18-inch minimum

3 in combination

Pee Dee River and tributaries downstream of Blewett Falls Dam

Roanoke River Striped Bass Management Area (including Cashie, Eastmost, Middle, and Roanoke rivers from Roanoke Rapids Dam downstream to mouth of the river at Albemarle Sound and its tributaries)

18-inch minimum, no fish may be greater than 22 inches (Season opened by proclamation only)

1 in combination (Season by proclamation only)

Albemarle Sound Striped Bass Management Area (including Albemarle, Croatan, Currituck, and Roanoke Sounds; as well as Alligator, Chowan, Little, North, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Scuppernong, and Yeopim rivers and their tributaries)

Established by Division of Marine Fisheries

Central-Southern Striped Bass Management Area, inland waters including:

  • Cape Fear River and tributaries from Buckhorn Dam downstream to Lock and Dam #1
  • Neuse River and tributaries from Falls Lake Dam downstream to Pitchkettle Creek
  • Pungo River upstream of the U.S. 264 bridge at Leechville
  • Tar-Pamlico River and tributaries from Rocky Mount Mill Dam downstream to N&S Railroad Bridge at Washington
  • All other unlisted inland waters of coastal rivers and tributaries

No striped bass may be possessed.

Central-Southern Striped Bass Management Area, joint waters including:

  • Cape Fear River from Lock and Dam #1 downstream to the U.S. 17-74-76 bridge at Wilmington
  • Neuse River and tributaries from Pitchkettle Cree downstream to Southern Railroad Bridge at New Bern
  • Pungo River downstream of the U.S. 264 bridge at Leechville to Smith Creek
  • All other unlisted joint waters of coastal rivers and tributaries

No striped bass may be possessed.

Central-Southern Striped Bass Management Area, coastal waters including:

  • Cape Fear River downstream of the U.S. 17-74-76 bridge at Wilmington
  • Neuse River downstream of Southern Railroad Bridge at New Bern, including Pamlico Sound and tributaries designated as coastal waters
  • Pungo River downstream of Smith Creek
  • Tar-Pamlico River downstream of the N & S Railroad Bridge at Washington, including Pamlico Sound and tributaries designated as coastal waters
  • All other unlisted coastal waters

Established by Division of Marine Fisheries

Ponds associated with Martin Marietta Park (Craven Co.)

No striped bass may be possessed.

Rock Bass and Roanoke Bass

All public fishing waters except those listed below:

None

All public waters east of I-77

8-inch minimum

2 in combination

White Bass

All inland fishing waters

14-inch minimum

10

White Perch

All inland fishing waters except those listed below:

None

None

All public fishing waters in and west of Buncombe, Haywood, and Rutherford counties

No live white perch may be possessed, transported or released.

Shad (American And Hickory)

All inland fishing waters except those listed below:

None

10 in combination, including no more than 1 American shad

Pee Dee, Pungo, and Tar-Pamlico rivers and their tributaries

None

10 in combination

Cape Fear River and its tributaries

None

10 in combination, including no more than 5 American Shad

John H. Kerr Reservoir

No American shad may be possessed

Lake Gaston

Roanoke Rapids Reservoir

Yadkin-Pee Dee River basin upstream of Blewett Falls Dam

Walleye

All public fishing waters except those listed below:

None

8

Linville River upstream from N.C. 126 bridge

None

4

Lake James and tributaries

15-inch minimum

8

Lake Gaston

18-inch minimum

5

John H. Kerr Reservoir

Roanoke Rapids Reservoir

Muskellunge

All public fishing waters

42-inch minimum

1

Sauger

All public fishing waters

15-inch minimum

8

Kokanee Salmon

All public fishing waters

None

4

Bullheads (Black, Brown, Flat, Snail, Yellow, And White Catfish)

All inland fishing waters

None

10 in combination

Flounder

All inland fishing waters

15-inch minimum

1 (Sept. 1, 2, 7, and 8)

Red Drum (Channel Bass, Red Fish, Or Puppy Drum)

All inland fishing waters

18-inch minimum, no fish may be greater than 27 inches

1

Spotted Sea Trout

All inland fishing waters

14-inch minimum

4

All Other Warmwater Game Fishes

All public fishing waters

None

None