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 |
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Species |
Size Limit |
Daily Creel Limit* |
Largemouth Bass |
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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.) |
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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:
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14-inch minimum |
5 |
New Lake (Hyde Co.) |
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Pungo Lake (Hyde and Washington counties) |
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Lake Raleigh (Wake Co.) |
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Sutton Lake (New Hanover Co.) |
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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.) |
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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 |
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Ponds associated with Martin Marietta Park (Craven Co.) |
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Smallmouth Bass |
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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 |
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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 |
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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) |
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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:
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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.) |
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Sunfish (Except Crappie, Rock Bass, & Roanoke Bass) |
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All public fishing waters except those listed below: |
None |
None |
In the following waters and their tributaries:
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None |
30 in combination, including no more than 12 redbreast sunfish |
Striped Bass And Bodie Bass (Striped Bass Hybrid) |
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Inland Impoundments And Tributaries |
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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 |
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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 |
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Coastal Rivers And Impoundments |
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Lake Mattamuskeet |
18-inch minimum |
3 in combination |
Pee Dee River and tributaries downstream of Blewett Falls Dam |
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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 |
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Central-Southern Striped Bass Management Area, inland waters including:
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No striped bass may be possessed. |
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Central-Southern Striped Bass Management Area, joint waters including:
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No striped bass may be possessed. |
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Central-Southern Striped Bass Management Area, coastal waters including:
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Established by Division of Marine Fisheries |
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Ponds associated with Martin Marietta Park (Craven Co.) |
No striped bass may be possessed. |
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Rock Bass and Roanoke Bass |
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All public fishing waters except those listed below: |
None |
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All public waters east of I-77 |
8-inch minimum |
2 in combination |
White Bass |
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All inland fishing waters |
14-inch minimum |
10 |
White Perch |
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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. |
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Shad (American And Hickory) |
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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 |
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Lake Gaston |
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Roanoke Rapids Reservoir |
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Yadkin-Pee Dee River basin upstream of Blewett Falls Dam |
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Walleye |
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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 |
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Roanoke Rapids Reservoir |
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Muskellunge |
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All public fishing waters |
42-inch minimum |
1 |
Sauger |
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All public fishing waters |
15-inch minimum |
8 |
Kokanee Salmon |
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All public fishing waters |
None |
4 |
Bullheads (Black, Brown, Flat, Snail, Yellow, And White Catfish) |
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All inland fishing waters |
None |
10 in combination |
Flounder |
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All inland fishing waters |
15-inch minimum |
1 (Sept. 1, 2, 7, and 8) |
Red Drum (Channel Bass, Red Fish, Or Puppy Drum) |
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All inland fishing waters |
18-inch minimum, no fish may be greater than 27 inches |
1 |
Spotted Sea Trout |
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All inland fishing waters |
14-inch minimum |
4 |
All Other Warmwater Game Fishes |
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All public fishing waters |
None |
None |