North Carolina Mountain Trout Waters

 
Trout Fishing Regulations for Hatchery and Wild Trout Waters

 

 Hatchery Supported and 
Undesignated Waters		 Wild Trout Waters
Season July 1, 2001-Feb. 28, 2002 
6:00 am April 6, 2002 to  June 30, 2002		 Year-round
Daily Creel Limit 7 4
Minimum Size Limit None 7 inches
Lure Restristions None Artifical lure having one single hook

Exceptions 

  • There is not closed season for trout in power supply lakes an municipal water supply lakes.
  • In Lake Lure the daly creel limit for tourt is 5 fish in aggregate and the minimum size limit for trout is 15 inches.
Trout Fishing Regulations for Special Regulated Trout Waters
Catch and Release/Artificial Lures Only
Season Year-round
Daily Creel Limit No trout may be harvested or possessed
Lure Restrictions Artificial lures having one single hook
Catch and Release/Flies Only
Season Year-round
Daily Creel Limit No trout may be harvested or possessed
Lure Restriction Artificial flies having one single hook
Delayed Harvest
From October 1, 2001 to May 31, 2001
- No trout may be harvested or possessed
- Fishing restricted to artificial lures having one single hook 
From July 1, 2001 to September 30, 2001 and from June 1, 2002 to June 30, 2002
- 7 trout daily creel limit 
- No size limit 
- No bait restrictions
Wild Trout/Natural Bait
Season Year-round
Daily Creel Limit 4
Minimum Size Limit 7 inches
Lure Restriction Artificila lures having one single hook or natural baits with one single hook. No live fish as bait
 
Mountain Trout

Brook, brown and rainbow are the dominant species of freshwater trout in North Carolina. These trout require cold, clean water and are therefore generally restricted to mountain streams and lakes. Those mountain waters which support trout and are open to public fishing are designated as public mountain trout waters by the Wildlife Resources Commission and managed for public trout fishing.

Designated public mountain trout waters are classified for management purposes as either Hatchery Supported Waters or Wild Trout Waters. Wild Trout Waters are high quality waters which sustain trout populations by natural reproduction; whereas Hatchery Supported Waters must be stocked periodically with trout in order to sustain fishing. Some Wild Trout and Hatchery Supported Waters are specially regulated to meet specific management objectives. These are further classified as Catch and Release/Artificial Lures Only, Catch and Release/Artificial Flies Only, Wild Trout/Natural Bait, or Delayed Harvest Waters. All designated trout waters are classified as Wild Trout Waters unless otherwise classified.

All waters on the game lands listed below, except Cherokee Lake, Grogan Creek, Big Laurel Creek downstream of Waterville Reservoir to the Tennessee state line, Nolichucky River, Mill Ridge Pond and Cheoah River downstream of Santeetlah Reservoir, are designated public mountain trout waters and are classified as Wild Trout Waters unless classified and posted otherwise.

Hatchery Supported Trout Waters

There are approximately 1,100 miles of Hatchery Supported Trout Waters in North Carolina. In Hatchery Supported Waters there is no size limit or bait restriction and the creel limit is seven trout per day.

Hatchery Supported Trout Waters are marked with green and white signs that are posted conspicuously along the watercourses.

Streams that are in bold and underlined are stocked with catchable size trout at frequent intervals during the months of March trough August.

The following waters are classified as Hatchery Supported Trout Waters except where posted against trespass:

 

 

Wild Trout Waters
In all wild trout waters the minimum length limit is 7 inches and the creel limit is 4 trout per day. Only artificial lures with one single hook may be used. All designated trout wates located on game lands are wild trout waters unless classified and posted otherwise.

The following streams not on game lands are also classified as wild trout waters and are marked with blue and gold signs, which are posted conspicuously along the water course.
Special Regulated Trout Waters

Certain designated mountain trout waters are managed under very restrictive regulations in order to meet specific management objectives. These waters are marked with signs that are posted conspicuously along the watercourses.

Catch and Release Artificial Lures Only Waters

The following trout waters and their tributaries, except as noted, may be fished only with artificial lures having one single hook and all fish must be released. No fish may be harvested or possessed while fishing these streams. These streams are marked with purple and gold signs.

 
Catch and Release Fly Fishing Only Waters

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

Delayed Harvest Waters

The following 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 fish may be harvested or possessed while fishing these waters between October 1, 2001 and one-half hour after sunset on m\May 31,2002. These waters are closed to fishing between one-half hour after sunset on May 31 and 6:00 am on June 1. At 6:00 am on June 1 these waters open to fishing under Hatchery Supported regulations-no bait restrictions, no minimum length limit and 7 trout per day creel limit. These waters are marked with black and white signs.

Wild Trout Natural Bait Waters

The following portions of Wild Trout Waters and their tributaries, except as noted, may be fished with artificial lures or natural bait, except live fish. Lures and natural baits are restricted to one single hook. The minimum length limit is 7 inches and the daily creel limit is 4 trout. These streams are marked with brown and gold signs.

 

Fishing in Trout Waters
 

Blue Ridge Parkway

For specific fishing information in Blue Ridge Parkway waters, contact: Blue Ridge Parkway, 200 BB&T Building Ashville, NC 28801. Telephone (828) 271-4779, ext 245..

Several ponds and streams on the Blue Ridge Parkway offer trout and smallmouth bass or bream fishing opportunities. The National Park Service establishes fishing regulations for Parkway waters.

Unless posted otherwise, trout waters are designated as wild trout waters. Trout season and size and creel limits are the same as for similarly designated waters regulated by the Wildlife Resources Commission. The exception is Basin Creek where lures are restricted to artificial flies having a single hook.

A valid North Carolina or Virginia fishing license is required for all persons 16 years of age or older fishing on Parkway waters. Either license is valid on all Parkway waters. Special trout licenses are not required.

 
North Carolina State Parks

South Mountains State Park in Burke County and Stone Mountain State Park in Wilkes and Alleghany counties offer many miles of trout fishing waters. As established by the Wildlife Resources Commission for other trout streams, a valid trout license and a valid North Carolina fishing license are requirements in state park streams. A game land license is not required. A special catch and release stream is located in Stone Mountain State Park with additional regulations. The possession of any type of firearms, explosives, bows and arrows, or alcoholic beverages within State Parks is unlawful. Park entrance gates are opened and closed daily according to the following schedule:

 

Nov., Dec, Jan, Feb.
8 am - 6 pm
March, October
8 am - 7 pm
April, May, September
8 am - 8 pm
June, July, August
8 am - 9 pm
Additional information may be obtained by contacting the following park offices:
South Mountains State Park
(828) 433-4772
Stone Mountain State Park

(336) 957-8185
Georges State Park
(828) 966-9099

 

Back to Blue Ridge Trout
 
Last Update September 28, 2001