Inland Fishing Regulations AND INFORMATION
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 specifi- cally classified for use of natural bait. • Dropper flies may be used when fishing any Public Mountain Trout Waters.
of the following June. At 12 p.m. on the first Saturday of June, these waters open for all anglers under Hatchery Supported Trout Wa- ters 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 Wa- ters, 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 oth- erwise. Wild Trout Waters are marked with blue-and-yellow signs. Mountain Trout Regulations by County Alleghany County HATCHERY SUPPORTED TROUT WATERS
• Fishing is not allowed in Hatchery Support- ed 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, Tanas- see 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 page 42. Trout Fishing in Undesignated Waters Some waters that are not designated as Pub- lic 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 man- aged for self-sustaining trout populations, while others have to be stocked periodically to pro- vide 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 clas- sified as Mountain Heritage Trout Waters and are identified on pages 41-42. 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 tribu- taries 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
• Big Pine Creek • Bledsoe Creek
ATTENTION TROUT ANGLERS
• Brush Creek (N.C. 21 bridge to confluence with Little River, except where posted against trespassing)
Hellbenders are harmless, non-venomous, giant, crayfish-eating, aquatic salamanders and are indicators of good water quality and healthy streams. The Wildlife Commission needs your help to conserve this state-listed species of special concern. See or catch a hellbender? Release it at the spot of capture and report where you found it: Call 919-707-0050
• Cranberry Creek • (Big) Glade Creek
• Little River (400 yards upstream of the S.R. 1128 bridge [marked by a sign on each bank] to McCann Dam) • Meadow Fork • Pine Swamp Creek • Piney Fork • Prathers Creek WILD TROUT WATERS • All waters located on Stone Mountain State Park Ashe County CATCH AND RELEASE/ARTIFICIAL FLIES AND LURES ONLY TROUT WATERS • Big Horse Creek (Virginia state line to Mud Creek at S.R. 1363, excluding tributaries) DELAYED HARVEST TROUT WATERS • Big Horse Creek (S.R. 1324 bridge to North Fork New River) • Helton Creek (900 yards upstream of S.R. 1372 bridge [marked by a sign on each bank] to a point adjacent to the intersection of N.C. 16 and S.R. 1536) • South Fork New River (upstream end of Todd Island to the S.R. 1351 bridge) • Trout Lake
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North Carolina Inland Fishing, Hunting & Trapping Regulations
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