Inland Fishing Regulations AND INFORMATION
Nongame Fish Any fish not classified as a game fish is considered a nongame fish when found in inland fishing waters and includes shellfish and crustaceans. Manner of Taking Nongame Fish At the time that this publication went to print, proposed rules establishing size limits, creel lim- its, seasons, and species that may be sold for certain estuarine fishes when found in inland fishing waters were pending legislative review. Any updates concerning seasons, size and creel limits, and species that may be sold will be post- ed at ncwildlife.org as they become available. • Nongame fish may be taken by hook and line, including trotlines, set-hooks, and jug-hooks, or by grabbling; no fish may be taken by snag- ging. For special rules governing trotlines, set-hooks, and jug-hooks, see page 44. • Nongame fish may be taken with certain spe- cial devices for personal use (bait or personal consumption) using any valid license that provides inland fishing privileges. See restric- tions under “Taking Nongame Fish, Crusta- ceans, and Mollusks for Personal Use” below. • Nongame fishes may be taken with archery equipment (see page 54) under any license that authorizes hunting or fishing privileges. See restrictions under “Archery Equipment” on page 44. • Special devices (see “Special Fishing De- vices” pages 44–47) may be used to take nongame fish with a Special Fishing Device License (see page 14) in those counties and waters with open seasons (see “Seasons and Waters” pages 44–47). • Crab pots may not be used in inland fishing wa- ters or in designated waterfowl impoundments located on game lands, except that persons owning property adjacent to the inland fishing waters of coastal rivers and their tributaries may set two crab pots attached to their prop- erty and a special device license is not required. • In the inland waters of the Roanoke River upstream of the U.S. 258 bridge, only a single barbless circle hook when fishing with live or natural bait or other tackle with a single barb- less hook may be used from April 1 to June 30. “Barbless” means that the hook either does not have a barb or that the barb is bent down. Tandem rigs are prohibited. Seasons for Taking Nongame Fish There are no closed seasons for nongame fishes taken from inland waters with the following exceptions: • There is no open season for sturgeon. Any sturgeon caught must be immediately released. • Special devices used to take nongame fish with a Special Fishing Device License may only be used in those counties and waters with open seasons (see “Seasons and Waters” pages 44–47).
• Nongame fishes, crustaceans, and mollusks taken for bait or personal use may not be sold. • The daily creel limit is 200 nongame fish, crayfish, and mollusks, in combination, sub- ject to species-specific size and creel limits (see pages 41–42). • Freshwater mussels can only be collected from impounded waters. • Any fish taken for bait purposes are included in the daily possession limit for that species (where such a limit is specified). • Nongame fish may not be taken for bait from Bear Creek and Rocky River, Chatham Coun- ty; Fork Creek, Randolph County; Deep River below Coleridge Dam, Randolph County; those portions of Deep River in Moore, Cha- tham and Lee counties; and Public Mountain Trout Waters (except in impounded waters of power reservoirs and municipally-owned water supply reservoirs). • Game fish incidentally taken with nets or traps, while capturing bait, must not be harmed and must be released immediately. Possession and Use of Nongame Fish • It is unlawful, while fishing, to change the appearance of fish subject to species-specific size limits or daily creel limits (see Nongame Fish Size & Creel Limits, pages 41–42) or to remove the head and/or tail from fish that are regulated by a size limit so that they can- not be measured and/or identified, except American eel greater than 9 inches in length and with a minimum body depth greater than 1/2 inch may be cut for use as bait. Sale of Nongame Fish • Nongame fish caught on hook and line (in- cluding trotlines, set-hooks, and jug-hooks), grabbling and by special fishing devices with a Special Fishing Device License may be sold, subject to the following restrictions: » Species-specific size and creel limits (see pages 41–43). » Bowfin may not be sold. » Blueback herring and alewife taken by any method in inland waters may not be sold, except for those fish less than six inches in length that are taken from Kerr Reservoir (Granville, Vance, and Warren counties). » Blue crabs, Atlantic Croaker, Black Drum, Bluefish, Cobia, King Mackerel, Sheeps- head, Spanish Mackerel, Spot, and Weak- fish (Gray Trout) taken from inland fishing waters may not be sold. » Those listed under “Species and fishing activity prohibitions” on page 47. » A special fishing device license is required when taking nongame fish with special fishing devices and also subject to re- strictions listed under “Special Fishing Devices,” on pages 44–47, “Seasons and Waters” on pages 44–47, and “Fishing on Game Lands” on page 47. • Freshwater mussels can only be collected from impounded waters.
• In Public Mountain Trout Waters, the season shall be the same as the trout-fishing season. • Information and regulations about fishing on game lands are listed on page 47. • Information and regulations about fishing in the waters or on the property of a state fish hatchery are listed on page 47.
Taking Nongame Fish, Crustaceans, and Mollusks for Personal Use
• Nongame fishes, crustaceans (crayfish and blue crabs), and mollusks may be taken for personal use (bait or personal consumption) only with the equipment listed below, and with a valid license that provides basic inland fishing privileges. » A dip net not greater than 6 feet across. » A seine not greater than 12 feet in length with a bar mesh measure of not more than 1/4 inch, except in Lake Waccamaw any length seine may be used to collect bait fishes. » A cast net. » A bow net in those counties and waters with open seasons (see “Seasons and Wa- ters” pages 44–47). » Dip nets used in conjunction with a li- censed hand-crank electrofisher where authorized by local law. » Minnow traps not exceeding 12 inches in diameter and 24 inches in length, with funnel openings not exceeding one inch in diameter. All fish and animals must be removed daily, and the traps must be la- beled with the user’s name and address or WRC customer number. » A gig except in Public Mountain Trout Waters. » Traps (no more than three) in those coun- ties and waters with open seasons (see “Seasons and Waters” pages 44–47). » Eel pots (no more than two). » A spear gun in those counties and waters with open seasons (see “Seasons and Wa- ters” pages 44–47). » Hand-held lines with single baits attached to each. » A single, multiple bait line for taking crabs not to exceed 100 feet in length that is under the immediate control and attendance of the user and is limited to one line per person and no more than one line per vessel. The line is required to be marked on each end with a solid float no less than five inches in diameter and bearing legible and indelible identifica- tion of the user’s name and address. » A collapsible crab trap with the largest opening not greater than 18 inches and which, by design, collapses at all times when in the water, except when being retrieved or lowered to the bottom.
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North Carolina Inland Fishing, Hunting & Trapping Regulations
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