Inland Fishing Regulations AND INFORMATION
• Nongame fishes, crustaceans, and mollusks taken for personal use with equipment listed under “Taking Nongame Fish, Crustaceans, and Mollusks for Personal Use” on pages 43–44 with any valid license that provides basic inland fishing privileges may not be sold. • The sale of commercially raised nongame fish is regulated by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Archery Equipment • Nongame fish may be taken year-round with archery equipment (see page 56) in water- fowl impoundments located entirely on game lands and in all inland fishing waters other than the impounded waters on the Sandhills Game Land, Public Mountain Trout Waters, and reservoirs with restrictions on taking grass carp listed on page 42. • In the Pee Dee River downstream of Blewett Falls Dam to the South Carolina state line and all tributaries, archery equipment may only be used to take catfish, subject to size and creel limits (see page 41). • Nongame fishes may be taken with archery equipment (see page 54) under any license that authorizes basic hunting or fishing privileges. Trotlines, Set-hooks and Jug-hooks • A trotline is a fishing device consisting of a horizontal common line having multiple hooks attached. • A set-hook is a fishing device consisting of a single line having no more than three hooks that is attached at one end only to a station- ary object. • A jug-hook is a fishing device consisting of a single line having no more than three hooks that is attached at one end only to a float. • Trotlines, set-hooks and jug-hooks may be fished under any license that authorizes fish- ing privileges. • It is unlawful to use live bait with trotlines, set-hooks or jug-hooks. • Trotlines must be set parallel to the nearest shore in all public waters, where their use is authorized. • Each trotline, set-hook and jug-hook shall have attached the user’s name and address or the user’s NCWRC customer number leg- ibly inscribed. • Each trotline shall be conspicuously marked at each end, and each set-hook shall be con- spicuously marked at one end with a promi- nent flag or floating object. • Metal cans and glass containers cannot be used as markers. • The number of jug-hooks that may be fished is limited to 70 per boat. • Trotlines, set-hooks and jug-hooks must be fished daily, and all fish must be removed daily.
• Trotlines, set-hooks and jug-hooks without bait or not properly labeled may be removed from the water by wildlife enforcement officers. Exceptions • No trotlines, set-hooks or jug-hooks may be used in the impounded waters of Sandhills Game Land. • No trotlines, set-hooks or jug-hooks may be used in Public Mountain Trout Waters, ex- cept impounded waters of power reservoirs and municipal water supply reservoirs open to the public for fishing. • In Lake Waccamaw, it is unlawful to use trot- lines, set-hooks or jug-hooks from May 1 – Sept. 30. • No trotlines, jug hooks, and set hooks in the inland fishing waters of the Roanoke River from April 1 to June 30. Special Fishing Devices • Special fishing devices for the taking of non- game fishes with a Special Fishing Device License, include the following: seines, cast nets, gill nets, dip nets, bow nets, reels, gigs, spear guns, baskets, fish pots, eel pots, traps (excluding crab traps and automobile tires), and hand-crank electrofishers where autho- rized by local law. • Special fishing devices may only be used in inland fishing waters during designated seasons . See list (by county) under “Seasons and Waters” on pages 44–47. Term and Use of Special Device Licenses • The license is valid during a license year (12 months from date of purchase). • Each user of a special device must have their own license in possession, except that a bow net or dip net may be used by another person who has the owner’s license in their possession. • Only the principal owner or operator must be licensed when drag seines are used at inland beaches to take mullet. • Dip nets may be used in conjunction with a licensed hand-crank electrofisher where authorized by local law to take nongame fish for bait or personal consumption in inland fishing waters with any valid license that provides basic inland fishing privileges. Netting Restrictions • Stationary nets must not exceed 100 yards in length and must be spaced at least 50 yards apart. • “Attendance” requires that a netter be within 100 yards of their net at all times. • Stationary nets must run parallel to the near- est shoreline. • Anchored, fixed or drift gill nets must be marked at each end with two separate yellow buoys, which shall be of solid foam or other solid buoy- ant material no less than five inches in their
smallest dimension. Buoys on each of the nets shall be marked (by engraving buoys or attach- ing engraved metal or plastic tags) with one of the following: owner’s N.C. vessel registration number, owner’s U.S. vessel documentation name or owner’s last name and initials. • No wires or ropes associated with a special fishing device may extend across any navi- gable waterway. Fish-Trap Restrictions • A fish trap may be no more than 60 inches in length and no more than 30 inches in depth or width. • No lead nets, wing nets or other devices may be attached to the trap nor used within 25 feet of the trap. • Such devices, when set and left unattended, shall be affixed with a card or tag furnished by the license-holder and upon which their name and address shall be legibly inscribed. Eel Pot Restrictions • It is unlawful to use eel pots with mesh sizes smaller than one-half inch by one-half inch. • Each eel pot must be marked by attaching a floating buoy, which shall be of solid foam or other solid buoyant material and no less than five inches in diameter and no less than five inches in length. Buoys may be any color except yellow. The owner shall always be identified on the attached buoy by using engraved buoys or by engraved metal or plastic tags attached to the buoy. Such identification shall include one of the following: owner’s N.C. vessel registra- tion number, owner’s U.S. vessel documenta tion name, or owner’s last name and initials. Hand-Crank Electrofisher Restrictions • Hand-crank electrofishers are any manually operated device capable of generating a low- voltage electrical current, not to exceed 300 volts, for the taking of catfish. Seasons and Waters Applying to Special Fishing Devices • No special fishing devices, including crab pots, may be used in designated waterfowl impoundments located on game lands. • Seasons and waters, in which use of special devices with a Special Fishing Device License are indicated by the following counties: » Alamance: July 1 – Aug. 31 with seines in Alamance Creek below N.C. 49 bridge and Haw River. July 1 – June 30 with gigs in all public waters. » Alexander: July 1 – June 30 with traps and gigs in all public waters; and with spear guns in Lake Hickory and Lookout Shoals Reservoir. » Alleghany: July 1 – June 30 with gigs in New River, except Public Mountain Trout Waters. » Anson: July 1 – June 30 with traps and gigs in all public waters. March 1 – April 30 with bow nets in Pee Dee River below Blewett Falls Dam. July 1 – Aug. 31 with seines in all running public waters, except Pee Dee
44 2024–2025
Please note: Major regulation changes appear in RED
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