Inland Fishing Regulations AND INFORMATION
WARMWATER GAME FISH (CONT.) SPECIES
SIZE LIMIT
DAILY CREEL LIMIT*
ROCK BASS AND ROANOKE BASS All public fishing waters except those listed below:
None
All public waters east of I-77
8-inch minimum
2 in combination
WHITE BASS All inland fishing waters and joint fishing waters when caught by hook and line WHITE PERCH All inland fishing waters and joint fishing waters when caught by hook and line, except those listed below: All public fishing waters in and west of Buncombe, Haywood, and Rutherford counties SHAD (AMERICAN AND HICKORY) All inland fishing waters and joint fishing waters when caught by hook and line, except those listed below: Pee Dee, Pungo, and Tar-Pamlico rivers and their tributaries
None
10
None
None
No live white perch may be possessed, transported or released.
10 in combination, including no more than 1 American shad
None None None
10 in combination
10 in combination, including no more than 5 American Shad
Cape Fear River and its tributaries
John H. Kerr Reservoir
Lake Gaston Roanoke Rapids Reservoir Yadkin-Pee Dee River basin upstream of Blewett Falls Dam WALLEYE All public fishing waters except those listed below:
No American shad may be possessed.
None None
8 4 8
Linville River upstream from N.C. 126 bridge
Lake James and tributaries
15-inch minimum
Lake Gaston
John H. Kerr Reservoir Roanoke Rapids Reservoir MUSKELLUNGE All public fishing waters SAUGER All public fishing waters KOKANEE SALMON All public fishing waters
18-inch minimum
5
42-inch minimum
1
15-inch minimum
8
None
4
BULLHEADS (BLACK, BROWN, FLAT, SNAIL, YELLOW, AND WHITE CATFISH) All inland fishing waters and joint fishing waters when caught by hook and line None
10 in combination
FLOUNDER All inland fishing waters and joint fishing waters when caught by hook and line RED DRUM (CHANNEL BASS, RED FISH, OR PUPPY DRUM) All inland fishing waters and joint fishing waters when caught by hook and line SPOTTED SEATROUT All inland fishing waters and joint fishing waters when caught by hook and line
15-inch minimum
1 (Sept. 1 – Sept. 14.)
18-inch minimum, no fish may be greater than 27 inches
1
14-inch minimum, no fish may be between 20 and 26 inches
3, including only 1 greater than 26 inches
YELLOW PERCH All inland and joint fishing waters
None
None
PICKEREL All public fishing waters
None
None
ALL OTHER WARMWATER GAME FISHES All public fishing waters
None
None
* Please note: “In combination” means the total number for all species combined.
2026–2027 31
North Carolina Inland Fishing, Hunting & Trapping Regulations
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