Striped bass fishing in North Carolina

The striped bass season is closed in all internal coastal and joint waters.

In NC Atlantic Ocean waters, striped bass are open year round with a 2-fish bag limit, and a harvest slot limit of 28-inches to 31-inches total length.

Impounded inland waters and their tributaries except those listed below:

20-inch minimum; Daily limit 4 in combination

Lake Chatuge (Clay Co.)

• No minimum size limit, and only 2 fish may be greater than 22 inches
• 15 in combination, including only 2 greater than 22 inches

Hyco Lake, Moss Lake, Mountain Island Reservoir, Oak Hollow Lake, Lake Thom-A-Lex, Lake Townsend, and Salem Lake

• 16-inch minimum
• Daily limit 4 in combination

Lake Gaston

• 20-inch minimum (Oct. 1 - May 31)
• Daily limit 4 in combination

Roanoke Rapids Reservoir

• No minimum size limit (June 1 - Sept. 30)

Dan River (Caswell Co.), downstream of Danville, VA

• 20-inch minimum (Oct. 1 - May 31)
• Daily limit 2 in combination (Oct. 1 - May 31)

John H. Kerr Reservoir

• No minimum size limit (June 1 - Sept. 30)
• Daily limit 4 in combination (June 1 - Sept. 30)

COASTAL RIVERS AND IMPOUNDMENTS

Lake Mattamuskeet

• 18-inch minimum
• Daily Limit 3 in combination

Pee Dee River and tributaries downstream of Blewett Falls Dam

Roanoke River Striped Bass Management Area (includ- ing Cashie, Eastmost, Middle, and Roanoke rivers from Roanoke Rapids Dam downstream to mouth of the river at Albemarle Sound and its tributaries)

• 18-inch minimum, no fish may be greater than 22 inches (Season opened by proc- lamation only)
• Daily limit 1 in combination (Season by proclamation only)

Albemarle Sound Striped Bass Management Area (including Albemarle, Croatan, Currituck, and Roanoke Sounds; as well as Alligator, Chowan, Little, North, Pasquotank, Perqui- mans, Scuppernong, and Yeopim rivers and their tributaries)

• Established by Division of Marine Fisheries

Central-Southern Striped Bass Management Area, inland waters including Cape Fear River and tributaries from Buckhorn Dam downstream to Lock and Dam #1, Neuse River and tributaries from Falls Lake Dam down- stream to Pitchkettle Creek, Pungo River upstream of the U.S. 264 bridge at Leechville, Tar-Pamlico River and tributaries from Rocky Mount Mill Dam downstream to N&S Railroad Bridge at Washington, and All other unlisted inland waters of coastal rivers and tributaries

• No striped bass may be possessed.

Central-Southern Striped Bass Management Area, joint waters including Cape Fear River from Lock and Dam #1 downstream to the U.S. 17-74-76 bridge at Wilmington, Neuse River and tributaries from Pitchkettle Cree down- stream to Southern Railroad Bridge at New Bern, Pungo River downstream of the U.S. 264 bridge at Leech- ville to Smith Creek, and All other unlisted joint waters of coastal rivers and tributaries:

• No striped bass may be possessed.

Central-Southern Striped Bass Management Area, coastal waters including Cape Fear River downstream of the U.S. 17-74-76 bridge at Wilmington, Neuse River downstream of Southern Railroad Bridge at New Bern, including Pamlico Sound and tributaries designated as coastal waters, Pungo River downstream of Smith Creek, Tar-Pamlico River downstream of the N & S Railroad Bridge at Washington, including Pamlico Sound and tribu- taries designated as coastal waters, and all other unlisted coastal waters:

• Established by Division of Marine Fisheries

Ponds associated with Martin Marietta Park (Craven Co.)

• No striped bass may be possessed.

For more information please see https://www.ncwildlife.org/licensing/regulations