Hatchery-Supported Trout Waters
There are
approximately 1,100 miles of Hatchery-Supported Trout Waters in North Carolina.
In hatchery-supported waters there is no size limit or bait restriction, and the
creel limit is seven trout per day. Hatchery-Supported Trout Waters are marked
with green-and white signs that are posted conspicuously along the watercourses.
The following
waters are classified as Hatchery-Supported Trout Waters (streams that are
underlined are stocked with catchable-size trout at frequent intervals during
the months of March through August):
McDowell County
Catawba River
(Catawba Falls Campground to Old Fort Recreation Park)
Little Buck Creek
(game land portion)
North Fork
Catawba River (headwaters to North Cove School at S.R. 1569 bridge)
Armstrong Creek
(Cato Holler lower line downstream to Greenlee upper line)
Mill Creek (upper
railroad bridge to U.S. 70 bridge, except where posted against trespassing)
Mountain
Heritage Trout Waters
The Mountain Heritage Trout Waters
program is a cooperative effort between the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission
and local governments to encourage trout fishing as a heritage tourism activity
in western North Carolina cities that are designated as a “Mountain Heritage
Trout Water City.”
Currently, five cities are
enrolled in the program. Each of these cities provides public access to a trout
stream that runs through or is adjacent to the city. Old Fort has agreed to take
part in this program and will be officially designated on August 1, 2010.
North Carolina residents and
non-residents who want to fish in a stream that is designated as a Mountain
Heritage Trout Water may purchase a 3-day license for $5. The license is valid
only for waters that are designated as Mountain Heritage Trout Waters. Anglers
with the appropriate fishing license and trout privilege license can fish in
Mountain Heritage Trout Waters without a Mountain Heritage Trout Waters license.
The Commission offers two quick
and easy ways to purchase a Mountain Heritage Trout Waters license using a
credit card:
Call 1(888)
248-6834. Phone lines are open from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday. From May to
September, phone lines are open from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Sunday. or Click
here.
Important note: The Mountain
Heritage Trout Water license can only be purchased online or by calling the
toll-free number above. Wildlife Service Agents do not sell this license.
To fish for trout in waters that
are not designated as “Mountain Heritage Trout Waters,” anglers age 16 and over
must have a valid fishing license and a trout privilege license. Click
here
to purchase a regular fishing license and stamp.
No rod and reel? No problem!
Anglers can borrow a rod and reel
free of charge for the day at the Mountain Gateway Museum on Water St.
The loaner rods and reels are provided by city and town governments and the N.C.
Wildlife Resources Commission through the agency’s Mountain Heritage Trout
Waters Tackle Loaner Program. This program operates like a library. Anglers of
all ages register at participating Mountain Heritage Trout Waters
program-tackle-loaner sites to receive a tackle loaner ID card, which allows
them to check out a rod and reel for the day. Anglers under age 18 must have a
parent or guardian to complete the registration form. Anglers receive a free
one-time mini-tackle box containing assorted lures the first time they register
in the program. One tackle box per participant is permitted.
Loaner rods and reels are
available for a one-day loan and must be returned to the participating loaner
site by the end of the business day.
Stocking takes place between March and July, over 1,275 Brook Trout, 1,275
Rainbow and 630 Brown Trout are released on our property.
Regulations
Season opens first Sat in April
Follow above link to get your fishing license ONLINE!
DPMTW are identified by
color coded diamond shaped signs posted along the stream bank or lake shore that
indicate regulations in effect for each stream. A fishing regulations digest may
be obtained from the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission or license agents that
details all trout fishing regulations and streams by individual category.
Designated Public Mountain Trout Waters are classified for management purposes
as either Wild Trout or Hatchery Supported waters. Wild Trout Waters are high
quality waters which sustain trout populations by natural reproduction and are
not stocked. Hatchery Supported Waters must be stocked periodically with trout
in order to sustain fishing. Some Wild Trout Waters are managed as Catch and
Release/Artificial Lures Only, Catch and Release/Artificial Flies Only, or Wild
Trout/Natural Bait. Hatchery Supported Waters have one special regulation known
as Delayed Harvest. Special regulations on Wild Trout and Hatchery Supported
waters are used to meet specific management objectives.
Wild Trout Waters
-
All trout waters on game lands are designated as Wild Trout Waters unless a
water is specifically listed in the regulations digest as being managed under
one of the other designations. Management emphasis is placed on maintaining
populations of wild stream-reared trout through more restrictive fishing
regulations. Fishing related mortality is reduced by restricting fishing
methods, having a minimum length limit, and limiting harvest.
Fishing map for McDowell County
| Season: |
Year-round |
| Daily
Creel Limit: |
Four
fish |
| Minimum
Size Limit: |
Seven
inches |
| Lure
Restrictions: |
Artificial
lures having one single hook.
Possession of natural baits is prohibited |
| Sign
Colors: |
Blue
on Gold |
Consult the Regulations
Digest for a listing of streams.
Catch and
Release/Artificial Lures - This designation is used to protect brook trout
populations and to allow anglers the opportunity to fish over brown and rainbow
trout populations unaffected by angling harvest. Larger trout are protected by
this regulation.
| Season: |
Year-round |
| Daily
Creel Limit: |
No
trout may be harvested or possessed |
| Lure
Restriction: |
Artificial
lures having one single hook.
Possession of natural baits is prohibited |
| Sign
colors: |
Purple
on Gold |
Consult the Regulations
Digest for a listing of streams.
Catch and Release/Flies
Only - This designation is similar to the proceeding one except that only
artificial flies may be used.
| Season: |
Year-round |
| Daily
Creel Limit: |
No
trout may be harvested or possessed |
| Lure
Restriction: |
Artificial
flies having one single hook.
Possession of natural baits is prohibited |
| Sign
colors: |
Red on
gold |
Consult the Regulations
Digest for a listing of streams.
Wild Trout/with Natural
Bait Allowance - The fourth Wild Trout designation provides trout anglers
the opportunity to fish for wild trout with natural bait. This is an
experimental regulation that is currently being evaluated. These streams are
being monitored to determine if the use of natural bait in wild trout waters has
resulted in changes in the population.
| |
Year-round |
| Daily
Creel Limit: |
Four
fish |
| Minimum
Size Limit: |
Seven
inches |
| Lure
Restrictions: |
Single
hook artificial lures and bait allowed (using single hooks only), except
that live minnows can not be used |
| Sign
colors: |
Brown
on gold |
Consult the Regulations
Digest for a listing of streams.
Hatchery Supported Waters
- Hatchery Supported Waters are stocked by state hatcheries with catchable size
trout. Stockings are made from March through August although some waters are
only stocked in Spring. Most waters are stocked at four-week intervals, but some
heavily fished waters are stocked more frequently. Most Hatchery Supported
streams will not support trout year-round; however, some do contain small wild
trout populations.
Stocked fish average 9-10
inches in length with a small percentage being 12 inches or larger.
Approximately 600,000 catchable trout are stocked each year of which 40% are
brook, 40% are rainbow and 20% are brown trout.
| Season: |
Open
11 months, except closed from March 1 to first Saturday in April |
| Daily
Creel Limit: |
Seven
fish |
| Minimum
Size Limit |
None |
| Lure
Restrictions: |
None |
| Sign
colors: |
Green
on white |
Consult the Regulation
Digest for a listing of streams.
Delayed Harvest -
This
designation provides catch-and-release fishing for stocked trout in fall and
spring. The objective of this regulation is to provide waters where anglers have
higher-than-normal chances to catch trout.
| Season: |
October
1 to day before first Saturday in June |
| Daily
Creel Limit: |
No
trout may be harvested or possessed |
| Lure
Restriction: |
Artificial
lures having one single hook.
Possession of natural baits is prohibited |
| Season: |
First
Saturday in June to September 30 |
| Daily
Creel Limit: |
Seven
fish |
| Minimum
Size Limit |
None |
| Lure
Restrictions: |
None |
| Sign
colors: |
Black
on white |
Consult the Regulations
Digest for a listing of streams.
License Requirements.
Specific licenses are required to fish in Designated Public Mountain Trout
Waters. The following combination of individual licenses are required to fish
for trout on NCWRC managed waters:
Nongame land designated
trout waters:
State Fishing License
(basic) and Special Trout Fishing License
Game land designated
trout waters:
State Fishing License,
Special Trout Fishing License.
The game lands license is not required to fish in any waters on game lands. The following licenses include the basic fishing privileges as well as the
additional privileges of trout fishing.
Annual or Lifetime
Sportsman Licenses.
Annual or Lifetime Comprehensive Fishing Licenses.
Comprehensive Short-Term Fishing License.
Persons under 16 years of
age are exempt from the basic fishing license requirement. Such persons are
exempt from the trout license only when they are accompanied by a properly
licensed adult, or when they are in possession of the appropriate license(s) of
a parent or guardian.
A resident may fish with
natural bait in his county of residence without a basic fishing license.
However, a special trout license is required to fish designated trout waters.
