Fishing in North Carolina
Lakes, trout streams, sounds and piers across all 100 counties, with NCWRC and NCDMF limits.
- 165lakes
- 319streams
- 41sounds
Photo of Lake Gaston: Domenic R. Merenda at en.wikipedia, CC BY 2.5
Mountains, Piedmont reservoirs and the sounds
North Carolina runs from Public Mountain Trout Waters in the Blue Ridge, through the Piedmont reservoirs on the Catawba, Yadkin and Roanoke chains, to the sounds, inlets and ocean piers of the coast. NCWRC manages inland waters and NCDMF the coastal waters; joint waters fall to both.
This guide covers 165 lakes, 319 rivers and trout streams, 41 sounds and bays, 425 ramp pages, 45 fishing piers, 531 bait shops, all 100 counties and 587 towns, with NCWRC and NCDMF limits on every page.
The largest North Carolina lakes
John H. Kerr Reservoir
48,900 acres, Vance County and Warren County
Lake pageLake Norman
32,510 acres, Iredell County plus 3 other counties
Lake pageLake Gaston
20,300 acres, Warren County plus 2 other counties
Lake pageHigh Rock Lake
15,180 acres, Davidson County and Rowan County
Lake pageJordan Lake
13,940 acres, Chatham County
Lake pageLake Wylie
12,177 acres, Mecklenburg County and Gaston County
Lake pageFalls Lake
11,310 acres, Wake County plus 2 other counties
Lake pageFontana Lake
10,290 acres, Swain County and Graham County
Lake pagePages by kind of water
- Lakes and reservoirs165 lakes
- Rivers and trout streams319 rivers and streams
- Mountain trout watersevery classed stream
- Sounds and bays41 sounds and bays
- Fishing piersocean and sound piers
- Countiesall 100
- Towns587 towns
- Species90 species
Licenses, limits and live data
- North Carolina A to Zevery lake, stream, sound, county and town
- State recordsNCWRC and NCDMF records
- Lake levelsUSGS, USACE and operator readings
- Mountain trout watersstreams by class and county
- Guides and chartersoffshore, inshore and lake guides
- Stockingwarmwater list and trout dates
- Artificial reefsNCDMF ocean and estuarine reefs
- Fishing piersocean and sound piers
- Boat rampsaccess areas by county
- Bait shopstackle by region
- License and limitsinland, joint and coastal waters
- Tournamentsbass and offshore events
North Carolina fishing questions
Which license do I need to fish in North Carolina?
Inland waters take the NCWRC inland license ($32 resident); coastal waters take the CRFL ($20); joint waters accept either.
What is the biggest lake in North Carolina?
John H. Kerr Reservoir, 48,900 acres on the NID.
Where is trout fishing in North Carolina?
In the mountain counties, on 255 classed stream pages here.
When is Free Fishing Day?
July 4 every year.
How many fishing piers are on the coast?
45, ocean and sound.
Which agencies run fishing in North Carolina?
NCWRC in inland waters, NCDMF in coastal waters, both in joint waters.
Where are the bass tournaments?
Lake Norman, High Rock, Kerr, Jordan, Gaston and the Pasquotank River lead the calendar.
Is striped bass open?
Only in the ocean and, in April 2026, the Tar-Pamlico and Neuse; Albemarle, Roanoke and the Cape Fear are closed.