Bear Creek Lake Fishing
Jackson County, NCWRC District 9, 476 acres.
Pick for troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of Tuckasegee River: Matthew T. Bradley, CC BY 2.0
Fishing Bear Creek Lake, North Carolina
In Jackson County, Bear Creek Lake is a lake that falls in NCWRC District 9. Surface area on the federal dam record: 476 acres. Its dam, Bear Creek – Gated Spillway And Fuseplugs, blocks the East Fork Tuckasegee River and dates to 1954. About 9 miles separate the water from Forest Hills. NCWRC designates it Public Mountain Trout Water under Hatchery Supported rules.
Species tied to it in NCWRC records: rainbow trout, brown trout and brook trout. Count 1 mapped launch around the shore, 1 in the Commission program. Hatchery trout come on 1 scheduled dates in 2026. Public access areas here are owned by NC WRC, Duke Energy Progress.
For the trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 Boating access on Bear Creek Lake
- Bear Creek2 lanes, 20 trailer spaces, restrooms, 1 dock, NC WRC, Duke Energy Progress
Bank and pier fishing areas at Bear Creek Lake
- Bear Creek1 pier, owner NC Dot, open
Boating access near Bear Creek Lake
- Cedar CliffCedar Cliff Lake, 2 miles west
- Wolf CreekWolf Creek Lake, 3 miles east
- Shook Cove Put InTuckasegee River, 3 miles northwest
- Shook Cove Take OutTuckasegee River, 3 miles northwest
- TanaseeTanasee Creek Lake, 4 miles east
- Tuckasegee PowerhouseWest Fork Tuckasegee River, 4 miles west
NCWRC Boating Access Areas and Public Fishing Areas, USACE Wilmington District, USFS and OpenStreetMap, checked October 2026.
Fish of Bear Creek Lake
Species for Bear Creek Lake are those NCWRC stocks, regulates, profiles or holds a record for here. stocked: 3.
NCWRC 2026 stocking list, warm-water regulations, species profiles and state records.
Stocking on Bear Creek Lake
Trout truck dates at Bear Creek Lake
NCWRC 2026 warmwater stocking list and the live trout stocking report. North Carolina stocking.
Creel and size limits on Bear Creek Lake
Rules written for Bear Creek Lake come first and override the statewide rows.
| Species | Size limit | Daily creel |
|---|---|---|
| mountain trout | Bear Creek Lake |
Mountain trout at Bear Creek Lake
| Trout class | Daily creel | Size | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hatchery Supported | 7 a day | no size limit | Aug. 1, 2026 – Feb. 28, 2027 and 7 a.m. April 3, 2027 – July 31, 2027 |
| Species | Daily creel | Size | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth and smallmouth bass | 5 a day | 14 in minimum | No closed season |
| Crappie | 20 a day | 8 in minimum | No closed season |
| Sunfish | no creel limit | no size limit | No closed season |
| Striped and Bodie bass | 4 a day | 20 in minimum | No closed season |
| White bass | 10 a day | no size limit | No closed season |
| Walleye | 8 a day | no size limit | No closed season |
| Blue, channel and flathead catfish | no creel limit | no size limit | No closed season |
| Trout (undesignated waters) | 7 a day | no size limit | No closed season |
NCWRC splits some limits at I-95 and I-77; the rows shown match where Bear Creek Lake sits.
NCWRC 2026-27 inland regulations (eRegulations), checked October 2026. All North Carolina limits.
Lakes near Bear Creek Lake, compared
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Stocked 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear Creek Lake | 476 | 1 | yes | |
| Cedar Cliff Lake | 2 miles northwest | 121 | 1 | yes |
| Tanasee Creek Lake | 3 miles southeast | 40 | 1 | |
| Wolf Creek Lake | 3 miles east | 1 | yes | |
| Balsam Lake | 5 miles northeast | 1 | yes | |
| Lake Glenville | 7 miles southwest | 1,462 | 2 | yes |
The area around Bear Creek Lake
Other reservoirs by Bear Creek Lake
- Cedar Cliff Lake2 miles northwest
- Tanasee Creek Lake3 miles southeast
- Wolf Creek Lake3 miles east
- Balsam Lake5 miles northeast
- Lake Glenville7 miles southwest
Counters a drive from Bear Creek Lake
- Tagged Out Hunting Supplysporting goods store, Sylva, 13 miles
- Headwaters Outfitters Outdoor Adventuressporting goods store, Rosman, 14 miles
- Hookers Fly Shopfly shop, Sylva, 14 miles
- Waynesville Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Waynesville, 16 miles
- Outpost Mountain Outfitterssporting goods store, Whittier, 17 miles
- Maggie Valley Fly Shopfly shop, Maggie Valley, 19 miles
Towns within a drive of Bear Creek Lake
- Cullowhee9 miles
- Forest Hills9 miles
- Cashiers9 miles
Counties that hold Bear Creek Lake
- Jackson Countyseat: Sylva
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Bear Creek Lake, the common questions
Which county is home to Bear Creek Lake?
Look in Jackson County, NCWRC District 9, about 9 miles from Forest Hills.
How many acres does Bear Creek Lake span?
Federal dam data say 476 acres.
What ramps reach Bear Creek Lake?
1 launch, with Bear Creek listed first.
Which species are worth targeting at Bear Creek Lake?
Species on file: rainbow trout, brown trout and brook trout.
Are hatchery fish added to Bear Creek Lake?
Trout are scheduled on 1 dates in 2026.
Are there size limits at Bear Creek Lake?
mountain trout: Bear Creek Lake, .
Which license works on Bear Creek Lake?
The $32 resident inland license, from age 16.
Where does the pool sit at Bear Creek Lake?
No USGS or USACE station is matched.
Which counter sits nearest Bear Creek Lake?
Drive 13 miles to reach Tagged Out Hunting Supply.
Spend time on Bear Creek Lake
The license page has every North Carolina limit.