John H. Kerr Reservoir Fishing
Vance County and Warren County, NCWRC District 3, 48,900 acres.
- 17launches
- 48,900acres
Photo: Bud Davis, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Public domain
An overview of John H. Kerr Reservoir
Look for John H. Kerr Reservoir in Vance County and Warren County; the reservoir sits inside NCWRC District 3. The dam inventory puts its surface near 48,900 acres. The Roanoke River was dammed at John H. Kerr Dam in 1953 to make it. The closest incorporated town is Norlina, about 10 miles from the lake point.
The NCWRC paper trail mentions black crappie, white crappie, striped bass, bodie bass, american shad and hickory shad. 17 mapped launches reach the water; 4 are NCWRC Boating Access Areas. Access sites list US Army Corps of Engineers, NC Division Of Parks And Recreation and NC State Parks as owner.
Ramps on John H. Kerr Reservoir
- County Line2 lanes, 44 trailer spaces, 1 dock, closed temporarily, NC Division Of Parks And Recreation
- Flemingtown Landing5 lanes, 71 trailer spaces, 3 docks, closed temporarily, NC Division Of Parks And Recreation
- Henderson Point1 lane, 22 trailer spaces, restrooms, 1 dock, closed temporarily, NC Division Of Parks And Recreation
- Hibernia2 lanes, 40 trailer spaces, 1 dock, closed temporarily, NC State Parks
- Bullocksville Park Boat Ramp2 lanes, US Army Corps of Engineers
- Grassy Creek Park Boat Ramp2 lanes, fee, US Army Corps of Engineers
- Henderson Point Park Boat Ramp, Vance County, east ramp2 lanes, US Army Corps of Engineers
- Henderson Point Park Boat Ramp, Vance County, west ramp2 lanes, US Army Corps of Engineers
- Hibernia Park Boat Ramp1 lane, US Army Corps of Engineers
- Kimball Point Park Boat Ramp2 lanes, US Army Corps of Engineers
- Nutbush Bridge Creek Park Boat Ramp, Vance County, north ramp4 lanes, US Army Corps of Engineers
- Nutbush Bridge Creek Park Boat Ramp, Vance County, south ramp1 lane, US Army Corps of Engineers
- Satterwhite Point Park And Marina Boat Ramp, Vance County, northeast ramp2 lanes, US Army Corps of Engineers
- Satterwhite Point Park And Marina Boat Ramp, Vance County, southwest ramp1 lane, US Army Corps of Engineers
- Steele Creek Marina Boat Ramp, Vance County, north ramp2 lanes, fee, US Army Corps of Engineers
- Steele Creek Marina Boat Ramp, Vance County, south ramp1 lane, fee, US Army Corps of Engineers
- Boat launch, John H. Kerr Reservoirboat ramp, public
Public fishing areas around John H. Kerr Reservoir
- Williamsboro Wayside1 pier, owner US Army Corps Of Engineers, open
- Nutbush Bridgebank access, owner US Army Corps Of Engineers, open
- County Line1 pier, owner NC Division Of Parks And Recreation, open
Ramps by John H. Kerr Reservoir
- Hawtree CreekLake Gaston, 11 miles east
NCWRC Boating Access Areas and Public Fishing Areas, USACE Wilmington District, USFS and OpenStreetMap, checked October 2026.
John H. Kerr Reservoir level today
US Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District (CWMS), reading for Oct 4, 2026. Retrieved Oct 12, 2026 3:38 am ET. Not updated since Oct 4, 2026.
What NCWRC lists at John H. Kerr Reservoir
Each fish shown for John H. Kerr Reservoir is tied to an NCWRC stocking row, rule, profile or record. regulated: 7; state record: 1.
NCWRC 2026 stocking list, warm-water regulations, species profiles and state records.
What you may keep from John H. Kerr Reservoir
These water-specific NCWRC rules name John H. Kerr Reservoir.
| Species | Size limit | Daily creel |
|---|---|---|
| Crappie (Black And White) | 9-inch minimum | 25 in combination |
| Striped Bass And Bodie Bass (Striped Bass Hybrid) | 20-inch minimum, and no fish may be greater than 26 inches (Oct. 1 – May 31)No minimum size limit (June 1 – Sept. 30) | 2 in combination (Oct. 1 – May 31) 4 in combination (June 1 – Sept. 30) |
| Shad (American And Hickory) | No American shad may be possessed. | No American shad may be possessed. |
| Walleye | 18-inch minimum | 5 |
| Species | Daily creel | Size | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth and smallmouth bass | 5 a day | 14 in minimum | No closed season |
| Crappie | no creel limit | no size limit | 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 |
| Rock and Roanoke bass | no creel limit | 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 |
Where John H. Kerr Reservoir lies relative to I-95 and I-77 sets the crappie and sunfish rows here.
NCWRC 2026-27 inland regulations (eRegulations), checked October 2026. All North Carolina limits.
John H. Kerr Reservoir record catches
| Species | Weight | Date | Bait |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freshwater Drum | 23 lbs, 8 oz | 03/20/2013 | Plastic fluke |
| White Bass | 5 lbs, 14 oz | 3/15/1986 | Bucktail |
NCWRC freshwater state records, angler names left out. All records.
Who fishes events on John H. Kerr Reservoir
Dates and winning weights for John H. Kerr Reservoir are on its tournament page.
How John H. Kerr Reservoir compares nearby
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Stocked 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John H. Kerr Reservoir | 48,900 | 17 | ||
| Lake Gaston | 12 miles east | 20,300 | 5 | yes |
| Fox Reservoir | 17 miles south | 0 | yes | |
| Lake Devin | 25 miles southwest | 1 | yes | |
| Mayo Reservoir | 32 miles west | 2,800 | 1 | |
| Roanoke Rapids Lake | 33 miles east | 4,600 | 4 | yes |
Out from John H. Kerr Reservoir
Lakes within a drive of John H. Kerr Reservoir
- Lake Gaston12 miles east
- Fox Reservoir17 miles south
- Lake Devin25 miles southwest
- Mayo Reservoir32 miles west
- Roanoke Rapids Lake33 miles east
Pick up bait near John H. Kerr Reservoir
- Satterwhite Point Marinamarina, Henderson, 8 miles
- Kerr Lake Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Henderson, 11 miles
- Angler's Fish-N-Matebait and tackle shop, Henderson, 17 miles
- Morningstar Marinas, 1865 Eaton Ferry Rdmarina, Littleton, 20 miles
- Olde Country Rodsbait and tackle shop, Littleton, 24 miles
Where to sleep near John H. Kerr Reservoir
- Norlina10 miles
- Middleburg11 miles
- Warrenton14 miles
John H. Kerr Reservoir, county by county
- Vance Countyseat: Henderson
- Warren Countyseat: Warrenton
Spinning, baitcasting and a weigh grip
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Species to expect near John H. Kerr Reservoir
Photo: United States Fish and Wildlife Services, Public domain
Photo: -Rorey-, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Ellen Edmonson and Hugh Chrisp, Public domain
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey from Reston, VA, USA, CC0 1.0
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Questions people send about John H. Kerr Reservoir
Where in North Carolina is John H. Kerr Reservoir?
Vance County and Warren County; the Commission files it under District 3, about 10 miles from Norlina.
How much surface does John H. Kerr Reservoir span?
Roughly 48,900 surface acres.
Can a trailered boat use John H. Kerr Reservoir?
There are 17 launches; Flemingtown Landing is a good start.
What lives in John H. Kerr Reservoir?
NCWRC records name black crappie, white crappie, striped bass, bodie bass, american shad and hickory shad.
Do stocking trucks visit John H. Kerr Reservoir?
No 2026 stocking is listed.
Does John H. Kerr Reservoir have special limits?
Crappie (Black And White): 9-inch minimum, 25 in combination; Striped Bass And Bodie Bass (Striped Bass Hybrid): 20-inch minimum, and no fish may be greater than 26 inches (Oct. 1 – May 31)No minimum size limit (June 1 – Sept. 30), 2 in combination (Oct. 1 – M.
What paperwork does John H. Kerr Reservoir need?
Anglers 16 and up need the inland license ($32 resident, $56 nonresident).
Is John H. Kerr Reservoir below full pool today?
The USACE Wilmington District gauge reading is shown above.
Where do I stock up for John H. Kerr Reservoir?
Satterwhite Point Marina is closest at 8 miles.
Get to John H. Kerr Reservoir this year
Check fees and limits before the drive.