Lake Phelps Fishing
Washington County, NCWRC District 1.
- 0launches
- 2attractors
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Groundwork on Lake Phelps
NCWRC manages Lake Phelps, a lake in Washington County, out of District 1. Census places put Creswell nearest, around 8 miles away.
Commission records point to largemouth bass and yellow perch. No ramp appears in the access records for it. Fish attractors: 2 sites, 0 buoyed.
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“Lake Phelps is the second largest naturally formed lake (6,480 ha) in North Carolina and is surrounded by Pettigrew State Park, Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, and a small portion of privately owned land.”
“Lake Phelps is home to popular sport fish, such as Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides and Pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus.”
“Angler practices and harvest information were needed from Lake Phelps to evaluate management strategies, especially the protective slot limit for Largemouth Bass.”
“About 6% of the anglers (7) indicated that they wanted regulation changes at Lake Phelps.”
Quoted from NCWRC fishing summary fact sheets for Lake Phelps (source). Checked October 2026.
Ramps ringing Lake Phelps
Access areas around Lake Phelps
- CreswellScuppernong River, 8 miles northeast
NCWRC Boating Access Areas and Public Fishing Areas, USACE Wilmington District, USFS and OpenStreetMap, checked October 2026.
Species notes for Lake Phelps
No NCWRC lake survey lists every fish in Lake Phelps; these come from its stocking, rules, profiles and records. regulated: 1; named in the NCWRC profile: 1.
NCWRC 2026 stocking list, warm-water regulations, species profiles and state records.
Regulations on Lake Phelps
NCWRC lists Lake Phelps by name in these rules, which replace the statewide limits for those species.
| Species | Size limit | Daily creel |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 14-inch minimum, and none between 16–20 inches may be possessed | 5 |
| 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 | 30 a day | 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 |
Crappie and sunfish rows follow the map position of Lake Phelps against I-95 and I-77, the lines NCWRC uses.
NCWRC 2026-27 inland regulations (eRegulations), checked October 2026. All North Carolina limits.
Lake Phelps and its neighbors
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Stocked 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Phelps | 0 | |||
| Lake Mattamuskeet | 25 miles southeast | 1 | ||
| East Lake | 38 miles east | 1 | ||
| Grimesland Ponds | 42 miles west | 1 | ||
| River Park North Ponds | 51 miles west | 1 | ||
| Newbold Pond | 58 miles west | 1 | yes |
Short drives from Lake Phelps
More lakes near Lake Phelps
- Lake Mattamuskeet25 miles southeast
- East Lake38 miles east
- Grimesland Ponds42 miles west
- River Park North Ponds51 miles west
- Newbold Pond58 miles west
Tackle counters around Lake Phelps
- Mackey's Marinamarina, Roper, 14 miles
- Cypress Cove Marina Incmarina, Columbia, 15 miles
- Dowry Creek Marinamarina, Belhaven, 17 miles
- TJ's Marina & Boatyardmarina, Belhaven, 18 miles
- River Forest Manor & Marinamarina, Belhaven, 18 miles
- Belhaven Waterway Marinamarina, Belhaven, 18 miles
Home bases near Lake Phelps
- Creswell8 miles
- Roper11 miles
- Columbia16 miles
County pages tied to Lake Phelps
- Washington Countyseat: Plymouth
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Species around Lake Phelps, pictured
Photo: Robert Colletta, Public domain
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Photo: Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Photo: Virginia State Parks staff, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, CC BY 2.0
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Quick facts on Lake Phelps
How far is Lake Phelps from a town?
It sits in Washington County (District 1), about 8 miles from Creswell.
What acreage does the dam record give Lake Phelps?
NCWRC and the NID give no acreage.
Where do I launch on Lake Phelps?
Carry-in or bank access only, per records.
Which species does NCWRC tie to Lake Phelps?
The Commission lists largemouth bass and yellow perch.
When is Lake Phelps stocked?
Neither 2026 list names it.
What rules apply on Lake Phelps?
Largemouth Bass: 14-inch minimum, and none between 16–20 inches may be possessed, 5.
Must anglers on Lake Phelps carry a license?
From 16, the inland license; residents pay $32.
How high is Lake Phelps today?
There is no level feed for it.
Which tackle counter sits closest to Lake Phelps?
Mackey's Marina sits about 14 miles from the lake.
Make for Lake Phelps
Buy the inland license online before you go.