Channel catfish across North Carolina
Creel rules, records and waters for channel catfish.
- no creel limitdaily creel
- 27 lbs, 7 ozrecord
Photo of the species, not of a North Carolina water: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
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About North Carolina channel catfish
Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) is listed among the state’s freshwater species. Anglers may keep no creel limit under NCWRC (inland and joint fishing waters (ncwrc, hook and line)); size no size limit.
Local farm pond, Rockingham County gave up the state record of 27 lbs, 7 oz in an unlisted year. NCWRC records tie it to 48 lakes and 0 streams on this site. NCWRC requested 155,900 for 2026 stocking.
NCWRC notes on channel catfish
“The channel catfish has a deeply forked tail with black spots on its back and sides. Its top and sides vary from gray to slate-blue and are often olive with a yellow sheen. Its body is scaleless, and it has eight barbels (whiskers) around its mouth that serve as taste sensors for locating food. To distinguish between a channel catfish and a blue catfish, look at the anal fin. The anal fin of a channel catfish is round with 24 to 29 rays. The anal fin of a blue catfish has a straight outer edge and 30 to 36 rays.”
“Young channel catfish feed mainly on plankton and aquatic insect larvae. As they grow older, they feed on aquatic in-vertebrates and small fish. Adults are omnivorous, eating plant material, insect larvae, crayfish, mollusks, small fish and even dead fish. They are bottom feeders and rely on taste buds on their skin and barbels to locate food.”
- Fishing tipsChannel catfish feed mostly at night and are especially active from sunset to midnight. “Stink” baits (cut fish, chicken livers, cheese, shrimp, crayfish blood baits, etc.) are some of the best natural baits to use. Deep-diving crank baits fished slowly along the bottom, spoons and, occasionally, sp
- Where to fishThe Black, Cape Fear, Lumber, Neuse and Yadkin/Pee Dee rivers are good places to fish. Community Fishing Program sites are stocked periodically with harvestable-size channel catfish from April through September and offer some of the best catfishing in the state.
- AbundanceCommon throughout NC.
Quoted from the NCWRC species profile, checked October 2026.
The channel catfish creel
| Agency | Where | Daily creel | Size | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCWRC | Inland and joint fishing waters (NCWRC, hook and line) | no creel limit | no size limit | No closed season |
NCWRC 2026-27 digest and NCDMF proclamations. All North Carolina limits.
The channel catfish record
| Category | Weight | Where | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| hook and line by weight | 27 lbs, 7 oz | Local farm pond, Rockingham County |
NCWRC and NCDMF state records. Angler names left out.
Waters to try for channel catfish
Reservoirs with channel catfish
- Harris Lake5,568 acres
- Lake Wheeler560 acres
- Lake Julian470 acres
- Salem Lake297.5 acres
- Long Lake91.5 acres
- Bond Lake80 acres
- Lake Michael75 acres
- Bass Lake58.6 acres
- Hamlet City Lake45 acres
- Kernersville Lake40 acres
- Shelley Lake32 acres
- Lake Corriher29 acres
- Cashiers Lake24.8 acres
- Winston Lake16.5 acres
- Broughton Hospital Reservoir13 acres
- Greensboro Country Park Lake Five A10 acres
- Lake Tomahawk9.6 acres
- Buckeye Lake6.5 acres
- Salisbury Community Park Lake6.2 acres
- Village Point Lake6.1 acres
- Lake Louise5.5 acres
- Lake Minehaha2.8 acres
- Gaston County Farm Lake2.5 acres
- Apex Community LakeWake
NCWRC stocking lists, regulation tables, species profiles and records; largest waters first.
Fish that pair with channel catfish
- Largemouth bassfresh
- Smallmouth bassfresh
- Spotted bassfresh
- Alabama bassfresh
- Bartram's bassfresh
- Black crappiefresh
- White crappiefresh
- Bluegillfresh
- Redear sunfishfresh
- Redbreast sunfishfresh
- Pumpkinseedfresh
- Green sunfishfresh
- Warmouthfresh
- Flierfresh
Nearby water from Channel catfish, in photos
Photo: Gerry Dincher, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: User:Dincher, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Indy beetle, CC0 1.0
Photo: Indy beetle, CC0 1.0
Before you target channel catfish
What is the creel limit on channel catfish?
no creel limit (Inland and joint fishing waters (NCWRC, hook and line)), size no size limit.
What is the biggest channel catfish caught in North Carolina?
27 lbs, 7 oz from Local farm pond, Rockingham County (year unlisted).
Which lakes hold channel catfish?
48 waters on this site, including Harris Lake, Lake Wheeler and Lake Julian.
Are channel catfish on the stocking list?
155,900 on the 2026 warmwater list.
What is channel catfish confused with?
Scientific name Ictalurus punctatus.
When does the channel catfish season run?
No closed season
Which North Carolina license do I need for channel catfish?
Inland waters take an NCWRC inland fishing license from age 16 ($32 resident, $56 nonresident).
Can I hire a trip that targets channel catfish?
Every operator appears on the guides page.
Map out a channel catfish trip
Each listed water has its own page.