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Delayed-Harvest Trout Waters Open under Hatchery-Supported Regulations June 6

From June 6 until Sept. 30, anglers fishing in delayed harvest trout waters can keep up to seven trout per day — with no bait restrictions and no minimum size limits.
From June 6 until Sept. 30, anglers fishing in delayed harvest trout waters can keep up to seven trout per day — with no bait restrictions and no minimum size limits.

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission will open 31 trout streams and two lakes classified as delayed-harvest trout waters under hatchery-supported regulations on June 6.

From 6 a.m. until 11:59 a.m. on June 6, delayed-harvest trout waters are open only to anglers 15 years old and younger. At noon, waters open to all anglers. Delayed-harvest waters will stay open under hatchery-supported regulations through Sept. 30. During this time, anglers can keep up to seven trout per day — with no bait restrictions and no minimum size limits.

The Wildlife Commission stocks delayed-harvest trout waters in the fall and spring with high densities of trout to increase anglers’ chances of catching trout. When summer arrives, waters become too warm for trout to survive so the Commission opens delayed-harvest streams and lakes to harvest. Delayed-harvest trout waters are posted with diamond-shaped, black-and-white signs.

The Commission established the youth-only fishing time frame on the morning of June 6 to promote trout fishing among young anglers and to provide special opportunities for young anglers to catch and keep fish.

The Commission also is providing youth-only fishing opportunities throughout the state in late May through mid-June by supporting nearly 40 kids’ fishing events, as part of National Fishing and Boating Week.

Anglers ages 16 and older need an inland fishing license and a special trout fishing privilege, which is included in the comprehensive and sportsman licenses, to fish in all public mountain trout waters, including delayed-harvest waters.

Purchase licenses by:

For more information on trout fishing, including a list of delayed-harvest trout waters, regulation information and trout maps, visit www.ncwildlife.org/fishing/trout.

See the fishable rivers in Ashe, Avery and Watauga County below:  

ASHE COUNTY

Catch and Release/Artificial Lures Only Trout Waters

Big Horse Creek (Virginia state line to Mud Creek at S.R. 1363, excluding tributaries)

Unnamed tributary of Three Top Creek (game land portion)

Delayed Harvest Trout Waters

Big Horse Creek (S.R. 1324 Bridge to North Fork New River)

Helton Creek (Virginia state line to New River)

South Fork New River (Todd Island Park) Trout Lake

Hatchery Supported Trout Waters

Beaver Creek Big Horse Creek (Mud Creek at S.R. 1363 to S.R. 1324 bridge)

Big Laurel Creek Buffalo Creek (S.R. 1133 bridge to N.C. 194-88 bridge)

Cranberry Creek (Alleghany Co. line to South Fork New River)

Nathans Creek North Fork New River (Watauga Co. line to Sharp Dam)

Old Fields Creek Peak Creek (headwaters to Trout Lake, except Blue Ridge

Parkway waters)

Roan Creek Three Top Creek (except game land portion)

AVERY COUNTY

Catch and Release/Artificial Flies Only Trout Waters

Elk River (portion on Lees-McRae College property, excluding the millpond)

Lost Cove Creek (game land portion, excluding Gragg Prong and Rockhouse Creek)

Wilson Creek (game land portion)

Hatchery Supported Trout Waters

Boyde Coffey Lake Elk River (S.R. 1305 crossing immediately upstream of Big Falls

to the Tennessee state line)

Linville River (Land Harbor line [below dam] to the Blue Ridge Parkway boundary line, except where posted against trespassing)

Milltimber Creek

North Toe River —upper (Watauga St. to Roby Shoemaker Wetlands and Family Recreational Park, except where posted against trespassing)

North Toe River—lower (S.R. 1164 to Mitchell Co. line, except where posted against trespassing)

Squirrel Creek

Wildcat Lake

Wild Trout Waters

Birchfield Creek

Cow Camp Creek

Cranberry Creek (headwaters to U.S. 19E/N.C. 194 bridge)

Gragg Prong

Horse Creek

Jones Creek

Kentucky Creek

North Harper Creek

Plumtree Creek

Roaring Creek

Rockhouse Creek

Shawneehaw Creek (portion adjacent to Banner Elk Greenway)

South Harper Creek

Webb Prong

WATAUGA COUNTY

Catch and Release/Artificial Lures Only Trout Waters

Dugger Creek (portions on Blue Ridge Mountain Club including tributaries)

Laurel Creek (portions on Blue Ridge Mountain Club and Powder Horn Mountain Development, including tributaries)

Pond Creek (headwaters to Locust Ridge Road bridge, excluding the pond adjacent to Coffee Lake)

Delayed Harvest Trout Waters

Coffee Lake Watauga River – upper (S.R. 1114 bridge to N.C. 194 bridge at Valle Crucis)

Watauga River – lower (S.R. 1103 bridge to confluence with Laurel Creek)

Hatchery Supported Trout Waters

Beaverdam Creek (confluence of Beaverdam Creek and Little Beaverdam Creek to an unnamed tributary adjacent to the intersection of S.R. 1201 and S.R. 1203)

Beech Creek Buckeye Creek (Buckeye Creek Reservoir dam to Grassy Gap Creek) Buckeye Creek Reservoir Cove Creek (S.R. 1233 bridge at Zionville to S.R. 1233 bridge at Amantha)

Dutch Creek (second bridge on S.R. 1134 to mouth)

Elk Creek (S.R. 1510 bridge at Triplett to Wilkes Co. line, except where posted against trespassing)

Laurel Creek

Meat Camp Creek

Middle Fork New River (Lake Chetola dam to South Fork New River) Norris Fork Creek

South Fork New River (canoe launch 70 yards upstream of U.S. 421 bridge to lower boundary of Brookshire Park)

Stony Fork (headwaters to Wilkes Co. line)

Wild Trout Waters

Dutch Creek (headwaters to second bridge on S.R. 1134)

Howard Creek

Maine Branch (headwaters to North Fork New River)

North Fork New River (from confluence with Maine and Mine branches to Ashe Co. line)

Watauga River (Avery Co. line to S.R. 1580 bridge)

Winkler Creek (lower bridge on S.R. 1549 to confluence with South Fork New River)