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North Carolina freshwater size limits and seasons

26 species, 2026 rules for state waters. Tap a species for every zone, the exact NC Division of Marine Fisheries wording and a keeper check. Updated 2026-09-29. All 120 North Carolina species A–Z →

Species	Season	Size limit	Daily limit
Alabama Bass	Open year-round	No size limit	No limit
Bartram's Bass	Open year-round	14 inch minimum	5 per day, only 2 under 14 inches
Bodie Bass (Hybrid Striped Bass)	Open year-round	20 inch minimum	4 in combination (striped bass + Bodie bass)
Bullheads (black, brown, flat, snail, yellow, white catfish)	Open year-round	No size limit	10 in combination (all bullhead species + white catfish)
Catfish (blue, channel, flathead)	Open year-round	No size limit	No limit
Crappie	Open year-round	None	no statewide limit; 8 in / 20 per day on many listed waters
Crayfish	Open year-round	No size limit	200 in combination with other nongame fish and mollusks
Freshwater Mussels (incl. Asian clam)	Closed	—	—
Grass Carp	Open year-round	No size limit	No limit
Kokanee Salmon	Open year-round	No size limit	4 per day
Largemouth Bass	Open year-round	14 inch minimum	5, only 2 under 14 in
Madtoms (margined and tadpole)	Closed	—	—
Mountain Trout	Open year-round	None in Hatchery Supported waters; 7 inches in Wild Trout Waters	7 in hatchery-supported waters; 4 (7 in minimum) in wild trout waters
Muskellunge	Open year-round	42 inch minimum	1 per day
Pickerel	Open year-round	No size limit	No limit
Prohibited Species (WRC live possession/stocking ban)	Open year-round	No size limit	No live possession; kill on capture (no harvest limit printed)
Roanoke Bass	Open year-round	No size limit	No limit
Rock Bass	Open year-round	None	No limit
Sauger	Open year-round	15 inch minimum	8 per day
Smallmouth Bass	Open year-round	14 inch minimum	5, only 2 under 14 in
Spotted Bass	Open year-round	None	No limit
Sunfish	Open year-round	No size limit	No daily limit
Walleye	Open year-round	No size limit	8 per day
White Bass	Open year-round	No size limit	10 per person per day
White Perch	Open year-round	None	No limit
Yellow Perch	Open year-round	No size limit	No limit