SlotGaugeCheck a catchGrass Carp regulations in North Carolina
· Freshwater · 2026 season
Grass Carp size limit, season and daily limit
| Where | Season | Size limit | Daily limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| NC inland and joint fishing waters (default) | Open year-round | No size limit | No limit |
| Lake James, Lookout Shoals Lake, Mountain Island Reservoir, Lake Wylie | Open year-round | No size limit | 1 per day by archery equipment only |
| Lake Gaston, John H. Kerr Reservoir, Lake Norman, Roanoke Rapids Reservoir | Closed to harvest | — | — |
Notes
- Grass carp are stocked for weed control in several reservoirs and may not be kept there.
Exact NC Division of Marine Fisheries wording
- Season
- Open year-round
- Size
- None
- Limit
- No limit (exceptions: listed Catawba lakes 1 per day by archery only; Gaston/Kerr/Norman/Roanoke Rapids no possession)
- NC inland and joint fishing waters (default) — as printed
- “Grass Carp — All inland fishing waters eand joint fishing waters when caught by hook and line except those listed below: | None | None | Lake James, Lookout Shoals Lake, Mountain Island Reservoir, Lake Wylie | No grass carp may be possessed except one fish per day may be taken and possessed with archery equipment. | Lake Gaston, John H. Kerr Reservoir, Lake Norman, Roanoke Rapids Reservoir | No grass carp may be possessed or taken by any method including archery equipment except for by permit”
Source: NC Division of Marine Fisheries, captured 2026-09-29 (2026 season).
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About the grass carp
Species of fish
The grass carp is a species of large herbivorous freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae, native to the Pacific Far East, with a native range stretching from northern Vietnam to the Amur River on the Sino-Russian border. This Asian carp is the only species of the genus Ctenopharyngodon.
Read more about Grass carp on Wikipedia →
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Regulations on this page come from NC Division of Marine Fisheries, not Wikipedia.
All 120 North Carolina species A–Z →
Frequently asked
What is the size limit for Grass Carp in North Carolina?
No size limit in North Carolina state waters.
How many Grass Carp can you keep per day in North Carolina?
No limit.
When is Grass Carp season in North Carolina?
Open year-round.
Is my Grass Carp a keeper today?
Grass Carp has no size limit today, with No limit.