SlotGaugeCheck a catchLargemouth Bass regulations in North Carolina
· Freshwater · 2026 season
Largemouth Bass size limit, season and daily limit
| Where | Season | Size limit | Daily limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| NC inland waters (statewide; listed waters differ) | Open year-round | 14 inch minimum | 5, only 2 under 14 in |
Notes
- A 2026-10-31 check against the official source found a discrepancy in this species' notes/zones. Read the official wording before keeping the fish: https://www.eregulations.com/northcarolina/fishing/warm-water-game-fish-regulations
Exact NC Division of Marine Fisheries wording
- Season
- Open year-round
- Size
- 14-inch minimum, except 2 may be less than 14 inches
- Limit
- 5, including only 2 less than 14 inches
- Inland waters — as printed
- “Largemouth Bass — All public waters except those listed below: 14-inch minimum, except 2 may be less than 14 inches | 5, including only 2 less than 14 inches”
Source: NC Division of Marine Fisheries, captured 2026-09-29 (2026 season).
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About the largemouth bass
Species of black bass
The largemouth bass is a carnivorous, freshwater, ray-finned fish in the Centrarchidae (sunfish) family, native to the eastern and central United States, southeastern Canada and northern Mexico. It is known by a variety of regional names, such as the widemouth bass, bigmouth bass, black bass, largie, potter's fish, Florida bass or Florida largemouth, green bass, bucketmouth bass, green trout, growler, Gilsdorf bass, Oswego bass, southern largemouth, northern largemouth, Alabama bass or Alabama largemouth, marsh bass, and swamp bass.
Read more about Largemouth bass 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 Largemouth Bass in North Carolina?
14 inch minimum in North Carolina state waters.
How many Largemouth Bass can you keep per day in North Carolina?
5, only 2 under 14 in.
When is Largemouth Bass season in North Carolina?
Open year-round.
Is my Largemouth Bass a keeper today?
A largemouth bass is a keeper today if it measures at least 14 inches, with a daily limit of 5.