Pickerel regulations in North Carolina

· Freshwater · 2026 season

Is it a keeper? Pickerel has no size limit today, with No limit.

Pickerel size limit, season and daily limit

Where	Season	Size limit	Daily limit
All NC public fishing waters	Open year-round	No size limit	No limit

Notes

No size or creel limit.

Exact NC Division of Marine Fisheries wording

Season: Open year-round
Size: None
Limit: No limit
All NC public fishing waters — as printed: “Pickerel — All public fishing waters | None | None”

Source: NC Division of Marine Fisheries, captured 2026-09-29 (2026 season).

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About the pickerel

Species of freshwater fish

The chain pickerel, also known as Jackfish, Mud Pike, or Southern Pike is a species of freshwater fish in the pike family of order Esociformes. The chain pickerel and the American pickerel belong to the Esox genus of pike.

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Regulations on this page come from NC Division of Marine Fisheries, not Wikipedia.

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Frequently asked

What is the size limit for Pickerel in North Carolina?

No size limit in North Carolina state waters.

How many Pickerel can you keep per day in North Carolina?

No limit.

When is Pickerel season in North Carolina?

Open year-round.

Is my Pickerel a keeper today?

Pickerel has no size limit today, with No limit.