Smooth Dogfish regulations in North Carolina

Sharks · Saltwater · 2026 season

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

Smooth Dogfish size limit, season and daily limit

Where	Season	Size limit	Daily limit
NC coastal and joint waters (to 3 mi)	Open year-round	No size limit	No limit

Notes

Exempt from the shark bag and size limits, but shark gear rules (circle hooks with bait, fins attached) still apply.
Sharks (except spiny dogfish) must be caught on rod and reel or handline using a non-stainless, non-offset circle hook when using natural bait.
Keep sharks whole: head, tail and fins must stay attached until offloaded at the dock (you may gut and bleed the carcass).

Exact NC Division of Marine Fisheries wording

Season: Open year-round
Size: None
Limit: No limit (exempt from harvest and size restrictions)
NC coastal and joint waters (to 3 mi) — as printed: “Smooth dogfish (smoothhound shark) are exempt from harvest and size restrictions.”

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

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More sharks

Atlantic Sharpnose Shark Bonnethead Shark Hammerhead Sharks (great, scalloped, smooth)Large Coastal Sharks (blacktip, bull, lemon, nurse, spinner, tiger)Pelagic Sharks (blue, porbeagle, thresher)Blacknose Shark Finetooth Shark Spiny Dogfish

About the smooth dogfish

Species of shark

The dusky smooth-hound, also called the smooth dogfish or the dog shark, is a species of houndshark in the family Triakidae. This shark is an olive grey or brown in color, and may have shades of yellow or grayish white. Females live to 16 years and males have a lifespan of 10 years. M. canis was the first shark recognised to have viral infections.

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 Smooth Dogfish in North Carolina?

No size limit in North Carolina state waters.

How many Smooth Dogfish can you keep per day in North Carolina?

No limit.

When is Smooth Dogfish season in North Carolina?

Open year-round.

Is my Smooth Dogfish a keeper today?

Smooth Dogfish has no size limit today, with No limit.