Sunfish regulations in North Carolina

· Freshwater · 2026 season

Is it a keeper? Sunfish has no size limit today, with no daily limit.

Sunfish size limit, season and daily limit

Where	Season	Size limit	Daily limit
NC inland waters (statewide; listed waters differ)	Open year-round	No size limit	No daily limit

Exact NC Division of Marine Fisheries wording

Season: Open year-round
Size: None
Limit: No limit
Inland waters — as printed: “Sunfish (Except Crappie, Rock Bass, & Roanoke Bass) — All public fishing waters except those listed below: None | None (coastal rivers: 30 in combination, no more than 12 redbreast)”

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

Check your sunfish in seconds

Say it, snap a photo, or type the length. SlotGauge answers KEEP or RELEASE using today's North Carolina rules.

Open SlotGauge for Sunfish

Bluefish Cobia Wahoo Dolphin King Mackerel Spanish Mackerel Yellowfin Tuna Sharks (coastal species)

About the sunfish

Genus of fishes

Lepomis or true sunfish is a genus of North American freshwater fish from the family Centrarchidae in the order Centrarchiformes. The generic name Lepomis derives from the Greek λεπίς ("scale") and πῶμα. The genus' most recognizable species is perhaps the bluegill.

Read more about Lepomis 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 Sunfish in North Carolina?

No size limit in North Carolina state waters.

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

No daily limit.

When is Sunfish season in North Carolina?

Open year-round.

Is my Sunfish a keeper today?

Sunfish has no size limit today, with no daily limit.