The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) will implement Delayed Harvest Trout Waters regulations on 33 designated streams beginning Oct. 1.
From Oct. 1 through June 5, 2026, anglers must release all trout caught in these waters. Only artificial lures with a single hook are allowed, and no natural bait may be possessed. Artificial lures are defined as those that contain no substances intended to attract fish by taste or smell.
NCWRC stocks Delayed Harvest Trout Waters with high densities of trout from fall through spring, providing popular catch-and-release opportunities. The waters are marked with diamond-shaped black-and-white signs.
This year, anglers may notice changes in stocking locations due to hurricane damage that affected access points and disrupted stocking routes.
Stream closures linked to Hurricane Helene will be posted at ncwildlife.gov/trout as cleanup continues.
The storm also severely damaged Armstrong State Fish Hatchery in McDowell County, which NCWRC had planned to use during a major renovation of the Bobby N. Setzer State Fish Hatchery in January 2025. Work at Setzer is now delayed until Armstrong is back online, expected by mid- to late October. Once Setzer renovations begin, they will take about two years to complete. Both hatcheries are key to North Carolina’s trout stocking program.
“Trout fishing in western North Carolina is more than a pastime—it generates $1.38 billion annually and supports thousands of jobs,” Besler said. “We are committed to minimizing disruptions during the Setzer renovation and ensuring robust trout fishing opportunities now and for future generations.”
For more information on trout stocking and regulations, visit ncwildlife.gov/trout.
Trout photo courtesy of NC Wildlife
