Hatchery Supported Trout Waters Open April 1

RALEIGH, N.C. (March 2, 2023) – The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission will open approximately 1,000 miles of Hatchery Supported Trout Waters at 7 a.m. on April 1. The season will run through February 29, 2024.

The Wildlife Commission has posted the full Hatchery Supported Trout Waters stocking schedule on its website to give trout anglers opportunities to plan fishing trips in advance. The schedule is searchable by county and month and provides information on what days each water is being stocked.

Hatchery Supported Trout Waters, which are marked by green-and-white signs, have been closed since Feb. 28 for stocking. Most trout are stocked April through June, with a few streams selectively stocked in July. Overall, staff will stock nearly 964,000 trout — 96 percent of which will average 10 inches in length, with the other 4 percent exceeding 14 inches in length.

Hatchery Supported Trout Waters are open to public fishing; however, many of those miles are privately owned so officials with the Wildlife Commission urge anglers to respect the property they are fishing on and remember that landowners can take away access if they feel their property is being misused.

Anglers can help prevent the loss of public access to fishing by:

• Respecting private property and landowners at all times.
• Removing all trash and litter from fishing and parking areas.
• Parking only in designated areas and leaving driveways open for traffic.
• Closing and/or locking gates after use.
• Reporting wildlife violations by calling 800-662-7137.

For a complete list of all Hatchery Supported Trout Waters, as well as trout maps, the complete stocking schedule, and daily stocking updates on Hatchery Supported Trout Waters, visit the Wildlife Commission’s trout fishing page.

About the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission

Since 1947, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has been dedicated to the conservation and sustainability of the state’s fish and wildlife resources through research, scientific management, wise use and public input. The Commission is the state regulatory agency responsible for the enforcement of fishing, hunting, trapping and boating laws and provides programs and opportunities for wildlife-related educational, recreational and sporting activities.

Purchase or a renew a fishing, trapping and hunting license and renew a vessel registration online at ncwildlife.org.

Get N.C. Wildlife Update — news including season dates, bag limits, legislative updates and more — delivered free to your Inbox from the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission.

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