North Carolina Trout Stocking Schedule 2026
Hatchery-supported waters get trucks March through May and again in October and November. The 2026 season runs on purchased trout while the Setzer hatchery is rebuilt.
Data checked 2026-08-28 · source: N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission
228
stocking records 2026
135
waters
45
upcoming stops listed
Upcoming stockings
Dates the agency has announced but not yet completed. A date marked wk means the agency schedules that stop by week, not by day.
| Date | Water | County | Species | Fish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 28wk | Creek | Elk | Trout | |
| Sep 28wk | East Prong Roaring River | Wilkes | Trout | |
| Sep 28wk | Fires Creek | Clay | Trout | |
| Sep 28wk | Helton Creek | Ashe | Trout | |
| Sep 28wk | Mitchell River | Surry | Trout | |
| Sep 28wk | North Fork Mills River | Henderson | Trout | |
| Sep 28wk | Reddies River | Wilkes | Trout | |
| Sep 28wk | Stone Mountain Creek | Wilkes | Trout | |
| Oct 5wk | Cane Creek | Mitchell | Trout | |
| Oct 5wk | Cane River Dates listed are subject to change due to unexpected events, such as snow. Changes will be announced through press releases, Twitter, Facebook and on ncwildlife.gov. | Yancey | Trout | |
| Oct 5wk | Catawba River | Mill | Trout | |
| Oct 5wk | Creek | Mill | Trout | |
| Oct 5wk | Curtis Creek | McDowell | Trout | |
| Oct 5wk | East Fork French Broad River | Transylvania | Trout | |
| Oct 5wk | Horse Creek | Big | Trout | |
| Oct 5wk | Jacobs Fork | Burke | Trout | |
| Oct 5wk | Nantahala | Macon | Trout | |
| Oct 5wk | Tuckasegee River | Jackson | Trout | |
| Oct 5wk | West Fork Pigeon River | Haywood | Trout | |
| Oct 12wk | Ararat River | Surry | Trout | |
| Oct 12wk | Lake Coffey | Watauga | Trout | |
| Oct 12wk | North Toe River | Mitchell | Trout | |
| Oct 12wk | South Fork New River | Big | Trout | |
| Oct 12wk | Trout Lake | Ashe | Trout | |
| Oct 12wk | Watauga River | Watauga | Trout | |
| Oct 12wk | Wilson Creek | Caldwell | Trout | |
| Nov 2wk | Creek | Elk | Trout | |
| Nov 2wk | East Prong Roaring River | Wilkes | Trout | |
| Nov 2wk | Helton Creek | Ashe | Trout | |
| Nov 2wk | Horse Creek | Big | Trout | |
| Nov 2wk | Laurel Creek | Madison Big | Trout | |
| Nov 2wk | Mitchell River | Surry | Trout | |
| Nov 2wk | Reddies River | Wilkes | Trout | |
| Nov 2wk | Shelton Laurel Creek | Madison Big | Trout | |
| Nov 2wk | Snowbird | Graham Big | Trout | |
| Nov 2wk | Stone Mountain Creek | Wilkes | Trout | |
| Nov 2wk | Tuckasegee River | Swain | Trout | |
| Nov 9wk | Ararat River | Surry | Trout | |
| Nov 9wk | Green River | Polk | Trout | |
| Nov 9wk | Lake Coffey | Watauga | Trout | |
| Nov 9wk | Little River | Transylvania | Trout | |
| Nov 9wk | South Fork New River | Big | Trout | |
| Nov 9wk | Spring Creek | Madison Big | Trout | |
| Nov 9wk | Trout Lake | Ashe | Trout | |
| Nov 9wk | Watauga River | Watauga | Trout |
The 2026 season at a glance
Stocking records by month. March through May, October and November.
Jan
·
Feb
·
Mar
30
Apr
10
May
26
Jun
·
Jul
·
Aug
·
Sep
8
Oct
18
Nov
19
Dec
·
What gets stocked
| Species | Stockings | Fish |
|---|---|---|
| Trout | 111 | |
| Channel catfish | 73 | 155,900 |
| Striped bass | 13 | 1,234,500 |
| Black bass | 10 | 561,200 |
| Muskellunge | 7 | 1,735 |
| Walleye | 5 | 333,000 |
| White crappie | 3 | 4,500 |
| Largemouth bass | 3 | 1,200 |
Schedule changes
When the agency moves or drops a published date, it shows here instead of quietly disappearing.
- 2026-08-28 Moss Reservoir: species revised
- 2026-08-28 W. Kerr Scott Reservoir: species revised
- 2026-08-28 Salem Lake: species revised
- 2026-08-28 High Rock Lake: species revised
- 2026-08-28 Lake Norman: species revised
- 2026-08-28 Jordan Reservoir: species revised
- 2026-08-28 Oak Hollow Reservoir: species revised
- 2026-08-28 Sr Farmer Reservoir: species revised
- 2026-08-28 Hyco Lake: species revised
- 2026-08-28 Pechman Fishing Center Ponds: species revised
State record fish
The heaviest fish of each species ever certified in North Carolina, from the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission record book. Weights are shown exactly as the agency publishes them; waters we track link to their stocking pages.
| Species | Weight | Water | Angler | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Catfish | 127 lbs, 1 oz | Roanoke River | Rocky Baker | 2021 |
| Smallmouth Buffalo | 88 lbs | Lake Wylie | Tony Crawford | 1993 |
| Flathead Catfish | 78 lbs, 14 oz | Neuse River | Tyler Barnes | 2020 |
| Grass Carp | 68 lbs, 12 oz | Summerlins Pond Leland | David W. Stowell | 1998 |
| Striped Bass | 66 lbs | Hiwassee Reservoir | Tyler Shields | 2012 |
| Carp | 48 lbs | Mecklenburg County Pond | William Houston, Jr. | 1986 |
| Muskellunge | 41 lbs, 8 oz | Lake Adger | Richard W. Dodd | 2001 |
| Tiger Muskellunge | 33 lbs, 8 oz | Lake James | Gary Dean Nanney | 1988 |
| Channel Catfish | 27 lbs, 7 oz | Local farm pond, Rockingham Co. | Justin Hall | 2023 |
| Longnose Gar | 25 lbs | Intracoastal Waterway near Coinjock | Kelly Williams | 2009 |
| Brown Trout | 24 lbs, 10 oz. | Nantahala River | Robert Lee Dyer | 1998 |
| Freshwater Drum | 23 lbs, 8 oz | Kerr Reservoir | Jonathan Wilkerson | 2013 |
| Rainbow Trout | 20 lbs, 3 oz | Horsepasture River, Jackson Co. | Leah Johnson | 2006 |
| Bowfin | 17 lbs, 15 oz | Black River | Gregory A. Demery, Sr. | 1997 |
| Bodie Bass (Hybrid Striped Bass) | 17 lbs, 7 oz | Lake Chatuge | Michael R. Hogsed | 1996 |
| Largemouth Bass | 15 lbs, 14 oz | Farm Pond, Union Co. | William H. Wofford | 1991 |
| Walleye | 13 lbs, 8 oz | Shooting Creek, Lake Chatuge | Lamar L. Cofer | 1986 |
| White Catfish | 13 lbs | Lake James | Jerry Wayne Bentley | 1990 |
| Northern Pike | 11 lbs, 13 oz | Lake James | Keith Gilliam | 1978 |
| Smallmouth Bass | 10 lbs, 2 oz | Hiwassee Reservoir | Archie Lampkin | 1951 |
| Chain Pickerel | 8 lbs | Gaston Reservoir | John H. Leonard | 1968 |
| American Shad | 7 lbs, 15 oz | Tar River | R.S. Proctor | 1974 |
| Brook Trout | 7 lbs, 7 oz | Raven Fork River | G.L. Marshall, Jr. | 1980 |
| Spotted Bass | 6 lbs, 5 oz | Lake Norman | Eric M. Weir | 2003 |
| Sauger | 5 lbs, 15 oz | Lake Norman | David Shook | 1971 |
| White Bass | 5 lbs, 14 oz | Kerr Reservoir | Jim King | 1986 |
| Black Crappie | 4 lbs, 15 oz | Asheboro City Lake #4 | Dean Dixon | 1980 |
| Redear (shellcracker) | 4 lbs, 15 oz | Edgecombe County, Edgecombe Co. | Travis Jackson | 2008 |
| Bluegill | 4 lbs, 5 oz | Henderson County, Henderson Co. | Danny Case | 1967 |
| Hickory Shad | 4 lbs, 1 ounce | Pitchkettle Creek | Trey Maroules | 2004 |
| Kokanee Salmon | 4 lbs, 1 ounce | Nantahala Lake | Jeffrey Todd Smith | 2014 |
| Brown Bullhead | 4 lbs | Greenfield Lake, New Hanover Co. | Mitchell McConnell | 2016 |
| White Crappie | 3 lbs, 15 oz | Private Lake, Wake Co. | Joey Boretti | 2013 |
| White Perch | 2 lbs, 15 oz | Falls of the Neuse Reservoir | Bob G. Williams, Jr. | 2001 |
| Roanoke Bass | 2 lbs, 11 oz | Nash Cty fishing creek | Richard Elijah Evans | 1994 |
| Yellow Perch | 2 lbs, 9 oz | Indiantown Creek | Evelyn G. Etheridge | 1990 |
| Redfin Pickerel | 2 lbs, 4 oz | Gallberry Swamp | Edward C. Davis | 1997 |
| Redbreast | 2 lb, 1 ounce | Lumber River | Alphonso Jackson | 2019 |
| Green Sunfish | 1 lb, 15 oz | Private Pond | Victoria Navaroli | 2014 |
| Rock Bass | 1 lb, 14 oz | Deep River Carbonton | Robert W. Lytton | 1998 |
| Warmouth | 1 lb, 13 oz | McLeods Pond, RIchmond Co. | Emma Sears | 1976 |
| Pumpkinseed | 1 lb, 6 oz | Trent River | John Koonce | 2003 |
| Flier | 1 lb, 5 oz | Private Pond | Douglas N. McCall | 1990 |
| Spotted Sunfish | 7 oz | Big Swamp, Robeson Co. | Elijah Crabtree | 2016 |
All rows come from N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission publications
(official page).
Schedules change without notice, sometimes the same morning.
Seasons, limits, and licenses:
North Carolina fishing
regulations.