South Fork New River

Fishing, stocking, and current conditions

Trout water; 4 stockings on the 2026 record, spread March to November. A USGS gauge reports from this water, so the conditions card on this page is live.

Big County · North Carolina · see it on the national map

last stocked Oct 12 11 days ago

next Nov 9 announced

flow 101% of seasonal normal

best window 10:26 pm-12:26 am solunar major today

Water right now 2.07 ft gage height flow 268 cfs, about normal for Oct 23 USGS gauge 03161000 (SOUTH FORK NEW RIVER NEAR JEFFERSON, NC) · read 8:30 pm this evening

4 stockings 2026

The year here

stocked last 7 days announced ahead · tap a tick for details

What swims here

Trout 4 stockings

Stocking record 2026

Agency feed checked today.

Date	Species	Size	Status
Mar 2wk	Trout	catchable	stocked
May 11wk	Trout	catchable	stocked
Oct 12wk	Trout	catchable	stocked
Nov 9wk	Trout	catchable	scheduled

When to fish South Fork New River

	Major periods (~2 h)	Minor periods (~1 h)
Today	10:03 am-12:03 pm and 10:26 pm-12:26 am	4:20-5:20 am and 4:36-5:36 pm
Tomorrow	10:49 am-12:49 pm	5:25-6:25 am and 5:03-6:03 pm

Moon: waxing gibbous, 92% lit. These are solunar periods, the traditional feeding-time theory: majors around the moon's transit overhead and underfoot, minors around moonrise and moonset. Theory, not a measurement. Times are Eastern Time (EDT).

What the record actually says

Stocked 11 days ago (Oct 12)
Flow near normal for the season
Next announced stocking Nov 9

Computed this evening, Oct 23 · North Carolina fishing forecast

Gear for this water

Stocked within the last three weeks: fish are still bunched near the release points and keyed on familiar smells.

For the trout (trout stocked 4 times here in 2026, moving water)

Waders or wet-wading boots	stocked stream fish stack in the obvious pools; getting to the next one is the edge
Light spinning rod	5 to 6.5 ft light or ultralight; short rods cast under branches
Inline spinners	1/16 to 1/8 oz silver or gold; swing them across the current seams

Suggestions follow from what the state actually stocks here and what kind of water it is, nothing else. No sponsored placements.

Nearby stocked waters

The closest waters with stocking pages of their own, straight-line miles from this one.

Water	Distance	Most recent
Helton Creek	3.6 mi	Sep 28
Helton Creek VA	3.6 mi	Oct 16
Old Field Creek	4.3 mi	Apr 8
Fox Creek VA	4.7 mi	May 7
Middle Fox Creek VA	5.9 mi	May 7

Follow North Carolina stocking: RSS / Calendar (iCal) / Print the schedule

Records from N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (official page). Placement from USGS GNIS. Schedules change without notice. Seasons, limits, and licenses: North Carolina fishing regulations.