When most people talk about fishing in North Carolina the mind wanders to open water and deep ocean adventures and don’t readily consider that there may be some amazing trout fishing in  North Carolina. 

 

And with more than 300 miles of coastline on the Atlantic it’s not hard to see why – the salt water fishing in North Carolina is fantastic.

 

But more and more people are moving their eyes inland these days, fishing for monster trout up and down the more than 3,000 miles of rivers, streams, ponds, and lakes that North Carolina has within her gorgeous green borders.

 

In fact, some of the best trout fishing in the Appalachian Mountains can be found in North Carolina – particularly up in the western part of North Carolina.

 

There are a handful of big rivers that get a lot of the trout fishing publicity in the state – the French Broad being one of them – but there’s a lot more trout fishing in North Carolina action to be found for those that are willing to adventure a little bit off the beaten path.

In this detailed guide we highlight (almost) everything you need to know about fishing for trout in this East Coast state.

 

You’ll learn about the kind of trout available to be fished in the state of North Carolina, gear you’ll need to land them, licenses and stamps required to legally fish in these waters, and so much more.

 

We even run through some of the best trout fishing waters in North Carolina for those that are particularly trout hungry and want to get their lines wet!

 

Check out some of these spots and you won’t have to worry about going home skunked again.

 

Ready to jump right in?

 

Let’s do it.

 

Can You Trout Fish in North Carolina?

 

Not only can you do some trout fishing in North Carolina, but you’ll be able to do some of the best trout fishing anywhere in the world all over this state.

 

Because of heavy rainfalls and humidity, the western mountain areas of North Carolina are absolutely swimming in rivers, lakes, creaks, and ponds that are about as flush with trout as you can imagine.

 

Some of this water is easily accessible – we’re talking about just pulling off to the side of the road and practically tossing your line from the passenger seat – and some of it is harder to track down.

 

But there’s a ton of trout to be had in the state, so much so that people from all over the country (and even the world) are beginning to check out North Carolina and have a crack at the trout action.

 

The native trout population is healthy in NC, but it’s further supported with farmed stockers that get released at timed intervals throughout the year, too.

 

This is all done through the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC), with regular fishing drops happening most frequently in the spring. A couple of stocks happen in October and November, too – just to make sure the trout population along the Little River stays solid all year round.

 

Who’s ready to do some trout fishing in North Carolina?

 

Do You Need a Special License to Trout Fish in North Carolina?

 

North Carolina has a couple of different licensing programs that trout anglers will want to be aware of, licenses that need to be bought and secured before a single line is tossed in the water.

 

Annual licenses are the most common licenses purchased in the state, with resident and non-resident options available.

 

The first license that anglers looking for trout will need is the State Inland Fishing license, priced at $25 for residents and $45 dollars for non-residents. This opens up fishing across the state, excepting any of the coastal fishing.

 

It even allows license holders to fish in the Public Mountain Trust Waters in North Carolina.

 

The Unified Inland/Coastal Recreational Fishing license is another option for trout anglers in North Carolina, specifically those that want to do some trout fishing on state game lands. Those with this license can fish in joint waters as well, without having to worry about any other special permits.

 

The prices for this license is $41 and is only available for North Carolina residents alone.

 

Any resident looking to do some trout fishing in North Carolina while receiving Medicaid, food stamps, or some sort of assistance program from the Department of Social Services can get a free Subsistence Unified Inland/Coastal Recreational fishing license as well.

 

North Carolina provides lifetime licenses for those that plan to do a lot of fishing (trout or otherwise) throughout the state for the rest of their days. The price on those licenses can cost $265 for $477, depending on the specific license that is purchased.

 

Finally, anyone looking to fish for trout outside of designated Mountain Heritage Waters are going to need to purchase a designated North Carolina Trout Stamp to go with their fishing license.

 

This trout stamp can be ordered by visiting www.ncwildlife.org or by calling 1-888-248-6834.

 

Is There a Season for Trout Fishing in North Carolina?

 

There are specific seasons for trout fishing in North Carolina, though the seasons change on a regular basis from year-to-year.

 

As a general rule, though, anglers are going to be able to go after trout in the state of North Carolina all year round without much headache or hassle.

 

The only season for trout fishing in this state has to do with hatchery supported waters. You won’t be able to fish between the first day of March and the last day of July each year in these fishery waters.

 

This gives the native fish plenty of opportunity to spawn, breed, and multiply without being disturbed. It also allows the fish a better chance to survive during the warmer weather in North Carolina.

 

Warm weather temperatures heat the trout water significantly, forcing the trout to fight a lot harder to find food but also lowering the overall amount of oxygen in water, too.

 

Outside of that window of time (and on “normal” waters throughout the state of North Carolina) you’ll be able to do trout fishing pretty much anytime you like.

 

What Kind of Trout Fishing is Available in North Carolina?

 

Thanks to the unique ecological history of trout throughout North Carolina you’ll find a really diverse array of fish in these mountain areas.

 

There are, however, four “primary” species of trout that you’ll be able to go after when you stick your line in the waters of North Carolina.

Brook trout (sometimes called specks or speckled trout) are a Northern Strain that are traditionally found throughout the northern watersheds across the eastern seaboard. It’s not uncommon to find southern Appalachian speckled trout native to the area in these waters, too.

 

The southern Appalachian speckled trout populations have decreased since then 1880s, though. A big part of that is because of the timber extraction that’s happened throughout the forests as well as the Chestnut Light in the early 1900s that destroyed a lot of the food sources for these fish.

 

Rainbow trout are found throughout North Carolina, both native and stocked versions, without too much headache or hassle.

 

There are dozens and dozens of “subcategories” of rainbow trout that you can find in these waters, and some of the biggest fish you’ll pull out of North Carolina are going to be of the rainbow trout variety.

 

Brown trout (primarily German Brown and Scottish Brown) trout are also really common throughout the rivers, streams, and lakes of North Carolina.

 

The overwhelming majority of the brown trout you’ll find here, though, are original stocker fish that were brought over to supplement the waters that used to be home to speckled trout. It’s not uncommon to find brown and speckled trout in the same water.

 

Finally, you have the elusive “tiger trout” that can be found in some select areas of North Carolina – a real trophy fish and a bit of a dream for a trout angler to land.

These fish are unique hybrid strains of brook trout and brown trout that ended up spawning, producing a tiger trout in the process.

 

Drop-dead gorgeous, the markings on these trout are unlike anything else and the size of them can get spectacular, too. The trouble with tiger trout (the reason they are so rare) is that they are born completely sterile.

 

There is a “fit species” of trout available to be fished in North Carolina, too, if you count the NCWRC stocking trout.

 

Each and every one of these fish are raised in North Carolina hatcheries before they are released into waters all over the state. You can easily spot these fish by their appearance (especially when held up against native fish), but they are still plenty fun to go after.

 

Gear You’ll Want to Pack for North Carolina Trout Fishing

 

Those that are serious about going after trout in North Carolina are going to want to anticipate mountain climbs and excursions off the beaten path to find some really pure trout water.

 

Quality hiking boots are going to be essential for getting into some real trout hotspots, and you’ll definitely want to pack your waders in before changing into them on the side of the water, too.

 

Wear your waders while walking through the woods and you’ll inevitably end up filling them with sweat before you get to where you’re going!

 

You can get away with traditional hip boots during the warmer weather in North Carolina. But during the late fall through the winter and into the early spring you’ll want to be sure that you have insulated chest waders on.

 

You might even want to go with insulated options as the water can get really (really) cold up in the western mountains.

 

A fishing vest will help keep all of your gear that hand. Trout vests guarantee that you have all the tackle, flies, and equipment you need to land big river monsters without having to go back to the shoreline and retool.

 

Your rod and reel will depend entirely on the kind of fishing that you are looking to do.

Spin fishermen are going to want to stick to 5 foot or 6 foot lightweight or ultralightweight rods that have 4 to 6 pound monofilament attached. You can use pretty much any bait you like to use for trout here in these waters.

 

Fly fisherman, on the other hand, are going to want to go with rods that are 7 ½ feet to 9 feet long and come in between four and six weight. Floating or weight forward lines are useful for getting into some tightness and crannies with dry, wet, or nymph flies.

It’s not a bad idea to bring a landing that, forceps, your camera, and any other gear you like to have close at hand when you go hunting for trout, too.