The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries has announced that a one-month striped bass season will take place in April 2026 for sections of the Tar-Pamlico and Neuse rivers and their tributaries. Both recreational and commercial fishing will be allowed from April 1 through April 30.
For recreational fishers, the daily creel limit is set at one fish per person. Fish must measure between 18 inches minimum and 22 inches maximum total length, or greater than 27 inches in total length to be kept. The same size limits and daily trip limits apply to commercial fishers. Commercial harvesters may use hook-and-line gear, with ongoing requirements for tagging as well as regulations on gill net placement and distance from shore.
The open areas are defined upriver of specific demarcation lines: for the Tar-Pamlico River, this is upriver from a line connecting Gum Point (35° 25.1669’ N – 76° 45.5251’ W) to Fork Point (35° 23.4453’ N – 76° 46.4346’ W); for the Neuse River, it is upriver from Cooper Point (35° 02.1433’ N – 76° 55.9965’ W) to Fisher Landing Point (35° 00.1550’ N – 76° 58.5738’ W).
According to a recent analysis by the Division, “the harvest closure, implemented in 2019, did not result in increased striped bass abundance in these rivers.” The analysis also found that “reaching sustainability of the Tar-Pamlico and Neuse rivers stocks is unlikely due to factors other than fishing mortality and inadequate spawning abundance.”
The decision to allow a limited harvest was developed jointly by the Division of Marine Fisheries and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission “to allow for some access to stocked fish in the Tar-Pamlico and Neuse rivers.” The agencies stated that both timing and locations were selected “to limit harvest of Albemarle Sound-Roanoke River striped bass stock fish that occur in these rivers.”
A separate stock assessment update from 2022 indicated that “the Albemarle Sound-Roanoke River striped bass stock is overfished and overfishing is occurring,” so no harvest season will be opened for those waters.
Further information can be obtained by contacting Todd Mathes at the Division at 252-948-3872 or Todd.Mathes@deq.nc.gov, or Robert Corbett at 252-381-6000 or Robert.Corbett@deq.nc.gov.
