The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries announced on March 20 that a one-month striped bass fishing season will open April 1 in certain sections of the Tar-Pamlico and Neuse rivers, as well as their tributaries. The season will be available for both recreational and commercial fisheries and is set to close on April 30.
This announcement is important for local anglers and commercial fishers who have awaited access to these river areas following previous harvest closures. The new regulations are designed to allow limited harvest while protecting vulnerable fish stocks.
For recreational fishers, the daily creel limit is set at one striped bass per person, with a minimum total length of 18 inches. No striped bass between 22 and 27 inches may be kept. Commercial fishers face similar restrictions: a trip limit of one fish per person per day, an 18-inch minimum size, and the same slot limit. Only hook-and-line gear is allowed for commercial harvests, and existing tagging requirements remain in place. Gill net rules regarding tie-downs and distance from shore will also continue.
The open areas are defined upriver from specific demarcation lines on both rivers: Gum Point to Fork Point on the Tar-Pamlico River, and Cooper Point to Fisher Landing Point on the Neuse River. These boundaries are detailed in Proclamation FF-19-2026 (recreational) and Proclamation FF-20-2026 (commercial). A similar proclamation has been issued by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission for waters under its jurisdiction.
A recent analysis found that closing the harvest since 2019 did not increase striped bass numbers in these rivers. The study also suggests that achieving sustainable populations is unlikely due to factors beyond fishing pressure or low spawning rates. As a result, officials developed this limited season mainly to provide some access to stocked fish while minimizing impacts on Albemarle Sound-Roanoke River stock striped bass, which remain overfished according to a 2022 assessment update.
No harvest season will open for Albemarle Sound-Roanoke River waters due to ongoing concerns about overfishing. More information can be found in the “2026 Revision to Amendment 2 to the Estuarine Striped Bass Fishery Management Plan” or by contacting Division species leads.
