North Carolina fishing is considered to be the best fishing available along the Atlantic Coast. For locals and visitors alike, North Carolina fishing provides a great opportunity to be outdoors and enjoy the sites and sounds of natural North Carolina at its best. No matter where you travel in North Carolina, you will need to obtain a North Carolina fishing permit. If you plan to fish on the Cherokee Reservation in North Carolina, you will need a fishing permit from the Tribe; your North Carolina fishing permit will not suffice on the reservation.

North Carolina fishing regulations for travelers require that travelers obtain a fishing license. There are two types of North Carolina fishing regulations and licenses; State Inland Fishing Licenses and Coastal Recreational Fishing Licenses. As the names suggest, these two permits are for inland river and lake fishing and coastal ocean fishing, respectively. North Carolina fishing regulations specify that travelers can only obtain 10-day permits to fish North Carolina waters, for both inland and coastal fishing. If you plan to fish tribal waters, you will also only be allowed to obtain a 10-day fishing license. You must obtain this license directly from the tribal offices in person; no other permit will suffice for tribal fishing. The legal North Carolina fishing season is from the last Saturday of March until February of the following year, starting each day one ½ hour prior to sunrise and ending one ½ hour after sunset.

The most popular fish among North Carolina fishing piers along the beach are bass, flounder and mackerel. One reason North Carolina fishing is so popular is that participant do not need a boat to fish. Deep sea fishing boats and opportunities are available, but it is perfectly possible to simple take advantage of North Carolina fishing piers and fish directly from them. Popular North Carolina fishing parks such as Cape Hatteras and Nags Head are full of people all throughout the fishing season fishing directly off of North Carolina fishing piers. As you might expect, fishing at the popular swimming beaches is generally not as successful during the summer, so many fishermen either fish early in the morning in the summer, or head inland. Although the coast is several hours' drive from larger cities such as Charlotte, Raleigh and Greensboro, smaller towns such as Kill Devil Hills make excellent fishing vacation destinations. You can also combine your fishing trip on the coast with a few rounds of golf in Pinehurst near Raleigh, less than two hours from the North Carolina beaches.

North Carolina Map

Inland fishing in North Carolina takes place at the many lakes and rivers in North Carolina. Here, trout, catfish and small-mouth bass make up the most popular groups of fish. The Linville River and the Toe River are two of the best places for North Carolina fishing. Of course, the Blue Mountain range is full of small streams that are ideal for trout fishing of all kinds, as are the many, many lakes and streams of the Great Smoky Mountains. Fishing permits will cost out-of-state travelers around $30 per person, and in-state folks around $15 per person (if you are over 16; kids fish for free). You can pick up a fishing license at any parks and recreation center or at most tackle stores near fishing areas. You must have picture identification with you; a driver's license, student ID, passport, or state ID will suffice. You can plan fishing day trips for one day or for many.