The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries announces a one-month striped bass season will open April 2026 for parts of the Tar-Pamlico and Neuse rivers and their tributaries. The season will be open April 1–30 for both recreational and commercial fisheries. The following provisions will apply:
Recreational
- Creel limit: One fish per person per day
- Size limit: 18-inch minimum to 22-inch maximum total length slot, or greater than 27 inches total length
Commercial
- Trip limit: One fish per person per day
- Size limit: 18-inch minimum to 22-inch maximum total length slot, or greater than 27 inches total length
- Hook-and-line allowed as legal commercial gear in the striped bass fishery
- Commercial tagging requirements will continue
- Tie-down and distance from shore requirements for gill nets will be maintained
The recreational and commercial striped bass season in the Tar-Pamlico and Neuse rivers will open upriver of the demarcation lines below.
- Tar-Pamlico River: Upriver of a line beginning at a point at Gum Point 35° 25.1669’ N - 76° 45.5251’ W; running southwesterly to a point at Fork Point at 35° 23.4453’ N - 76° 46.4346’ W.
- Neuse River: Upriver of a line beginning at a point at Cooper Point 35° 02.1433’ N - 76° 55.9965’ W; running southwesterly to a point at Fisher Landing Point 35° 00.1550’ N - 76° 58.5738’ W.
A recent analysis showed the harvest closure, implemented in 2019, did not result in increased striped bass abundance in these rivers. The analysis also indicates 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 Division of Marine Fisheries and N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission developed the one-month harvest season to allow for some access to stocked fish in the Tar-Pamlico and Neuse rivers. The season and locations were selected to limit harvest of Albemarle Sound-Roanoke River striped bass stock fish that occur in these rivers.
Results from a 2022 stock assessment update indicate the Albemarle Sound-Roanoke River striped bass stock is overfished and overfishing is occurring. A harvest season will not open in these waters.
For more information, contact Division striped bass species leads Todd Mathes at 252-948-3872 or Todd.Mathes@deq.nc.gov or Robert Corbett at 252-381-6000 or Robert.Corbett@deq.nc.gov.