Caldwell County NC Trout Streams
CATCH & RELEASE TIPS:
- Use barbless hooks. If you use a net, use one made of rubber. It is less harmful to fish scales, gills and eyes. Only net your fish if it is the only way to control it.
- Wet your hands when handling fish. Dry hands and gloves will remove its protective mucous (slime) coating and scales. These protective layers help prevent infection by waterborne disease. Do not beach a fish or let it flop around the deck of the boat.
- Try not to remove the fish from the water. If you must, be quick and gentle, do not squeeze the fish. Needle nose pliers, hemostats, de-hookers etc., will speed up the removal of a deep set hook.
- To revive the fish, hold it under the belly and by the tail, keep it in an upright position underwater, do not move the fish back and forth (this is also a good time to get a measurement and take a photo). If you are fishing in a river or stream, hold the fish facing the current. Be patient and give the fish as much time as it needs to recover and swim away on its own.
HATCHERY SUPPORTED
36.0102, -81.6242 Boone Fork Pond
35.9939, -81.7616 Thorps Creek- Falls to NC 90 bridge
35.9190, -81.7323 Wilson Creek- Phillips branch to brown mountain beach dam
DELAYED HARVEST
37.0625,-95.6770 Wilson Creek (game lands boundary downstream of Lost Cove Creek to Phillips Branch)
Wild Trout
36.0592, -81.5244 Buffalo Creek- Watauga Co. line to Long ridge branch
36.1068, -81.5460 Joes Creek- Watauga Co. line to first falls upstream of the end of SR 1574
36.1271, -81.5885 Rockhouse Creek
36.0928, -81.6921 Thunderhole Creek