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.
36.2824, -81.8652 Beaverdam Creek
36.2530, -81.9029 Beech Creek
36.2859, -81.7757 Cove Creek- SR 1233 bridge to zionville to SR 1233 bridge at amantha
36.1988, -81.7824 Dutch Creek- Second bridge on SR 1134 to mouth
36.1949, -81.5343 Elk Creek- Headwaters to gravel pit on SR 1508
36.2476, -81.6837 Howards Creek- Downstream from lower falls
36.2497, -81.8591 Laurel Creek
36.3483, -81.6827 Maine Branch- Headwaters to North fork New river
36.3097, -81.6880 Meat Camp Creek
36.1509, -81.6570 Middle Fork New River- Lake chetola dam to south fork new river
36.3689, -81.6782 North Fork New River- From confluence with Maine & Mine branches to ashe Co. line
36.3092, -81.6921 Norris Fork Creek
36.1363, -81.7339 Price Lake
36.2097, -81.4814 Stony Fork- Headwaters to wilkes Co.
36.212548, -81.775302 Watauga River—upper (S.R. 1114 bridge to Valle Crucis Community Park lower boundary)
36.253339, -81.846709 Watauga River—lower (S.R. 1103 bridge to confluence with Laurel Creek)
36.162042, -81.502857 Laurel Creek (confluence of North and South Fork Laurel creeks to Elk Creek, excluding tributaries)
36.205312, -81.875481 Pond Creek (headwaters to Locust Ridge Road bridge, excluding the pond adjacent to Lake Coffey)
36.1850, -81.7877 Dutch Creek- Headwaters to second bridge on SR 1134
36.2616, -81.6940 Howards Creek- Headwaters to lower falls
36.1640, -81.7599 Watauga River- Avery Co. line to SR 1580 bridge at foscoe