In eastern North Carolina, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission conducts springtime electrofishing sampling for striped bass, American shad and hickory shad. This sampling is conducted in the four major coastal rivers — the Roanoke, Tar, Neuse and Cape Fear. We have made arrangements this year to share results of fish-sampling work and creel surveys — including photos — to let you know what our fisheries biologists are seeing on the water and what our creel clerks are hearing at the boat ramps.

The fisheries reports will provide an advance look at some of the catch, effort and harvest data that we use to manage these important migratory populations, plus some photos and anecdotal observations shared by our biologists. Individual river reports will be updated regularly as staff samples and collects information. We hope you enjoy the expanded coverage to provide fisheries updates from four coastal rivers this year.

Effective at 12:01 a.m., on March 29, 2019, the striped bass season is closed in all waters of the Central Southern Management Area. Read more.