The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission will begin delayed harvest trout stocking on Nov. 2.
A schedule is posted on the agency’s website at www.ncwildlife.gov/delayed-harvest-schedule shows the East Prong of Roaring River and Stone Mountain Creek will be stocked on Nov. 2 and the Reddies River and Elk Creek will be stocked Nov. 3.
More specifically, delayed harvest trout waters in Wilkes County are:
• Reddies River, from Town of North Wilkesboro water intake dam to confluence with Yadkin River;
• East Prong Roaring River (Bullhead Creek downstream to Stone Mountain State Park lower boundary);
• Stone Mountain Creek, from falls at Alleghany County line to confluence with East Prong Roaring River and Bullhead Creek in Stone Mountain State Park;
• lower Elk Creek (portion on Leatherwood Mountains Development). Upper Elk Creek, Watauga County line to lower boundary of Blue Ridge Mountain Club, also is stocked.
Other delayed harvest waters in Watauga are Lake Coffey and the Watauga River from upper (secondary road 1114 bridge to Valle Crucis Community Park lower boundary) and from secondary road 1103 bridge to confluence with Laurel Creek.
In Ashe County, delayed harvest waters are:
• Big Horse Creek, from secondary road 1324 bridge to North Fork New River;
• Helton Creek, from secondary road 1372 bridge to North Fork New River;
• South Fork New River, upstream end of Todd Island to secondary road 1351 bridge;
In Caldwell County, the delayed harvest stream is Wilson Creek, from the game lands boundary downstream of Lost Cove Creek to Phillips Branch.
In Surry County, delayed harvest waters are:
• Ararat River, portion adjacent to Ararat River Greenway;
• Mitchell River, 0.6 mile upstream of the end of secondary road 1333 to the lowermost bridge on secondary road 1330.
Trout stocking typically begins in early October, but environmental factors caused a one-month delay this year.
The hot summer, drought and damage from Hurricane Helene in the watershed raised temperatures of water flowing into Armstrong State Fish Hatchery. Hatchery fish that were being grown to catchable size for the upcoming Delayed Harvest trout stocking season became stressed from water temperatures that reached the upper 70s, causing the loss of about 70% of the fish at Armstrong.
“This was an unfortunate event during a time when we were utilizing the Armstrong hatchery at full capacity while the Setzer hatchery renovations continue,” said Commission Hatchery Supervisor David Deaton.
Armstrong is the primary state hatchery producing trout since the late-2025 closure of the Bobby N. Setzer State Fish Hatchery for major renovations. Prior to renovations beginning, NCWRC announced trout stocking would be reduced during construction.
“We are planning to stock all the Delayed Harvest streams in November at a minimum of 35%,” Deaton said.
“That is the number we originally proposed when the Setzer project began. We were fortunate to purchase roughly 50,000 catchable-size trout from a private hatchery to supplement the stocking for this fall and ensure adequate numbers for the early spring stockings are ensured. The Delayed Harvest Stockings in November will also include some 14-inch-plus spent broodfish.”
Under Delayed Harvest Trout Waters regulations, only catch-and-release fishing for trout is permissible from program waters between Oct. 1, 2026, and June 5, 2027.
No natural bait may be possessed, and anglers can fish only with artificial lures with one single hook. An artificial lure is defined as a fishing lure that neither contains nor has been treated with any substance that attracts fish by the sense of taste or smell.
Under normal circumstances, commission staff stock trout from fall through spring with high densities of trout to increase anglers’ chances of catching trout. Delayed Harvest Trout Waters, posted with diamond-shaped, black-and-white signs, are popular fishing destinations for anglers who enjoy catch-and-release trout fishing.
The commission said anglers should be aware that stocking locations along streams may have changed due to hurricane damage and may impact some stocking and angler access.“The Setzer renovation is going well, and we remain on schedule,” said Deaton. “We are expecting construction to be completed by the end of next year.”
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