Regulations!
For Trout Waters on the Blue Ridge Parkway

This page has a description of the regulations for trout waters on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

General Regulations

License

     Fishing without a valid state fishing license issued by either Virginia or North Carolina is prohibited. (A license issued by
     either state is valid on all Parkway waters. No special trout stamp or license required.) A North Carolina resident may
     fish Parkway waters within his or her county of residence using natural bait without a fishing license except in special and
     closed waters, as designated below. Natural bait is any bait that may be beneficially digested by fish.

Season

     The fishing season and hours shall conform to those established by the State except that fishing is prohibited one-half hour
     after sunset until one-half hour before sunrise on all Parkway waters.

Creel and Size Limits

     In general waters, creel and size limits shall conform to those established by the State. Limits for "Special Waters" are
     posted at each lake shore or stream bank.
 

Special Waters

"Special Waters" in North Carolina are:

     Trout Lake
     Upper Boone Fork (upstream from Price Lake)
     Lower Boone Fork
     Cold Prong Branch
     Laurel Creek
     Sims Pond and Creek
     Camp Creek
 

"Special Waters" in Virginia are:

     Mill Creek
     Abbott Lake
     Little Stoney Creek
     Otter Lake and Creek
     Rock Castle Creek
     Little Rock Castle Creek
     Chestnut Creek

Other Waters

     All trout caught in Chestnut Creek and Lower Boone Creek must be released.
     Fishing is not permitted from the dam at Price Lake, from the footbridge in the Price Park picnic area, or from the James
     River Bridge.
     Bee Tree Creek, a tributary of Boone Fork, is closed for research purpose.

Bait Lures

General Waters:

     The possession or use of live or dead fish, amphibians, or nonpreserved fish eggs is prohibited while on or along any
     Parkway water.
     Digging for natural bait on Parkway land is prohibiited.
     Use of bait, other than listed above, on waters classified as "General Waters" shall conform to regulations established by
     the State.

Special Waters:

     The possession or use as bait of insects, worms, live or dead fish or fish parts, or other organic bait is prohibited while
     adjacent to, on, or in streams or lakes classified as "Special Waters."

North Carolina

     Fishing lures are limited to single-hook artificial lures in all "Special Waters" with the following exceptions: in Basin Creek
     and its tributaries and Lower Boone Fork from Price Lake Dam downstream to the Parkway boundary, the use of lures
     other than single-hook artificial flies is prohibited.

Virginia:

     Fishing lures are limited to single-hook artificial lures.

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