ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Western North Carolina — with its cold mountain streams and rivers — is a trout fishing paradise. But paradise was swamped by Tropical Storm Helene in late September.

Because of the impacts of Helene, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has revised its spring and summer Delayed Harvest and Hatchery Supported trout stocking schedule.

The list informs anglers of all the locations NCWRC will be stocking during the spring and summer and the “week of” stocking schedule through June. In addition, an online map that displays all stocking locations, and their access status, has been revised.

“We are encouraged that there is access to the vast majority of our Delayed Harvest and Hatchery Supported stocking locations,” Mountain Region Fishery Supervisor Doug Besler said in a NCWRC news release. “Currently, we still have 14 locations that are not accessible due to storm impacts. We will continue to assess locations as recovery work is completed in the impacted areas.”

Mountain region fisheries management and production staff assessed all Hatchery Supported and Delayed Harvest locations across the region to determine if they could be safely accessed by hatchery staff and anglers. Those assessments considered whether each location is in an active disaster recovery area, has major stream damage impacts, has parking and access infrastructure damage and whether the location can be safely accessed by stocking trucks and anglers.

Public Mountain Trout Waters not being stocked currently:

Delayed Harvest Trout Waters

  • South Fork New River (Ashe and Watauga counties)
  • Jacob Fork (Burke County)
  • Mill Creek (McDowell County)
  • North Toe River (Mitchell County)
  • Cane River (Yancey County)
  • Green River (Polk County)

Hatchery Supported Trout Waters

  • Elk River (Avery County)
  • Little Buck Creek (McDowell County)
  • North Fork Catawba River (McDowell County)
  • (Rocky) Broad River (Rutherford and Henderson counties)
  • Swannanoa River (Buncombe County)
  • Cold Springs Creek (Haywood County)
  • (Big) Hungry River (Henderson County)
  • North Pacolet River (Polk County

The assessment information was used to develop a list of Hatchery Supported and Delayed Harvest locations that are open or closed for the spring and summer stocked trout season. The fall Delayed Harvest schedule will be released in July, following an additional assessment of production capabilities and logistical issues caused by the storm.

Visit the NCWRC website for more information on trout fishing, 2025 Hatchery Supported and Delayed Harvest schedules and trout regulations.