The lower Roanoke River is defined as the Roanoke River and its tributaries downstream from the U.S. 258 bridge near Scotland Neck to Albemarle Sound, including the Cashie, Middle and Eastmost rivers. The upper Roanoke River is defined as the Roanoke River and its tributaries upstream, from the U.S. 258 bridge near Scotland Neck to Roanoke Rapids Lake Dam.

The daily creel limit within the Roanoke River Management Area is two striped bass per person. The minimum length limit is 18 inches, and no striped bass between 22 and 27 inches may be possessed at any time. Only one striped bass larger than 27 inches may be included in the daily creel limit.

The Commission reminds anglers to use a single barbless hook or a lure with a single barbless hook when fishing in the upper Roanoke River from April 1 through June 30. Anglers can make hooks barbless by crimping down the barb.

The Commission established the barbless regulation in 1997 to minimize mortality of striped bass. In the mid-1990s, the Commission studied catch-and-release mortality of striped bass hooked by anglers in the Roanoke River. It found two important factors in striped bass mortality.

“The first factor was related to hooking location and injury, with fish hooked deep or in the gills having the greatest mortality,” said Kent Nelson, fisheries program manager for the Division of Inland Fisheries. “The second factor was water temperature, with mortality increasing with rising water temperatures.”

These studies indicated that stress played a roll in mortality. Since stress is magnified when fish are kept out of the water, using a single, barbless hook instead of a treble hook allows anglers to get the fish off the hook and back into the water quicker.

The Commission also encourages striped bass anglers to use small, non-offset circle hooks, preferably ones with the least amount of distance between the hook point and shank.

Studies show that striped bass caught on small, barbless circle hooks are usually hooked in the jaw, which means they have a much greater chance of survival after being released than fish that has been hooked in the throat or gut.

Download a pocket-sized information card here on releasing stripers safely (pdf). A series of questions and answers on striped bass fishing, locations of free, Commission-managed boat ramps on the Roanoke River and striped bass fishing tips are available online. From March until the end of May, the Commission will post online weekly fishing reports from the Roanoke River every Wednesday afternoon.

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