Bookmark this page for tournaments, special events, and more.

Whether you’re introducing your little angler-to-be to fishing for the first time, or you love putting your fishing skills up against the very best, Cherokee’s special fishing events keep the season long and lucrative. Check out our Fish Cherokee Facebook page often as new events often pop up, dates change, or new announcements are made.

General fishing waters opening day is always the last Saturday in March. General fishing waters are closed to everyone for two weeks prior to opening day.

  • News & Info
    September 22, 2022 - December 31, 2024

    News & Info

    Important information about fishing in Cherokee's Enterprise Waters.

    Regular Office Hours:

    • M-F, 7:45am-4:30pm (ET)
    • Staff do not work during tribal closures, including weekends and holidays.

     

    Fishcherokee.com Customers:

    NEW PERMIT SYSTEM IN PLACE. MUST LOG IN TO CREATE AN ACCOUNT. AN EMAIL ADDRESS IS REQUIRED online or in-store. This allows system to email an electronic copy of your payment receipt and your permit to you. Customers have the option to add another customer, including children, to their account and make purchases on their behalf.

     

    General Fishing Enterprise Waters:

    2024 opening day fish tournament is scheduled for Easter weekend.

    • Per Tribal Code, general fishing waters opening day is always the last Saturday in March.
    • The 2024 Opening Day Fish Tournament is scheduled for Saturday, March 30th-Sunday, March 31st (2024).
    • Tournament registration deadline is 11:59pm on Friday, March 29, 2024.
    • General fishing waters are closed to everyone for two weeks prior to opening day (March 16-29, 2024). Trophy fly-fishing waters remain open.
    • Fishing is not allowed in general fishing waters when they are closed.
    • Refunds will not be issued for erroneously purchased permits due to purchaser error.
    • Daily permits ARE available for the trophy trout fly-fishing waters.  Both the general (daily) and trophy fly-fishing permits are required for the trophy fly-fishing waters (open year-round).
    • Stocking takes place before and after closures.

     

    Trophy Trout Fly-fishing Waters: 

    • The 2.2 miles of trophy trout fly-fishing enterprise waters on Raven Fork are open year-round.
    • This section is catch and release only.
    • General (daily) tribal fishing permit and trophy trout fly-fishing permit required.

     

    Big Cove Ponds:

    • Fish must be kept.
    • Ponds are stocked weekly provided water conditions are optimal for fish survival.
      • Stocking does not take place during tribal closures, holidays, weekends, and extreme weather conditions.
      • Stocking updates from the tribal hatchery staff are posted as they are received.
      • Call 828-359-6960 for additional stocking information.

     

    For more frequent and up-to-date information:

    • Follow us on our Fish Cherokee Facebook page.

     

     

  • 2024 Opening Day Trout Tournament
    March 30, 2024 - March 31, 2024

    2024 Opening Day Trout Tournament

    $20,000 in cash prizes

    For 2024, Cherokee’s fishing season “opening day” will be Saturday, March 30th, and we are offering you 20,000 reasons to get excited about it.

    Our Opening Day Fishing Tournament requires a $15 entry fee and a two-day fishing permit ($17), covering both tournament days, to compete for $20,000 in tagged fish. You’ll be competing in the rivers on the Qualla Boundary (excluding the 2.2 miles of catch-and-release waters). Tagged fish will be specially stocked for this event, and when you catch one, you redeem it for cash prizes ranging from $25 to $5,000 at the Natural Resources Enforcement Office, 517 Sequoyah Trail, Cherokee, NC 28719, which is across the street from Cherokee Welcome Center off Hwy 441. Prize redemption hours are from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. each tournament day, with a final tag turn in time of 4 p.m. on day two.

    Register anywhere fishing licenses are sold or online at FishCherokee.com by Friday, March 29, 2024. Fishing hours are one hour before sunrise and end one hour after sunset each day. Open to all ages and for all legal fishing methods.

    EBCI Natural Resources Department reserves the right to cancel, reschedule, or amend any tournament or event due to catastrophes, pandemics, states of emergency, adverse weather, etc.

  • 2024 Memorial Day Trout Tournament
    May 25, 2024 - May 26, 2024

    2024 Memorial Day Trout Tournament

    $10,000 in cash prizes

    Spend the long weekend with the boys: rainbow, brook, golden, and brown. With your $15 entry fee and a two-day ($17) fishing permit, covering both tournament days, you can compete for $10,000 in tagged fish within the beautiful freestone streams of Cherokee, NC; only the 2.2 miles of catch-and-release waters are excluded.

    Tagged fish will be specially stocked for this event, and when you catch one, you redeem it for cash prizes at the Natural Resources Enforcement Office located at 517 Sequoyah Trail off Hwy 441. Prize redemption hours are from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. each tournament day, with a final tag turn in time of 4 p.m. on day two. Open to all ages and for all legal fishing methods.

    Register for this tournament anywhere fishing permits are sold in and around Cherokee or online at FishCherokee.com by Friday, May 24, 2024.

    EBCI Natural Resources Department reserves the right to cancel, reschedule, or amend any tournament or event due to catastrophes, pandemics, states of emergency, adverse weather, etc.


  • 2024 Tim Hill Memorial Trout Tournament
    July 13, 2024 - July 14, 2024

    2024 Tim Hill Memorial Trout Tournament

    $10,000 in cash prizes

    This tournament honors Tim Hill, a long-time employee at our very own trout hatchery who sadly passed too soon. A number of years ago, Cherokee’s Fisheries & Wildlife Management Division created this fun and lucrative tournament in his name.

    With a registration fee of $15 and a two-day fishing permit ($17), covering both tournament days, you’ll be fishing for your share of $10,000 by catching beautiful trout in rivers all across the Qualla Boundary (excluding the 2.2 miles of catch-and-release waters), which will be stocked with tagged fish. When you catch one, you redeem it for cash prizes at the Natural Resources Enforcement Office, 517 Sequoyah Trail, Cherokee, NC 28719, which is across the street from Cherokee Welcome Center off Hwy 441. Prize redemption hours are from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. each tournament day, with a final tag turn in time of 4 p.m. on day two.

    Register anywhere fishing licenses are sold or at FishCherokee.com by Friday, July 12, 2024. Fishing hours are one hour before sunrise and end one hour after sunset each day. Open to all ages and for all legal fishing methods.

    EBCI Natural Resources Department reserves the right to cancel, reschedule, or amend any tournament or event due to catastrophes, pandemics, states of emergency, adverse weather, etc.

  • 2024 Qualla Country Trout Tournament
    August 24, 2024 - August 25, 2024

    2024 Qualla Country Trout Tournament

    $20,000 in cash prizes

    With your $15 entry fee and a two-day fishing permit ($17), coveriong both tournament days, you’ll be competing for your share of $20,000 in the pristine freestone streams of Cherokee (excluding the 2.2 miles of catch-and-release waters).

    Tagged fish will be specially stocked for this event, and when you catch one, you redeem it for cash prizes at the Natural Resources Enforcement Office, 517 Sequoyah Trail, Cherokee, NC 28719, which is across the street from Cherokee Welcome Center off Hwy 441. Prize redemption hours are from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. each tournament day, with a final tag turn in time of 4 p.m. on day two.

    Register anywhere fishing licenses are sold or at FishCherokee.com by Friday, August 23,2024. Fishing hours are one hour before sunrise and end one hour after sunset each day. Open to all ages and for all legal fishing methods.

    Fisheries & Wildlife Management reserves the right to cancel, reschedule, or amend any tournament or event due to catastrophes, pandemics, states of emergency, adverse weather, etc.