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.
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September 22, 2022 - December 31, 2028News & 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.
2025 Opening Day 2-week Closure:
Welcome Anglers! Come join us for the Opening Day Fish Tournament set for March 29th & 30th, 2025 in Cherokee NC.GENERAL WATERS CLOSED FOR 2 WEEKS PRIOR TO OPENING DAY.As a reminder, general (Catch & Keep) fishing waters will be close to everyone starting on Saturday, March 15th and will remain closed until opening day on the morning of March 29th.The CATCH & KEEP FLY-FISHING WATERS ARE OPEN YEAR ROUND and requires both the special use fly-fishing permit and the daily fish permit while fishing this section of Cherokee Enterprise Waters.Impacts of Hurricane Helene:
Tribal Hatchery Update 10/21/2024 – Thank you for your patience as we continue to evaluate and work through our trout fishing challenges associated with Hurricane Helene. We are aware there are a lot of conversations occurring regarding our level of impact and it is our intent to provide some clarification. The EBCI Trout Hatchery received approximately 11” of rain over the two-day storm period which resulted in significant flooding of the facility. The event resulted in a loss of approximately 30,000 fish that were planned to be stocked during our fall 2024 season. Additional damage occurred to adjacent stream banks, but the facility as a whole was not significantly damaged.
The EBCI intends to conduct reduced stocking of Enterprise waters on a monthly basis. Stocking quantities will be significantly reduced due to low inventories throughout the fall. The EBCI “Catch and Release” Fly-fishing only waters will continue to be regularly stocked (monthly) and will provide a reliable option for visiting anglers. The ponds, adjacent to KOA, will remain closed until further notice in order to address damage issues associated with the river intake. We are doing our best to take advantage of reduced inventory to re-construct concrete raceways, maximize oxygenation of raceways, improve waste management, and implement mitigation measures to reduce future flood impacts. These efforts will help ensure long-term resilience and maximize productivity to ensure a successful 2025 fishing season.
Please rest assured that we did not lose “all” of our trout at the facility, and we fully intend to be back to “normal” stocking operations by January 2025. Thank you for your support.
EBCI Fisheries & Wildlife Management
Continue to visit our webpage and Facebook page for future updates.
Fishcherokee.com Customers:
New permit system in place. Anglers age 12 and over must have on their person a valid tribal fishing permit while fishing Cherokee enterprise waters. Each angler must have an account in the system under their name to purchase a tribal fishing permit. An email address is required online or in-store for anglers age 12 and up. Anglers age 12 through 17 are responsible for obtaining a parent’s permission. Entering an email address will allow the system to email an electronic copy of the purchase receipt and customer permit. Notice: Login errors may occur if angler had multiple sportman accounts in former (legacy) system. Contact customer support for assistance. Customer service responses may be delayed due to high volumes of calls and messages.
For more frequent and up-to-date information follow us on our Fish Cherokee Facebook page.
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May 24, 2025 - May 25, 2025
2025 Memorial Day Fish Tournament
Registration Deadline: Friday, May 23, 2025
Fish Violations: Report immediately to Cherokee Police Department by calling 828-497-4131.
Fishing Hours: 1 hour prior to sunrise until 1 hour after sunset.
Tag Turn in Time: 2 – 4 PM each respective tournament day.
Turn In Location: 517 Sequoyah Trail, Cherokee, NC 28719 – (Hwy 441 across from Cherokee Welcome Center)
Required at turn-in: Tag (fish not required), Valid fish permit, Valid tournament registration, Signed W-9 Form (forms available on-site)
Register online @ fishcherokee.com or at a local permit vendor site.
Follow us on Facebook – Fish Cherokee
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July 12, 2025 - July 13, 2025
2025 Tim Hill Memorial Fish Tournament
Registration Deadline: Friday, July 11, 2025
Fish Violations: Report immediately to Cherokee Police Department by calling 828-497-4131.
Fishing Hours: 1 hour prior to sunrise until 1 hour after sunset.
Tag Turn in Time: 2 – 4 PM each respective tournament day.
Turn In Location: 517 Sequoyah Trail, Cherokee, NC 28719 – (Hwy 441 across from Cherokee Welcome Center)
Required at turn-in: Tag (fish not required), Valid fish permit, Valid tournament registration, Signed W-9 Form (forms available on-site)
Register online @ fishcherokee.com or at a local permit vendor site.
Follow us on Facebook – Fish Cherokee
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August 30, 2025 - August 31, 2025
2025 Qualla Country Fish Tournament
Registration Deadline: Friday, August 29, 2025
Fish Violations: Report immediately to Cherokee Police Department by calling 828-497-4131.
Fishing Hours: 1 hour prior to sunrise until 1 hour after sunset.
Tag Turn in Time: 2 – 4 PM each respective tournament day.
Turn In Location: 517 Sequoyah Trail, Cherokee, NC 28719 – (Hwy 441 across from Cherokee Welcome Center)
Required at turn-in: Tag (fish not required), Valid fish permit, Valid tournament registration, Signed W-9 Form (forms available on-site)
Register online @ fishcherokee.com or at a local permit vendor site.
Follow us on Facebook – Fish Cherokee