Fishes Neuse River
River · Coastal Plain · North Carolina
Neuse River Fishing Guides
A blackwater Coastal Plain river below Kinston, swamp-lined and cypress-shaded, with a strong redbreast and flathead fishery above the tidal reach at New Bern.
Map of the Neuse River
13 numbered points: 12 access points, 1 USGS gauge. Tap a marker for details. Reviewed Sep 25, 2026.
- Access / boat ramp (12)
- USGS gauge (1)
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Points are curated from OpenStreetMap and state agency sources; confirm access and hours before you go.
Print it. Bag it. Bring it.Phones die, screens crack, and most of this water has no signal. Print this map, fold it into a zip-top bag or dry bag with your license, and you have a backup your electronics can’t give you. Every marker is numbered so you can say exactly where you are.
Open the printable mapAll 13 points on this map
| # | Point | Type | Lat, Lon | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smithfield Access Town of Smithfield - 1 launch lane | Access / boat ramp | 35.51473, -78.34802 | Town of Smithfield ramp on the upper river; carry-down access as well as a trailer lane. |
| 2 | Richardsons Bridge Access NC Wildlife Resources Commission - 1 launch lane | Access / boat ramp | 35.37540, -78.19798 | WRC ramp at the SR bridge east of Princeton; usual top of the Johnston County float. |
| 3 | Coxs Ferry Access NC Wildlife Resources Commission - 1 launch lane | Access / boat ramp | 35.35666, -78.13691 | WRC ramp between Princeton and Goldsboro. |
| 4 | Stevens Mill Access NC Wildlife Resources Commission - 1 launch lane | Access / boat ramp | 35.36713, -78.06728 | WRC ramp upstream of Goldsboro. |
| 5 | Goldsboro Access NC Wildlife Resources Commission - 1 launch lane | Access / boat ramp | 35.34823, -78.02362 | WRC ramp at Goldsboro. |
| 6 | Prices Landing Access NC Wildlife Resources Commission - 1 launch lane | Access / boat ramp | 35.31379, -77.94506 | WRC ramp downstream of Goldsboro in Wayne County. |
| 7 | Seven Springs Access Town of Seven Springs - 1 launch lane | Access / boat ramp | 35.22872, -77.84604 | Town-owned ramp at Seven Springs, the usual break between the Wayne and Lenoir County floats. |
| 8 | Kinston Access City of Kinston - 2 launch lanes | Access / boat ramp | 35.25754, -77.59060 | City of Kinston ramp with a carry-down for paddlers as well as the trailer lanes. |
| 9 | Maple Cypress Access NC Wildlife Resources Commission - 2 launch lanes | Access / boat ramp | 35.31366, -77.30282 | WRC ramp at Fort Barnwell, at the USGS gauge; common take-out before the river widens. |
| 10 | Neuse River near Fort Barnwell USGS 02091814 - real-time stage and flow | USGS gauge | 35.31389, -77.30278 | Roster gauge for this water. Read stage here before committing to the lower river. |
| 11 | Cow Pen Landing Access Craven County - 2 launch lanes | Access / boat ramp | 35.23865, -77.16684 | Craven County ramp with a paddle-craft carry-down, below Fort Barnwell. |
| 12 | Spring Garden Access Craven County - 2 launch lanes | Access / boat ramp | 35.21901, -77.14854 | Craven County ramp on the tidal reach above New Bern. |
| 13 | Bridgeton Access NC Wildlife Resources Commission - 1 launch lane | Access / boat ramp | 35.14469, -77.04772 | WRC ramp at Bridgeton, on the tidal water opposite New Bern. |
Guides on the Neuse River
Claimed profiles take booking requests. Unclaimed profiles are built from public records so the river is never empty; the guide can claim or remove one any time.
About the Neuse River
By the time the Neuse reaches Fort Barnwell it has left the Piedmont well behind and become a true Coastal Plain blackwater river: broad, slow, tannin-stained, and hemmed in by cypress and gum swamp on both banks. This reach runs between Kinston and Streets Ferry, above the point where tide begins to dominate near New Bern, and it is one of the more overlooked pieces of fishable water in eastern North Carolina. The river braids into oxbows and sloughs, the banks are largely undeveloped, and the fishing is as much about reading wood and current seams as it is about covering water.
Largemouth bass hold on laydowns, cypress knees and the outside of the bends, and they are consistent rather than large. Redbreast sunfish are the local favourite and are genuinely abundant along the shaded banks — a light spinning rod or a small popper on a fly rod is the traditional approach. The catfish fishery is serious: channel cats throughout, flatheads in the deep bends that reach well past twenty pounds, and blue catfish increasing through the system. Striped bass move up from the estuary seasonally and are a spring proposition. Bowfin and longnose gar are constant and increasingly targeted on purpose.
This is small-boat and kayak water. There is enough depth for a jonboat through most of the reach, but deadfall moves after every high-water event and running unfamiliar water fast is a mistake. Public access is spread out, so most trips are planned as out-and-back runs from a single ramp rather than shuttled floats. Summer heat and low water concentrate fish in the deeper bends and make the middle of the day slow.
The gauge near Fort Barnwell is the reference for this reach. High readings mean a swollen, debris-carrying river best left alone; a moderate falling stage after a rise is the most productive condition.
This water needs a real photo
The photo at the top of this page is not Neuse River.
It is a regional stand-in, honestly captioned but generic — we will not put a name to a river we cannot prove. Send us a photograph you took here and it replaces the stand-in, with your credit on it.
Pioneer badgeUnclaimed
Add a photo of this water
Landscape, not fish — the water itself. Reviewed by hand before it appears. The first one published here earns the Pioneer badge.
Fished this water? Add a photo
Reviewed by hand before it appears. Pick the water, not the spot — we never publish exact locations.
Access
Kinston Neuseway Park ramp — upstream access with parking and a paddle launch.
Fort Barnwell landing — closest access to the USGS gauge.
Cowpen Landing — mid-reach small-boat access.
Streets Ferry ramp — downstream access toward the tidal transition.
Highway 55 and Highway 43 crossings — bridge and bank access.
Neuse River Trail paddle access points — kayak put-ins along the Coastal Plain reach.
New Bern waterfront ramps — tidal-reach access below this section for stripers and drum.
Seasons
Spring: striped bass push up from the estuary and redbreast begin to bed; the highest and most variable water.
Summer: redbreast and bream fishing peaks along shaded banks; flatheads feed hard after dark.
Fall: falling, clearing water and the best largemouth fishing of the year on wood.
Winter: deep-bend catfish and crappie; low, dark and slow, with almost no other boats.
From the water
No logged trips yet. Be the first to put this water on your map.
Log this water
Fished it or cleaned it? Log in or create a free account to log a trip with photos and earn the waterway badge.
Questions
What is the current flow on the Neuse River?
As of Oct 22, 5:30 am, the USGS gauge NEUSE RIVER NEAR FORT BARNWELL, NC reads 353 cfs. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the Neuse River?
Anglers target Black Crappie, Blue Catfish, Bluegill, Bowfin, Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Longnose Gar, Redbreast Sunfish, Striped Bass on the Neuse River in North Carolina.
Are there fishing guides on the Neuse River?
GuidedFloats lists 3 guides and outfitters on the Neuse River. Claimed profiles accept booking requests; unclaimed profiles are built from public records and link to the business.
Where can you access the Neuse River?
Kinston Neuseway Park ramp — upstream access with parking and a paddle launch. Fort Barnwell landing — closest access to the USGS gauge. Cowpen Landing — mid-reach small-boat access. Streets Ferry ramp — downstream access toward the tidal transition. Highway 55 and Highway 43 crossings — bridge and bank access. Neuse River Trail paddle access points — kayak put-ins along the Coastal Plain reach. New Bern waterfront ramps — tidal-reach access below this section for stripers and drum.
When is the best time to fish the Neuse River?
Spring: striped bass push up from the estuary and redbreast begin to bed; the highest and most variable water. Summer: redbreast and bream fishing peaks along shaded banks; flatheads feed hard after dark. Fall: falling, clearing water and the best largemouth fishing of the year on wood. Winter: deep-bend catfish and crappie; low, dark and slow, with almost no other boats.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Neuse River?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the North Carolina agency site: https://www.ncwildlife.gov/fishing/regulations