From a post horsefly put together it appears the NC rules have changed on hand lining. While I can't find anything specific describing the change itself here is what I have pulled form the N. C. WILDLIFE RESOURCES COMMISSION on page
http://www.ncwildlife.org/fs_index_02_regulations.htm which includes a link to the The 2008- 09 North Carolina Fishing Regulations (effective July 1, 2008 - June 30, 2009)
http://www.ncwildlife.org/pg02_Regs/2008_09_Regulations_Digest.pdfFrom page 9: The Annual State Inland Fishing (basic) License covers Basic Inland Fishing and Non-Game Fish
From Page 28: Nongame fishes, crustaceans (crayfish
and blue crabs), and mollusks taken for bait or personal consumption may not be sold.
Also from page 28:
Nongame fishes, crustaceans, and mollusks may be taken for
bait or personal consumption only with the equipment listed
below, and an appropriate inland fishing license is required.
(See Regulations for Taking and Sale of Nongame Fish on page 27
and other nongame regulations on page 35 for more information).
1. A dip net not greater than six feet across.
2. A seine not greater than 12 feet in length with a bar mesh
measure of not more than 1/4 inch.
3. A cast net.
4. Minnow traps under immediate control and attendance of the
operator and not exceeding 12 inches in diameter, with
funnel openings not exceeding 1 inch in diameter.
5. Hand-held lines with single baits attached to each;
6. A collapsible crab trap with the largest opening not greater
than 18 inches and which by design collapses at all times
when in the water, except when being retrieved or lowered to
the bottom.The daily creel limit is 200 nongame fish, crayfish, and
mollusks, in aggregate, subject to the following restrictions
1. No more than 50 eels, none of which may be less than six
inches in length
2. No herring (alewife and blueback) greater than six inches in
length may be taken or possessed from the inland fishing
waters of coastal rivers and their tributaries up to the first
impoundment dam on the main course of the rivers (listed
above), the Lumber River including Drowning Creek, and
all other public waters east of Interstate 95.
3. No more than 50 crabs per person per day or 100 per vessel
per day with a minimum carapace width of five inches (point
to point.)-Nick
(The red was added in the pdf document to signify a major regulation change.)