Dedicated anglers and devoted cooks have a couple of common traits — namely creativity and passion. Whether you’re fishing or cooking, it’s best to be willing to try something new and to be enthusiastic about the process and preparation. It’s no surprise that rockfish season from October through December provides ample opportunities to indulge both pastimes.
When the heat of the summer slides away and brisk autumn and early winter temperatures prevail, the fair-weather fishermen and the party boaters have docked their vessels for the season. It’s time for serious anglers to gear up and get out on the water to take advantage of fall/winter rockfish season on the Chesapeake Bay. Rockfish are among the top recreational sport fish in the bay and along the Atlantic coast. From 2005 to 2014, the recreational harvest there averaged 26.2 million pounds per year, according to the Chesapeake Bay Office of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Recreational landings for rockfish account for roughly 75 to 80 percent of coastal landings, NOAA reports.
Darren Wilmore (left) and Jimmy Harmon show off their rockfish catch.
When water temperatures cool, rockfish (also called Atlantic striped bass or stripers) leave their “summer in the Hamptons” of New England and make their long journey south to the warmer waters of their winter homes along the coast of Virginia and North Carolina. Seasoned fishermen and amateurs alike are drawn by the annual migration of tens of thousands of rockfish heading back into the Chesapeake Bay for one last feeding stop before they move on to deeper water in the Atlantic. It’s the time of year when rockfish tournaments heat up, charter trips are booked and anglers vie for prime fishing spots outside of tidal flows, among islands, and around pilings of bridges and channel markers, where rockfish hide to ambush moving bait fish. When the rockfish school up, the fishing isn’t difficult or technical. It offers rewards for all types of anglers — hard-core veterans, fly fishers, buddies out for a good time, parents taking children on their first fishing trip, or groups looking to try something new. Everyone can take part in the action, and leave with fond memories and tired forearms.
What’s the appeal of recreational striped bass fishing? “The strike!” said Robert Erickson, avid fisherman and retiree of Virginia Farm Bureau insurance company. “It’s the excitement of knowing you have found the perfect rip of a moving tide over a sandbar — casting a surface lure or a rattletrap in anticipation of it,” he said. “The adrenaline from the strike of a rockfish crushing the lure is unmistakable, unforgettable!”
And wherever there is good fishing, the creative energy of rockfish anglers translates into fine dining. Rockfish is a regional favorite seafood among foodies, home cooks and professional chefs. It has white meat with a mild flavor and a medium texture, firm and flavorful with a large flake. Rockfish is extremely versatile in that it can be pan-seared, grilled, steamed, poached, roasted, broiled, sautéed and deep fried.
“I love to eat it, and I love preparing it,” said Murphy Packett, local chef and dedicated food enthusiast. “I’ve been catching them myself since I was a little kid,” he said. “Rockfish is probably the best locally sourced fish in the Northern Neck. The flavor is perfect, especially seared with the skin on. I’m a huge fish taco eater, so to have a quality fish in the taco is great,” he added.
Rockfish, or striped bass (Morone saxatilis), are large predatory fish with dark lines running across their silvery sides. They are found primarily along the Atlantic coast of North America, mainly ranging from Maine to North Carolina. They are the official marine (saltwater) fish of Virginia, New Jersey, New York and New Hampshire; and the state fish of South Carolina, Maryland and Rhode Island. The history of the rockfish/striped bass in North America dates back to colonial times. Many written accounts by the first European settlers describe the immense abundance of striped bass. They were once so plentiful, they were used to fertilize fields; but because of their value to early settlers, such use was banned by the General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1649.
The day's catch is displayed for anglers to admire after a successful charter on Scott Moss's Captain Joe Bill out of Kinsale.
Rockfish are known to be a semi-anadromous (saltwater) fish, living most of their lives in either the deep channels of the Atlantic or in the Chesapeake Bay, and annually ascending to spawning grounds in freshwater or brackish rivers. While some rockfish can be found year-round in the bay, they typically migrate north and south seasonally, depending on water temperatures, preferring cooler northern waters during the summer season and heading to the warmer southern climate for the winter. Spawning occurs from April to early June in the bay’s tidal tributaries. During spawning season, several males court a single female, who lays her eggs in fresh or brackish water near the shore. Eggs hatch in two to three days, after which larvae move slowly downstream. Juveniles live in the shallows of tidal rivers throughout the summer. Most spend their first two to four years of life in the river in which they were born. The bay is the largest rockfish nursery area on the Atlantic coast — 70 to 90 percent of the Atlantic Rockfish population uses the tributaries of the bay to spawn.
After spawning in the spring, adult rockfish swim downstream to the bay, and some continue on to the ocean. Most spend the summer along the New England coast, and the fall and winter off of North Carolina. Rockfish are a long-lived species, with a lifespan of between ten and 30 years. On average, they grow two to three feet long and weigh between ten and 30 pounds, although they can reach a length of six feet and weigh as much as 125 pounds. During different stages in their life cycle, rockfish feed on zooplankton, fish larvae, insects, worms, squid, crustaceans, anchovies, menhaden, spot, herring, shad, white perch and
John and Rachel Garrett are pleased with their rockfish reward.
yellow perch.
Historically, the rockfish population was one of the most important on the Atlantic coast. Overfishing and poor environmental conditions led to the collapse of the fishery in the 1980s — the population had declined to less than five million by 1982, according to NOAA. Coordinated efforts to rebuild the stock proved successful and the fishery was considered restored as of 1995. In 2007, there were nearly 56 million striped bass of all ages. Recreational anglers and commercial fishermen caught an unprecedented 3.8 million rockfish in 2006, NOAA reports. Species management regulations include size limits, quotas, and biological reference points. Sport fishermen use a variety of hook-and-line methods, including trolling and surf casting, as well as bait casting with live and dead bait. The array of food choices preferred by rockfish serves to encourage the creativity anglers can display when designing lures or choosing bait for fishing excursions. Experts note that striped bass will take a number of live and fresh baits — including bunker, clams, eels, sandworms, herring, bloodworms, mackerel, shad, bluegills, crayfish, bucktail jigs, silver spoons, and sassy shad baits.
For more information and regulations about fishing for striped bass/rockfish, check with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, dgif.virginia.gov, or the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, asmfc.org.
Whether you’re a seasoned angler, a recreational novice, a dedicated home chef or fine dining foodie, now would be a good time to land a regional favorite — either at the end of your line or on your plate. By any name, rockfish or striped bass have a well-earned reputation as a local delicacy. With fishing season in full swing, use a local catch in a familiar or new recipe.
ROCKFISH WITH CAPERS, OLIVES AND TOMATOES
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
• 4, 6-7-ounce rockfish fillets
• All-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 large shallots, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon dried, crushed red pepper
• 4 plum tomatoes, seeded, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped pitted Kalamata olives
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil, divided
• 1 tablespoon drained capers
• 1/3 cup bottled clam juice
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
Directions:
Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour. Heat two tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish and sauté until lightly browned and just opaque in center, about four minutes per side. Transfer fish to platter. Heat remaining two tablespoons of oil in the same skillet. Add shallots and crushed red pepper; sauté one minute. Mix in tomatoes, olives, 1/4 cup basil and capers. Add clam juice and wine. Boil until sauce thickens slightly, about four minutes. Mix in 1/4 cup of basil. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over fish and serve.
ROCKFISH TACOS WITH MANGO SALSA AND CILANTRO LIME SAUCE
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
• 2 pounds rockfish filets
• 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
For Lime Sauce
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup low-fat yogurt
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped or pressed
• Salt
For Mango Salsa
• 1 bell pepper (red, yellow, and/or orange), seeded and chopped into 1/4-inch squares
• 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
• 2 just-ripe mangoes, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch square chunks
• 1 handful cilantro, washed, dried, stemmed, and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Juice of 1 lime
• Salt to taste
To Assemble:
• 10 to 12 corn tortillas, warmed
• 3 cups shredded cabbage
Directions:
Combine the fresh lime juice with the vegetable oil and soy sauce in a rectangular baking dish (not metal). Add the fish, turn to coat, and set aside to marinate for at least 15 minutes. For lime sauce, in a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, yogurt, lime juice, chipotle and garlic. Season to taste with salt. For salsa, toss together peppers, onion, mango, cilantro, garlic, and lime juice in a bowl; season to taste with salt. Remove fish from the marinade and grill or sauté over medium heat until cooked through and browned. Let cool slightly, then flake into bite-size chunks.
To assemble a taco, place a bit of cabbage on a warm tortilla, add fish chunks, drizzle with chipotle-lime sauce, and top with mango salsa.
GRILLED ROCKFISH WITH JAMAICAN JERK BARBECUE SAUCE
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
• 4 rockfish filets
• 3 cups ketchup
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 teaspoons molasses or tamarind paste
• 2 teaspoons pickapeppa or Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon hot mustard
• Juice of one lime
• Zest of one lime
• 2 tablespoons Jamaican jerk seasoning
• 1 teaspoon of salt
Directions:
Rinse rockfish filets, pat dry and set aside. Combine sauce ingredients in a medium pot, and simmer for ten minutes, or until thoroughly combined. Coat rockfish filets with sauce; grill or pan sear over medium heat until cooked through and browned. Baste as needed. Remove filets to a platter, and drizzle with more sauce. Serve with your favorite grilled or sautéed fresh vegetables.
ROCKFISH SALAD
Serving size varies
Ingredients:
• 6-12 ounces of cooked rockfish, flaked
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning (or a little more, to taste)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions:
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix well and refrigerate until chilled. Garnish with parsley and a sprinkle of Old Bay or paprika, if desired. Serve on crackers, toast points or slices of crusty bread.