There are very few things I enjoy about cold weather, but catching hungry rockfish is one of them. Cold weather brings out the best in rockfish.

For some reason, this species of fish seems immune to cold water temperatures. They actually go into feeding frenzies when it is down right miserable to be on the water.

We catch rockfish throughout the winter in many different places. Albemarle Sound and Highway 32 bridge can be a hot spot on any given day. We troll large deep-diving baits and try to bump them along the bridge pilings.

Finding the fish at the right trolling depth is the key. Locate a school of minnows, and the rockfish will not be far away. Getting them to bite can be a different story. We use some of the same tactics at Mann’s Harbor.

That is a long trip from Elm City, but often we bring home some great fish. If the rockfish do not respond to slow trolling, we switch gears and cast soft plastic baits to the bridge pilings. One of the two methods normally will produce strikes.

Almost all of coastal rivers hold rockfish this time of year. There are great places to fish along the Neuse River near New Bern. The town of Washington on the Tar River and the Pamlico River can hold fish until Christmas.

Rockfish also are caught in Gaston and Kerr Lakes during the cold weather.

The mouths of creeks are usually the best places to fish. Large jigs and crank baits can produce strikes, but most of the local fishermen like to try very large minnows and shad.

Rockfish cannot reproduce in these impoundments and have to be restocked periodically.

Most of the really big fish have been harvested, but 10-15 pounders still can be a common occurrence. They are a handful on medium-weight tackle.

During the many years of fishing for rockfish, we have noticed an unusual characteristic of this species. Rockfish like to hang around with gars. While trolling, we watch the depth finder closely. We locate schools of minnows, which look like clouds on the screen. Gars are usually suspended just above or slightly below the minnows. On the screen, they show up as arched shapes similar to boomerangs.

Many times rockfish will be mixed in these groups. When the screen lights up, we grab the rods from the holder and prepare for a vicious strike. During the winter months, the Atlantic Ocean holds tons of very large rockfish. These fish are also very active during cold weather. The fish are driven south by frigid temperatures to the north. Rockfish in the ocean will never be too far from their main food source. They follow schools of menhaden as these smaller fish migrate southward.

We watch the fish finder screen and look at the horizon for diving seagulls. Even seagulls resting peacefully on the surface of the water tell us rockfish are down below. Days when the wind is light out of the southwest are the best to try. Oregon Inlet can be treacherous to navigate, especially if the wind is not cooperating.

Now that we have experienced a few cold snaps, the rockfish are beginning to bite in familiar places. With time off for Christmas, I hope the weather will be calm and mild. We already are set for some fun and some tight lines.

King