What are your riprap baits and tactics?

[islandbass]

Hello everyone!!!

I need your input as to what tactics you like to employ while fishing rip rap.

My brother, who is an absolute newbie to bass fishing, will be taking dad to go fishing. He is so new that I don’t think he knows how to tie a Palomar knot yet! They will both be fishing with spinning gear.

Brother: 6’6” Medium Heavy Shimano Compre with a 2500 Shimano Symetre, 10# Sufix siege mono.
Dad: 7’ Medium Action Cherrywood rod with a 2500 Shimano Symetre, 8# Rapala Finesse mono.

They will be fishing somewhere along the shores of the Columbia River (and I am assuming the banks will be rip rap) and I believe their main quarry will be smallmouth.

I have given him the scoop on drop shotting. This technique has been nothing short of stellar for me. However, I would like to give both of them a few more options. The many posts and articles I have read regarding fishing riprap make me inclined to believe that the following baits that would be decent choices:

1) Tubes – I think t-rigged weedless, with little or no weight ought to be good.
Unfortunately, I have never used tubes with any focus or real attempt to learn to use and need help on fishing tactics. Hop it? Drag it? Hook set? What will that feel like?

2) Senkos – Both T-rigged and wacky I will recommend to them, but I’ve got to be honest to say that I hardly ever fish with Senkos in general. I’ve been meaning to get to try them, but gosh darnet, drop shotting has been so effective, I can’t seem to “get away” from it. Based on things I’ve read, I imagine the 3” senko is a solid choice.

3) Crankbaits – I got the tactics on this covered, but is it a good bait for rip rap or am I inviting them to snag city? I will be telling my brother to get a few in the Rapala DT series and a few countdown minnows. The strategy behind the latter is to enable them to fish deeper if necessary since countdowns sink at a rate of 1 ft/sec., it should provide them more flexibility.

4) Whatever else you would suggest.

As I mentioned, I have very little experience with Tubes and Senkos, but with all the posts about these baits, I believe these are also good bets and alternatives to drop shotting. I sure wish I could be there with them this weekend but I cannot join them.

Thanks for your input!!


-ib

[JB]

I like to throw buzzbaits near riprap, or tubes, but the favorite is the smallest crawdad bomber crankbait that backs up when you stop reeling.
Always make sure you throw what ever lure you choose as close to where the rip rap /water line is on the bank....spinnerbaits included.

[lizardsrule]

Bomber B crankbait in crawdad color has worked well for me, or a Mann's -1 in crawdad. Also I prefer the Baby Paca's in green pumpkin, but any crawdad imitation should work. Rocks mean crawdads to me, and smallies(so I'm told) love crawdads. So any kind of imitation would be my choice. Also I go with a 1/8 oz bullet weight pegged when fishing riprap, or smaller. It is much less trouble, and gets hung up less. You will still get hung up though, I guarantee it.

Lizards

[zooker]

rat l trap or a shallow diver then a dt6 or so... the best way to fish rip rap is to get as close to the waters edge as possable. cast up it and down it fan cast out about 10-12 feet.

any t-rigged weighted bait will hang up in a heart beat..

rip rap is the only struture i know of easily fished by bank fisherman..

zooker

[Rebbasser]

DT series, wacky rigs and drop shots have produced for me.

[3dkicker]

Originally Posted by islandbass

1) Tubes – I think t-rigged weedless, with little or no weight ought to be good.
Unfortunately, I have never used tubes with any focus or real attempt to learn to use and need help on fishing tactics. Hop it? Drag it? Hook set? What will that feel like?

What? Are you kidding? You're killing me here! That'd be saying that you've never thrown lizards in the spring time .

Lately I've been throwing crankbaits parrallel to the rocks. Works well. I also like finesse worms T-rigged with light weights. For me they don't hang up as badly as heavier weights but I still lose them.
If I'm using a tube I also down size my weights and T-rig them. The bite is just like a worm bite. Nothing special.

[BassAddict]

I prefer crankbaits on rip rap myself. I'm really liking the Bill Norman Flat N right now. I've been killing the river bass with it lately. Also for smallmouths I like to throw a Tiny Torpedo. They will blast that thing in low light conditions.

Eric

[NJBassDevil]

Crankbait, crankbait, crankbait. Make sure that the lip is ticking off the rocks. This give it double the vibration. You dont want the crank digging into the rock. You just want the lip smacking or nicking off the rock. Be careful tho. Check your line every couple casts to make sure its in decent condition. If its really ripped up, re-tie the bait.

[islandbass]

Originally Posted by 3dkicker

What? Are you kidding? You're killing me here! That'd be saying that you've never thrown lizards in the spring time .

Lately I've been throwing crankbaits parrallel to the rocks. Works well. I also like finesse worms T-rigged with light weights. For me they don't hang up as badly as heavier weights but I still lose them.
If I'm using a tube I also down size my weights and T-rig them. The bite is just like a worm bite. Nothing special.

No, I'm not kidding, it's true! I never targetted smallies until this season and have been hooked on them since. I bought apack of yamamoto tubes a couple winters ago just haven't really gotten taround o learning how to use them myself. I haven't been fishing long myself, with this being my 4th season. So many tactics, so little time and being shorebound doesn't help either.

Thanks for all of your input! I will be passing it along to my brother and dad before they go fishing this weekend.

-ib

[3dkicker]

Isn't Washington St. like the smallmouth capital of the world (besides Erie)??? And you've never thrown a tube! That's amazing.
There are plenty of brands, colors, sizes and techniques in which to use them. If you have any questions I'll be happy to make recommendations. Currently I've been throwing a 4" Roadkill in the Potomac river grass and have had some success on overcast days.

[wargoth]

Erie Smallies... you almost can't avaid catching the hell out of them. Seems like we always pick up a dozen or so whenever we (dad and I) are after Walleye out there.

[PowerBass]

Bounce a crankbait. Smallies I use chartruese bandits for. I dont know why, but I like that color for em. They seem to annhilate it. Spinnerbaits dont really produce well for me. Zara Spooks, the way they wake reminds me of a snake. Snakes like rocks, bass like snakes. Get a white belly one, as I feel it mimics both the snake and wounded baitfish. Castit paralell to the rip rap water line. Tubes are awesome around rocks on a jig head. Youll snag, but I would rather loose say 30 jigehads but catch 100 fish then fear it and catch nothing.