(RIP) RAP Artists Making Hits on the Rocks
THAT LINE OF stacked rocks may look like just that, a line of stacked rocks, but savvy anglers know there’s often much more to the story than meets the eye. Fact is, dissecting the sameness, breaking it down into particular sweet spots and reaching beyond the 101-level tactics is the key to picking off the quality fish known to patrol this common lake habitat.
Immediately identifiable, riprap presents several elements attractive to bass: relatable structure, abundant food sources, warmth in cooler times and shade (depending on sun angle). Riprap’s best feature: It often occurs in areas likely to reload.
“It depends on where they’re located and the time of year,” Bassmaster Elite Series angler Brandon Lester said of a spot’s ongoing population. “With riprap leading into a creek or a spawning bay, during the prespawn and postspawn, you’re going to have fish coming or going.
“With a riprap spot on the main river, the fish may be there just because there’s bait there and it’s just a little feeding spot. Typically, there’s a channel nearby, so I feel like that’s a place where fish can hang out in that deeper water and when they’re hungry, they can just slide up there to the dinner table.”
Whether it’s a bridge causeway, a marina break wall or a shoreline buttress, riprap demands a diverse
