Bank Fishing Rip Rap Banks

[Big_Easy_Bassin]

I fish a lot of the drainage canals down here in New Orleans, and I've found 2 in particular that have produced very well for me. Both are much deeper than the others and have sloped concrete embankments leading down to rip rap banks. The rip rap is stacked about a foot out of the water, sloping down into about 2-3ft of water, then it drops off to around 6-7ft and gradually gets deeper towards the middle which is about 9-10ft. I like to fish any bridges that cross the canal, and have had great success fishing lipless cranks close to the pilings as well as just walking the bank and casting parallel. Most of the fish I've caught lately have been sitting in the 2-3ft of water very near the drop off as you would expect but fishing from the bank definitely is a disadvantage, plus quite costly because of hang ups and lost lures. I usually throw a lipless crank on the bridge pilings and along the bank, but because of the extremely warm temps lately it seems that maybe they're getting up closer to start bedding and the reaction bite has died off. Weightless Texas rigged Senkos have been my go to technique simply because they don't hang up as much, but the wind gives me a hard time with such a light lure. I've tried adding weight to the T-rig but this gets hung up and tungsten ain't cheap lol. Anyone have any suggestions for something different to throw? 

[geo g]

Believe it or not, try a square bill crank bait that hits the depth you like.  The square bill will bounce right off those rocks.  If it does get hung stop with slack, and it should float right up, just for extra insurance keep a knocker handy.

[Sittin there reelin em in]

Well for your t rig I've actually taken a lead weight and put it in the head belly or tail of the worm. Depends on what kind of action you want. I would throw a jig on the bank and drag it back to your boat or throw into those bridge pilings. What's great about jig fishing it's weedless. Good Luck man!

[scaleface]

   I use this with   casting gear and 12 lb test . I take a 1/8th ounce road runner and add about an inch and a half to two inches from the middle of a senko type worm,  not the ends .The worm is wider than the narrow roadrunner jighead so the weight doesnt get wedged the worm does . I can almost always pull the worm free . Its short  , stubby and ugly but  it works .

[Fishing Rhino]

I fish a very rocky pond near my home.  Getting hung up is a common occurrence.  Fortunately ninety nine times out of a hundred, I motor past the hang, lift, and the bait comes free.  There is one bait that rarely gets hung even in the rockiest bottom.

 

It's a Rage Tail Craw rigged on a keel weighted Owner twist lock hook.  They have another similar but heavier hook, and the lead weight is more barrel shaped and a bit closer to the eye, which tends to grab more vegetation.  You may prefer the weightless version.  Either one fishes very well in rocks and vegetation.

 

 

[Big_Easy_Bassin]

1 hour ago, Dillon 14 said:

Well for your t rig I've actually taken a lead weight and put it in the head belly or tail of the worm. Depends on what kind of action you want. I would throw a jig on the bank and drag it back to your boat or throw into those bridge pilings. What's great about jig fishing it's weedless. Good Luck man!

I was thinking of trying out a jig next. The problem with a jig is pulling it up of the rocks because I'm fishing from the bank. It's tough pulling a bait over the drop off without getting hung up 

56 minutes ago, scaleface said:

   I use this with   casting gear and 12 lb test . I take a 1/8th ounce road runner and add about an inch and a half to two inches from the middle of a senko type worm,  not the ends .The worm is wider than the narrow roadrunner jighead so the weight doesnt get wedged the worm does . I can almost always pull the worm free . Its short  , stubby and ugly but  it works .

Gonna have to give this a shot

31 minutes ago, Fishing Rhino said:

I fish a very rocky pond near my home.  Getting hung up is a common occurrence.  Fortunately ninety nine times out of a hundred, I motor past the hang, lift, and the bait comes free.  There is one bait that rarely gets hung even in the rockiest bottom.

 

It's a Rage Tail Craw rigged on a keel weighted Owner twist lock hook.  They have another similar but heavier hook, and the lead weight is more barrel shaped and a bit closer to the eye, which tends to grab more vegetation.  You may prefer the weightless version.  Either one fishes very well in rocks and vegetation.

 

 

I've got a pack of those hooks in my tackle box. I like them for swimbaits. Might have to give this a shot as well

[flyingmonkie]

+1 for a keel-weighted soft plastic (Rage Rig) - they seem to do better around rocks than a t-rig.  I'd expect a similar result with a tube rigged internally with a tube jig.

 

Squarebill is a another good consideration - going with a balsa wood square bill will give you even more floating power to get out of the rocks.

 

If you're going to try a jig, opt for a football style jig, the wide head helps deflect off rocks as opposed to guiding your lure into small cracks and crevices (the t-rigs downfall in rocks).

 

Lastly, don't give up on the senko.  Keep it t-rigged and use a keel weighted hook, or try it with a weighted wacky rig.  That'll give you the weight you need against the wind while keeping you relatively rockless.

 

And of course, if you're not using flouro, use flouro. Braid around rocks is a recipe for disaster.

[Bluebasser86]

I used to bank fish rip rap dams a lot and always did well on a squarebill. Just fish it slowly and carefully and you'll minimize snags.  A spinnerbait or buzzbait worked well for me also. 

[Jagg]

Yup, squarebills if you are gonna be walking the bank in search of the fish. Spot removers, Rage rig and slider rigs if you have a good idea where they are. I also like tubes rigged with an internal tube weight and Tex-posed. That rig has been good to me.

 

[Crestliner2008]

Some excellent suggestions thus far here. One thing that you may not have tried is a wacky rigged Senko suspended under a slip float. Here is a link which was posted a few years ago on this topic. Extremely effective. Especially under windy conditions where the float is bouncing around.

 

Senko Under a Float

[Sittin there reelin em in]

I didn't think they were that big of rocks my bad. You may have to go with something that swims.

[Outdoor Zack]

15 hours ago, scaleface said:

   I use this with   casting gear and 12 lb test . I take a 1/8th ounce road runner and add about an inch and a half to two inches from the middle of a senko type worm,  not the ends .The worm is wider than the narrow roadrunner jighead so the weight doesnt get wedged the worm does . I can almost always pull the worm free . Its short  , stubby and ugly but  it works .

 

Is it very easy to cast?

 

I ask because I have difficulty cast little 'pond magic' spinnerbaits (1/8 oz) on my 6'6'' M/MF, even with a 3'' grub trailer

[Fishing Rhino]

14 hours ago, Big_Easy_Bassin said:

I was thinking of trying out a jig next. The problem with a jig is pulling it up of the rocks because I'm fishing from the bank. It's tough pulling a bait over the drop off without getting hung up 

Gonna have to give this a shot

I've got a pack of those hooks in my tackle box. I like them for swimbaits. Might have to give this a shot as well

 

Here are some images to show how I rig it.

 

 

 

 

[scaleface]

1 hour ago, Outdoor Zack said:

 

Is it very easy to cast?

 

I ask because I have difficulty cast little 'pond magic' spinnerbaits (1/8 oz) on my 6'6'' M/MF, even with a 3'' grub trailer

I cast it easily . Theres a lot of weight in that section  of worm . I'm guessing the entire thing weighs 1/4 ounce .

[Mumbly]

10 hours ago, Crestliner2008 said:

Some excellent suggestions thus far here. One thing that you may not have tried is a wacky rigged Senko suspended under a slip float. Here is a link which was posted a few years ago on this topic. Extremely effective. Especially under windy conditions where the float is bouncing around.

 

Senko Under a Float

 

Are you still rigging it the same way as in the picture you posted in that thread?

[Heron]

Good suggestions....

 

Also try a Fat Ika.  They are weightless, but heavier/more compact than a Senko.   The wind doesn't man-handle them as much.

[RoLo]

Rhino's rig is highly snag-free and similar to what I use.

I use instead an Owner 4/0 Sled Head with a Rage Lobster.

 

Roger

 

 

 

[Fishing Rhino]

41 minutes ago, RoLo said:

Rhino's rig is highly snag-free and similar to what I use.

I use instead an Owner 4/0 Sled Head with a Rage Lobster.

 

Roger

 

 

 

I have some sled heads in my arsenal.  I like using them with a lizard.  It's a toss up as to which will slide through vegetation better.  I have some Rage Lobsters.  I'll have to try them on the Sled Head.

[RoLo]

12 minutes ago, Fishing Rhino said:

I have some sled heads in my arsenal.  I like using them with a lizard.  It's a toss up as to which will slide through vegetation better. 

 

I believe that that both options are considerably more weedless than the average bear.

A more significant difference might be lure attitude during descent.

That is to say, trailers on a belly-weighted hook descend more horizontally,

whereas trailers on a nose-weighted jig tend to nose-dive.

 

Roger

[JLWoodman]

Since your not looking for a reaction bite, I would go finesse.  I would sight fish if possible with a fluke Jr. on a Ned rig.  Pitch it where you want it to be and try not to spook the fish you are after.  Let it sit for a bit, shake it a bit, make little hops with it, real it in and try again.  The reason for sight pitching to certain spots is to not get snagged and picking out certain spots they may be protecting when they are getting their beds ready on.  If that spot does not produce, real up over the rocks quickly, pick another and keep picking your fishing spot apart.  You don't need to drag this at all and that should help with the snags.  Seems you have a wind problem.  Try to get away with the lightest weight possible and go with a weedless Ned rig if you have too.

I really would like a square bill in this situation and I would bang it off as many rocks as possible.  But if the fish are not going for a reaction bite, then that may not work very well.

there are some good answers in other post here too, try em all, why not!

Good luck!