If you target redfish, chances are you already know that riprap can be an an excellent area to find them. All riprap, however, is not created equal. The next time you’re looking at miles and miles of rock-covered shoreline or jetty walls and wondering where to start, keep these fish-attracting factors in mind.
- Rocks separated from the main wall of riprap are fish-attracting gold. There will usually be some around, which either spilled off the barge or rolled down the shoreline during construction. These can be tough to find so savvy anglers will go out on a super-low tide, not to fish but to prospect. Check out known hotspots when the water’s abnormally low and often you’ll discover a rock or cluster of rocks right where you usually catch fish.
- Holes in the riprap wall are great, especially in jetties where water may wash back and forth. Much of the time, however, they’re awesome for the same reason as above – because the rocks that once filled those holes are laying on bottom somewhere nearby.
- Points in the riprap are another awesome hotspot. Not only does the structure stand out from the surrounding line of rocks, it also may catch or redirect the current and in some spots, form a rip.
- Riprap with close proximity to depth changes will almost always trump riprap that isn’t. In some cases you’ll find channels that turn or bend close to the rocks; the closer they get, the better.
- Age matters, up to a point. If the riprap has been in place for more than five years and is in a decent area, it could hold fish. But newer riprap often produces lackluster results because it hasn’t become fouled with marine growth yet. Two or three year old riprap is usually a bust, four or five year old it may be decent but maybe not, and after that if the spot is right it should hold fish.
BONUS TIP: Keep an eye out for riprap with a pier attached, which goes out to significantly deeper water. These spots are great on low water when the fish may shift away from the rocks, because often you’ll find them around the pier.