What are your best baits and techniques for fishing rip rap in the fall? I fish primarily on Pickwick Lake in Alabama if this influences any of your choices. Thank you!

I don't know about the TVA lakes, but in the fall I concentrate on crawfish imitations. Red lipless cranks, soft plastics and jigs. Even with topwaters, I avoid shad patterns, opting for dark underbellies or all black.  My reasoning being that the fish are there looking primarily for craws and gills and not out chasing schools of baitfish.

I bang Squarebills off it. It actually got me a 15lb bag yesterday afternoon in PA. Started with orange/brown back and after 15 minutes with no bites, changed to yellow/black back, that did the trick. Picked a few more up with a bluegill bladed Jig ticking it off the rocks. I disdain throwing Jigs on Rip Rap, can't stand the constantly getting hung no matter what Jigs I throw. Brian.

last year i killed up here in northern IL on a KVD 2.5 squarebill.

Depends a lot on a lot of variables. Cranking is always a popular option. Dragging a football jig or swinging football head can be good but at times snaggy option. I've done well on spinnerbaits and topwaters. Bladed jigs are one of my favorites as well as Ned rigs. 

I normally fish spinnerbaits  lipless crankbaits, crankbaits. I have found a bait that has been working very well in the rip rap this year. It's a new bait to me but it will be rigged & on deck thru the winter for sure. It's called a Stand'n Yabbie.

Pickwick is an all you can eat shad buffet in the fall. Shad imitators work well. Lipless, squarebills, spinnerbaits, bladed jigs, underspins, or paddletail swimbaits are what I’d recommend.
 

I think, all over the country,  rip rap is at it’s best right now because the various moss types have had all year the grow on the rocks and that is part of the food chain. It draws bait fish and crayfish.  I’m a fan of crankbaits at all depth levels.  I want to scrape those rocks with my lure.  If the wind is blowing up on the rip rap, all the better. 

Bomber Model A crankbait .

Jerkbaits, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, poppers, and small walking baits have all been doing great for me on rip rap lately 

Around here the vegetation is still close to the rocks.  I fish with a Texas rigged craw or creature bait.  If there is gap in the vegetation I will throw out a weightless plastic worm or a senko type bait.

Good options.

On 9/29/2022 at 1:42 PM, scbassin said:

I normally fish spinnerbaits  lipless crankbaits, crankbaits. I have found a bait that has been working very well in the rip rap this year. It's a new bait to me but it will be rigged & on deck thru the winter for sure. It's called a Stand'n Yabbie.

I'll have to give that a try!