Rock Cover for Bass

Rock, as cover, is any rock large enough to provide bass shelter, shade or an ambush point, also referred to as boulders. Boulders, by definition, are rocks over 10 inches thus a size that provides cover. Rock, as cover, can be categorized as an isolated boulder, scattered boulders, rock piles, and rip/rap (man made structures of rock and broken cement). Rocky bottom made up of smaller rocks roughly less than 10 inches that don’t provide cover is typically referred to as hard bottom. Rocks provide an abundance of food for forage such as bait fish and crayfish as organic matter becomes trapped in between the rocks and algae grows on rocks.

Why is Understanding Rock Cover Important?

Understanding rock cover is important to:

Find Bass: Finding the rock to find the bass.
Select the Best Lure: Select lures that can come into contact with rock without snagging.

Rock Options

Isolated Rock: Also called an isolated boulder, is an independent rock that provides cover free from other rocks.
- Shallow:
  - Intermixed Grass: Some suggest that a grass intermixed with isolated rocks provides the best cover and thus is commanded by the larger bass.
- Deep:
  - Flat Structure: Isolated rock on a flat in high lure visibility water provides bass an opportunity to observe baitfish forage from a long distance. Some suggest when baitfish are deep bass will rest on isolated rock feeding opportunistically.

Rock Piles: Rock piles, often large enough to be considered a hump structure, sometimes made up of a rock bottom but all having multiple rocks of varying sizes.
- Hard Bottom Composition: Rock piles are typically hard bottom composition as they are often rock on rock.
- Structures: Rock piles are hump structures. Rock piles can be located on flats, ledges, points, and in shallow water rock piles will become islands with fluctuation in water levels.
- Deep: Bass will seek deep rock piles similar to how they locate near isolated rock as it provides maximum cover and the ability to see long distances in high lure visibility scenarios.

Scattered Rocks: Also called scattered boulders referring to larger rocks spread out over a larger area often on flat structures.
- Shallow:
  - Hard Bottom Composition: often surrounded by smaller rock hard bottoms typically on a flat structure.
    - Wolf Packs: Some suggest in cloud cover wolf packs are more likely to roam scattered rock flats.
  - Intermixed Grass: Some suggest scattered boulders intermixed with grass is one of the best habitats for bass.
- Deep: Some suggest scattered boulders are essentials a field of isolated rocks as such providing more cover locations that potentially attract multiple bass.

Rip Rap: Rip Rap is manmade cover of purposely placed rocks and sometimes broken up concrete often to combat soil erosion. Rip Rap is sometimes miss-referred to as chuck rock as chunk rock generally means much smaller rock that in itself could not provide cover for mature bass.
- Shorelines: Common for bass to locate on near rip rap shorelines some suggest especially in low lure visibility scenarios.
- Jetties: Rip rap structures that protrude into the water to protect shoreline.
- Marinas: Common for marinas to have rip rap not necessarily obvious.
- Bridges: Common for bridges to not only provide shade and pilings as well as rip rap.
- Culverts: Culverts typically have rip/rap structures plus they can provide current and water at different temperatures.
- Buoy Markers: Some buoy markers are built up with rock providing a rip rap hump, sometimes large attracting bass.
- Offshore Rock Piles: Reservoirs can feature rock piles that were on land prior to flooding or created during the reservoir’s creation.

Additional Considerations

Current Breaks: Some suggest rocks provide good current breaks as compared to other cover for bass to wait for forage.
Structure: Some suggest bass will associate more to rocks with drop off such as creek channels, points, ledges or other structures as it provides quick access to deeper water.
Secondary Cover: Some suggest large bass will command their best cover which some suggest is rock with secondary cover such as submerged grass or docks.
Transitions: Some suggest, bass will locate transition areas for example rip/rap line where it transitions to the natural lake bottom especially if it is a grass line.
Irregularities: Similar to fishing a grass line, choosing irregularities in the rip rap such as points and pockets.
Rock Size: Some suggest the smaller rocks provide food and cover for the smaller baitfish.
Seasonal:
- Spring: Shallow rock in the sun will warm up first attracting bass presumably due to early algae attracting baitfish or that warmer water increases metabolism/energy.
Watch the Bank: When choosing to fish rock, look at the shore as it is a good indicator of what is nearshore and offshore.
Make Contact: Similar to other cover, choosing a lure and presentation that will come into contact with the rock.
Irregularities: Similar to fishing a grass line, choosing irregularities in the rip rap such as points and pockets.
Boat Positioning: Some suggest locating the boat away from the rock pile conscious of the boat’s shadow.
Check Leaders: Fishing rock piles results in the line coming into contact with the rocks.