Rip currents are bass magnets as bait fish and other food gets dragged into the rip which acts as a food conveyor belt. In a strong rip a large bass has the advantage over the smaller bait fish that just get bullied by the flow.

Rip currents are found on storm beaches all around the British Isles, but are never as easy to locate as Bay Watch would have you believe. The easiest way to find rips from the beach is using polarised sunglasses and look for foam moving out to sea.

Every rip has structure that creates pockets of slower water in which bass hold. Strikes can be ferocious as bass shoot out into the fast water to hit lures.

Which bass lures? When the rip is very strong the bass will hold close to the bottom so heavy plastics lures work well. If the flow is slower it’s fun to let a floating lure go offshore and then bring it back diagonally across the rip.

As I was told when at a San Francisco surf beach, “Don’t R.I.P in the RIP”. Please only fish rip currents from the shore not by wading as rips are killers. The picture below shows how to escape one if things go wrong. With waders and no life jacket I don’t think you’d have a chance.