Fishing
Fishing in Lake Palestine
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Stretching 18 miles in length, Lake Palestine offers a variety of fishing locations, from wide open deep water, to secluded spots in coves and bays.
Common Fish Species in Lake Palestine
The lake is very popular for largemouth bass tournaments due to its consistent success.
Both white bass and hybrid striped bass are present; white bass are particularly popular during their spring run up the Neches River and Kickapoo Creeks.
Channel and blue catfishes are abundant and flathead catfish provide great opportunity for trophy-sized fish.
The main crossing of Texas Highway 155 across Lake Palestine is the bridge (see photograph below) between Dogwood City and Coffee City.
Most vegetation and underwater trees are above the Highway 155 bridge in the main lake, Highsaw and Ledbetter arms, in Kickapoo and Neches River arms and in Flat Creek.
| State Highway 155 Bridge Over Lake Palestine |
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Stocking of Fish in Lake Palestine
In the spring of 2015, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is stocking about 250,000 hybrid striped bass, a cross between white bass and striped bass, into the lake.
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That brings the lake’s five year stocking total to about 780,000 fingerlings and another 450,000 fry.
Lake Palestine is being stocked with Palmetto bass, a cross between a striped bass female and a while bass male.
The state has also been working with a Sunshine bass, the reverse cross from the Palmetto, which shows promise for warmer water reservoirs. Palmettos have been known to live about 20 years.
Lake Palestine Fishing Renewal
Lake Palestine has shown signs of a renewed vigor for the last three or four years, after being known as perhaps the finest bass lake in Texas in the years after it opened. The recent upswing in good fishing comes from the lake's drawdown during the 2005-06 drought.
The drawdown was nearly 5' and allowed vegetation to grow where it normally had not, creating new spawning habitats. Then, 2 million Florida bass were stocked in the lake between 1997-2005, followed by another million-plus stocking of the same species in 2008-09.
Lake Palestine Fishing Guides
Reputable, experienced fishing guides are available for assistance on Lake Palestine and other area lakes. Listed below are some ... this website has no affiliation with these; always do your own research in selecting a guide.
- and others
Fishing Tournaments in Lake Palestine
Each year a number of fishing tournaments are held on Lake Palestine.
Click to view our list of Fishing Tournaments at Lake Palestine.
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Marinas, Boat Docks, Launches and Storage
More than a dozen private marinas, motels and campgrounds offer additional ramps and other services, including the following:
- Lake Palestine Resort - Lake restaurant & grill, camp & convenience store, docks, lodging, protected swimming area, boat rentals, banquet hall, and RV park on Highway 155. More at Lake Palestine Resort website and Lake Palestine Resort on Facebook.
- Lake Palestine Marina on FM 344 near Emerald Bay. The marina offers secure boat storage and sailboat slips with access control as well as amenities such as a fuel filling station, bathrooms, storage lockers and on-site parking.
- The Villages Marina - Marina Grill, boat stalls, boat & kayak rentals, bait & tackle shop, fueling station, and more services
- Lakeside Getaway on Lake Palestine - For guests, amenities include boat launch, fishing pier, fish cleaning stations, electrical charging facilities for boat batteries, picnic tables, BBQ pits and more
- Flat Creek Marina & RV Camping - 20758 Twin Oaks Drive, Chandler, TX 75758. Phone: 903-849-6356. Also, visit Flat Creek Marina on Facebook or email Flat Creek Marina
- Big Steve's RV Park & Marina - On the south end of the lake, at 23491 County Road 4117 - RV hookups, laundry, boat ramp
In addition, five public boat launches provide access to Lake Palestine.
Read a detailed list of Lake Palestine public access facilities, boat docks, and marinas.
Seen below is The Villages marina, grill and boat launching area.
Shown below is part of the expansive Lake Palestine Resort.
Always great fishing on Lake Palestine!
