Lake Palestine Crappie are fantastic. Bass and Catfish are always good. Our fishing guides and frequent anglers say Lake Palestine is perfect because it’s not overfished or crowded. Flat Creek Marina & RV Camping has a great boat launch and is situated for the best visual experience on the lake.
Lake Characteristics
Surface area: 25,560 acres
Maximum depth: 58 feet
Impounded: 1962
Aquatic Vegetation
Hydrilla and native submergent, emergent and floating plants; moderate in upper end and creek arms, particularly in Kickapoo Creek
Angling Opportunities
Lake Palestine offers something for everyone in terms of a fishery. 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.
Fishing Regulations
This reservoir has special regulations on some fishes. See bag and size limits for this lake.
Fishing Cover / Structure
Most vegetation and inundated timber are located above the Texas Highway 155 bridge in the main lake, Highsaw and Ledbetter arms, in Kickapoo and Neches River arms and in Flat Creek. Anglers have placed brush piles in many locations between the dam and the bridge; these can be found using graph recorders. The bridge itself provides excellent structure on the main crossing between Dogwood and Coffee Cities and over Highsaw/Ledbetter creeks.
Tips & Tactics
Hybrid stripers and white bass are particularly active from the dam to Highway 155 during winter months and into spring. Largemouth bass anglers report greatest success in the upper end of the lake (above the pipeline), in Cobb and Stone Chimney creeks, and Saline Bay. Catfish anglers frequently drift fish with worms or chicken livers between Hawn point (at the mouth of Flat Creek) to the Highway 155 bridges, and will catch more legal sized fish if they target blue catfish using live fish or cut fish as bait. Crappie anglers do well near 155 during the spring with small jigs or minnows.
When to Fish
Find peak fish feeding times for Lake Palestine here. This will help you plan for the best fishing times.
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Certified Weight
If you have a record-breaking catch and need a certified weight, you can get an official weight at:
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Flat Creek Marina & RV Camping
20758 Twin Oaks Dr, Chandler, TX 75758
903-849-6356
Max. Weight 40 Lbs.
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Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center
5550 FM 2495, Athens, TX 75752
903-670-2234
Max. Weight 400 Lbs.
Reservoir Controlling Authority
Upper Neches River Authority
PO Box 1965
Palestine, Texas 75802
(903) 876-2237