Palestine Lake

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.

Most vegetation and flooded 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.

Hybrid stripers and white bass are particularly active from the dam to Highway 155 during winter months and into spring. Largemouth bass fishermen report greatest success in the upper end of the lake (above the pipeline), in Cobb and Stone Chimney creeks, and Saline Bay. Catfish fishermen 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 fishermen do well near 155 during the spring with small jigs or minnows.

Palestine Lake has special regulations on some fishes. Check current TPWD regulations before your trip.