Lake Palestine fishing: Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Redbreast
Target species: Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Redbreast, Walleye
Best months: Apr, Jun, Sep, Oct for Largemouth Bass
Second window: Apr, Oct for White Bass
The reservoir
Lake Palestine covers 23,261 acres in Texas, across 4 counties: Henderson, Smith, Cherokee and Anderson. It is a reservoir: 91.7% of it is 30 feet deep or less; the deepest point measured is at least 51.2 feet (15.6 m). Our records hold 5 species for this water.
Depth and bottom
Deepest measured point: at least 51.2 ft (15.6 m). That is the deepest contour line: the bottom goes deeper. 91.7% of the water is 30 feet or shallower. We hold 302 depth contour lines for this water.
- 0–3 ft: 14.2% of the water
- 3–6 ft: 8.6% of the water
- 6–9 ft: 10.2% of the water
- 9–12 ft: 9.7% of the water
- 12–15 ft: 11% of the water
- 15–18 ft: 8.9% of the water
- 18–21 ft: 9.1% of the water
- 21–24 ft: 8.3% of the water
- 24–27 ft: 6% of the water
- 27–30 ft: 5.7% of the water
- 30–33 ft: 4.5% of the water
- 33–36 ft: 2.2% of the water
- 36–39 ft: 1.3% of the water
- 39–42 ft: 0.3% of the water
4 target fish, led by Largemouth Bass
- Largemouth Bass — Best months: Apr, Jun, Sep, Oct.
- White Bass — Best months: Apr, Oct.
- Redbreast — Best months: Apr, Oct.
- Walleye — Best months: Oct, Nov, Dec, Apr.
Also recorded here: Common Carp.
Water and conditions
Water clarity runs 1.6–3.3 feet on our readings, averaging 2.4 feet, from 228 readings. Our water temperature readings average 76°F; they do not cover the whole year, so this is not a yearly average. The coldest single reading we hold is 52°F and the warmest is 92°F; the warmest monthly average is 87°F. pH averages 7.6. These readings span 2016–2026.
What is hard here
Wind is the limit, not the fish: 23,261 acres of open water build a short steep chop, and there is no shelter in the middle. Winter water drops to 56°F, and the warm-water species stop feeding well before you do. Summer water sits at 87°F: heat and afternoon lightning are the real risks, not the fishing.
Where this data comes from
- Texas Water Development Board — Texas Water Development Board: depth contours: class A, a survey of the bottom, 2012.
- USACE CWMS — USACE CWMS elevation-area curves: class B, a depth figure measured and published by an agency, without a bottom map.
- EPA NLA — EPA National Lakes Assessment: class B, a depth figure measured and published by an agency, without a bottom map.
