Hey all, I bought a place on Lake Palestine and have been fishing it most every week since May and can't seem to find any reliable fishing patterns or places. I like to fish for hybrids and sand bass but will try for just about anything at this point. I live just North of the 155 bridge and have a pontoon boat so I can't cover a lot of lake in any particular day. So...
Help a guy out, has the fishing just been off, or is my newness to fishing the lake just the culprit? Any suggestions?

Fish the east side of 155 Bridge. There's an old road bed there and it's good for hybrids and sandies. Also try down by the dam and watch for birds. For bass fish the boat houses with worms and spinnerbaits.

I put in down by the dam and fish mostly from there up to the 155 bridge, IM me and mabe we could get together sometime and I'll show you the little I know about different spots.

Crappie are gathered under the e155 bridge and on brush piles in 18-25 feet. Work the pilings with a jig or minnow. Lots of bait fish around the bridge early in the day, I see some hybrids and sandies hitting on then while I crappie fish. Catfish are good in timber around the river channels and drift fishing from the Villages to Flat Creek. In a couple weeks, there should be some early morning schooling off Smith Point and Chimney Cove Creek. If you see a skinny old guy in a white Blue Wave center console, stop and say Hey.

Thanks Txsuperman for the tip. Are you talking about on the North side East end of the bridge (assuming the bridge runs east and west)? When I was out last and using my depth finder I noticed what appeared to be a underwater bridge on the "south" side of the bridge that I kept getting hung up on. Martyk8 I will try to im you. I plan on being back at the lake this weekend and during the week of 7/14.

Lazycat where do you tend to fish, I may have noticed you!

I was out at Palestine this last weekend. Caught a bunch of Sandies and a big Hybrid trolling north of the 155 bridge. Try the point just south of Caney Creek. Theres a big sand bar that sticks out into the lake. They like the weeds in 13-16 ft of water off that point. Good luck!

This thread brought up a question for me. I am not seeing the birds working like I did a couple of years ago. Where have they all gone?

Just this week, the birds seem to be making their way back...I think.

badgrandad, I have been mostly fishing under the bridge sine it got hot. Usually get there around 6:30-7 AM, stay till noon or 2 pm. Sometimes I give up on the crappie if they are not cooperating, throw out the anchor and cat a few catfish. Got some other activities coming up so it may be Tuesday before I am back out there.

Welcome to Palestine fishin. They don't always bite early in the morning or late in the afternoon. The new moon we had last week it was the best in the mid-day. You'd better know more than one spot to check. Chasnthebite was dead on 1, except I'm not sure about the grass part. That type of water, in the depths he described (ridges, flats, and humps).

Its always slow this time of year. Be careful we have a good crop of small hybrids from last years stock. With all the probs people have identifying them, just remember this, if a 10-12 inch fish strips drag and fights you like he77 when you try to grab him, throw him back, its a hybrid.

Birds won't show up in force until the fall. Hybrid
fishin' picks back up in late oct.

MO