Are there any guide lane chips for Bob Sandlin? Never fished there before and have a tournament in about a month. Just wondering if its like Tawakoni or as wooded as Fork and Palestine? Maps do not show a lot, but navionics shows areas of flooded timber.

Do a little search here and you can get some good navigation advice. The lake doesn't set up like Fork or Tawakoni. It is its own pattern.

There are good Honey Hole videos out there, and some of the Fork guides will take you out there.

I've been on it about about a four times this year, it my current favorite lake. It fishes different and it does have stumps but nothing like Fork or TWOK. I've been fortunate to live by the rule if you see no stumps you are clear plus I've watched a few boats run it and figured out by that where I need to be. The arm up the west side of Monticello is gated and for a reason, it has a lot of stumps and the fence and gate are to keep the recreational boaters from tearing up there stuff or getting injured. Also in various places, there will be really shallow shoals; the kind you can get hung up on, they were already marked on the lake maps on my humminbirds. I went to look for one of them and found it before the map said I was on it, wound up getting out of my rig pushing myself off it.
I've watched the Honey Hole video from this past spring and it is informative and I have caught some fish in the general area of where that filming took place. I had my best luck early on top water and if the sun is shining and there is a little wind the shaded areas produced some bites.
I haven't really torn them up and I got skunked on the last trip but it's worth the trip. Good luck on your tournament.

I think the fence in the Monticello arm is for when it was once part of a crime scene and was cordoned off

I would have watched that episode of Lone Star Law for sure if they had it at the time!

It really was not a "crime scene". Unless you count the developer in the cove cut down lots of trees to make the lots more desirable to buyers. It backfired on them as the state sued them for illegally cutting down the trees in the water. State got awarded something like $280/K. State put up the barricade (it has an opening wide enough for a boat) to stop floaters (from cut trees) from getting into the main lake.

Please tell me you are kidding about why you think it's gated.

There is sign pretty much stating such at the gate.

I certainly wouldnt go by the theory if you don't see a stump your ok. That lake is tricky to run.

Fished there yesterday .

I run a few trips over there from time to time.

Narrow trail down the middle and into most of the coves off the main lake.

Still need to be careful where you run.

If I can help just let me know ?

http://lakepalestinefishingguide.com

Tom Mayne has Palestine, Tawakoni, Martin Creek & Bob Sandlin.

Awesome thank you all for the help.

There are whole forests on the edges of the center boat lane. I know of one area in 35’ that has whole full grown pecan trees. Huge trees! Be careful out there. Just cause it looks clear don’t mean it is. There’s also some huge brushpiles about prop deep up near stouts creek along with a cove full of stumps.

This for sure, it seems like once you leave the main lake body you'll find stumps quickly. I put in @ the state park off highway 21 and even that area has lots of stumps on that side of the lake. I'm going about half way out to the south side before trying to come up on plane. I fished back up above Barefoot Bay as well and once you get up in there it's has stumps too.

I run the east side from the hwy 21 bridge to the railroad bridge.
I like to launch at Titus County Park.