How bad is the timber in this lake? Especially below the mouth of Alley Creek which is where I would be spending most of my time. I have done some looking on Google Earth but it is kinda hard to see some areas on there. I most likely would get one of Lance Vick's chips for it, but my rig is new and I am still pretty leary of fishing lakes with stumps and timber. I am thinking about making a multi day trip there and don't wanna tear the boat up. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

My advise would be to purchase Tom Mayne’s chip if you’re unfamiliar with LOP. he advertises on here, might check the HS bass fishing thread, just go into the BASS fishing thread and you’ll see it. I used his chip for this lake with no issues, haven’t seen Lance’s Chip.

Below Alley Creek your problem isn't timber, it's rocky points and shallow spots. In the back of Alley Creek, you have some timber that is fossilized and extremely hard when hit. Past the point there are some lanes that flow through timber, but they get narrow at times and only marked a little further up. You really need to stick those poles tight if you are navigating up there.

Yes, get a chip and stick to it, but if you are fishing virtually any lake in (especially East) Texas you'll have to deal with timber one way or another! My first gouge on my boat came on that lake and it was me being stupid at a dock rather than the timber. I pulled up in some wind action and the boat went under the metal support beam for the floats. It will happen, and the sooner you get that first scratch, the less pressure!

LOP is Lance Vick Boatlanes: www.boatlanes.com.

Tom Mayne does other lakes, not LOP.

Vick does Fork, Sam Rayburn, Toledo Bend & LOP.

Mayne does Palestine, Tawakoni, Bob Sandlin & Martin Creek.

Now that the lake is up.. I would be going north of 155, and staying on my trolling motor all day long. Wouldn't be wasting my time on the south end of the lake. Especially these next 2-3 months

Good call.