It's That Time of the Year





It’s that time of the year again when your chances of catching that trophy largemouth bass is better than any other time. Even though we are still having some cold days coming our way, the warmups in between cold fronts are getting more frequent. The big bass are being caught in lakes all across Texas.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologists confirmed that ShareLunker 577, a 14.57 pounds, 27 inches long bass was caught at Marine Creek Lake Jan. 26. Angler Zach Sypert, who caught the 14.57 pound “Legacy Class” ShareLunker said his immediate reaction to catching a double digit bass that size was “disbelief and shock.” Sypert shared that his fish was caught on a jerk bait, a Rapala X-Rap. ShareLunker 577 is an offspring of Lunker 410 which now calls the Athens TFFC as home.

Genetic testing conducted by TPWD fisheries biologists using a clip from ShareLunker 577’s fin found she is not only the full sister to ShareLunker 566, the 13.07 pound bass caught by angler Ryder Wicker from Marine Creek Lake in February 2017, she’s also the daughter of ShareLunker 410, a 14.48 pound bass caught by angler Edward Reid from Lake Conroe in March 2006.

The top five ShareLunker producing lakes in 2018 included Lake Fork with 73 entries and Sam Rayburn Reservoir with 21 entries. The other lakes were Lake Conroe, Lake Athens and O.H. Ivie Lake.

Lake Fork was also the top producer of 13 pound or larger “Legacy Class” bass last year with three entries, including a 13.06 pound bass caught March 11, a 13.00 pound bass caught March 8, and a 15.48 pound bass caught March 2. Sam Rayburn Reservoir produced a 13.06 pound bass March 31.

Last year, four of the ‘Legacy Class’ fish spawned successfully at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens. Lake Fork and Sam Rayburn received their share of the offsprings. Other lakes receiving bass were Twin Buttes Reservoir, and Kurth Reservoir.

Congrats to Gilbert Miller of Midlothian, he's the winner of the Toyota ShareLunker program's year-end $5,000 @BassProShops shopping spree and annual fishing license.

Complete information on TPWD’s new ShareLunker program can be found at: https://texassharelunker.com/

Photo courtesy TPWD

 




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Lake Palestine Current Weather Alerts

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Lake Palestine Weather Forecast

Thursday

Sunny

Hi: 70

Thursday Night

Clear

Lo: 53

Friday

Mostly Sunny

Hi: 75

Friday Night

Mostly Cloudy

Lo: 59

Saturday

Mostly Cloudy

Hi: 78

Saturday Night

Mostly Cloudy

Lo: 63

Sunday

Mostly Cloudy

Hi: 80

Sunday Night

Mostly Cloudy

Lo: 67


Lake Palestine Water Level (last 30 days)


Water Level on 3/28: 345.79 (+0.79)



Lake Palestine

Fishing Report from TPWD (Mar. 20)

GOOD. Water normal stain; 63 degrees; 0.29 feet above pool. The lake continues at the full level, giving lots of area for spawning activity. However, the weather continues to be uncooperative, keeping the water temperatures about 5 degrees lower than normal for this date. The fish are moving in through the staging areas, but in 2-3 days they are pushed back out by north winds and lower temperatures. All species can be caught and fishing is good, but the bite periods remain short. Best bet is to watch the wind forecasts for south to southeast winds at less than 10-12 mph, and watch the moon position for the classic rise, set, and meridian times. Blue catfish remain very good on live minnows and cut bait. Hybrid stripers are good trolling rigs, but they tend to move out of an area quickly, a pattern that will continue until the strong shad spawn develops. Report by Jim Beggerly, Jim’s Fishing. Crappie fishing is good on jigs and minnows in 1-15 feet of water. About half of the fish have already spawned. Bass fishing is good in 2-8 feet of water on plastics around structure and baits that displace water on grass lines and edges of structure. Report by Sam Parker, Freshwater Fishing Adventures.

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