Soil Conservation Service Site 2 Reservoir Fishing near Palestine, Texas

• Overview

  The Anderson County end of Texas holds Soil Conservation Service Site 2 Reservoir. The surroundings are dry hill. At 13 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. The closest town, Palestine, is 12 miles away. For a city, Tyler is 50 miles off. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Soil Conservation Service Site 2 Reservoir

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Documented catches and surveys in the area cover slough darter, spotted bass, bluegill, dusky darter and goldstripe darter. Presence in the area does not guarantee a fish in this exact water on the day. Work this water in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 83°F, while January sits near 46°F. The awkward stretch is midsummer, not midwinter. The first and last hours carry the summer; the middle is slow. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. This water runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Soil Conservation Service Site 1 Reservoir at 1.1 miles is the sensible second choice. Ask locally about this water if anything is unclear.