Texas B.A.S.S. Nation

The Southeast Region Individual Trail held its 2026 Top 40 Championship October 17-18 on Lake Palestine, launching out of Lake Palestine Resort South in Frankston, Texas. The championship field featured 10 Boaters and seven Non-Boaters competing for four coveted spots on the Texas B.A.S.S. Nation Team. The top two finishers in each division earned the opportunity to represent Texas at the 2027 B.A.S.S. Nation Central Qualifier, with the lake and dates to be determined. Under the tournament format, Boaters competed with a five-fish daily limit, while Non-Boaters were allowed a three-fish daily limit. Lake Palestine offers anglers a diverse fishery and has long been a popular destination for largemouth bass tournaments. The reservoir was formed by the construction of the 5,720-foot-long Blackburn Crossing Dam on the Neches River. Construction began in 1960 and was completed on June 13, 1962. The resulting reservoir stretches approximately 18 miles from northwest to southeast, features roughly 135 miles of shoreline, and reaches nearly four miles across at its widest point. The lake is primarily fed by the Neches River and Kickapoo Creek. Since I was unable to attend the event personally, there isn't any pre-tournament dock talk or predictions to report. But once the anglers hit the water, the results told the story. Day One At the conclusion of the Day One weigh-in, Mason McQuerry of The Bass Club sat atop the Boater Division after bringing three fish to the … [Continue reading]