Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeLake depth chart
Today's read
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
1,230-acre reservoir near Houston. Shallow cypress lake in Sheldon Lake State Park, Houston. The lake tops out around 10 ft. Depth here is modeled from the true shoreline and max depth rather than surveyed; use it to plan, not to navigate. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
Sheldon Lake's chart carries 7.9 miles of bank. With a 1.9 development index there's bank structure worth casting at, in moderation. All of it is shallow-zone water — under ~15 ft across the entire basin, so the food chain has the run of the place. Call it 2.6 mi long by 1.4 mi wide at the broadest reach. Harris County claims this one. If the bite dies, Lake Houston is 9 mi to the north.
When the water first warms, largemouth bass slide up into 2 to 10 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 3 to 10 ft, winter 3 to 10 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 3 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait rigged through the warm months.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (5 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
When the water first warms, bluegill slide up into 1 to 6 ft. Summer is a 3 to 10 ft game here, winter a 3 to 10 ft one. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 3 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig rigged through the warm months.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 18 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (9 ft) | Tiny spoon |
When the water first warms, channel catfish slide up into 3 to 10 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 3 to 10 ft, winter 3 to 10 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 9 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and the evening.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (9 ft) | |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Deep basin (9 ft) | |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | midday | Deep basin (9 ft) |
Spring puts blue catfish in skinny water — 2 to 10 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 3 to 10 ft, and winter fish hold in 3 to 10 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 9 ft, rated prime for winter blue catfish. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 25 ft | dusk | Break off the point (5 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (9 ft) | |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 45 ft | dusk | Deep basin (9 ft) | |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 50 ft | midday | Deep basin (9 ft) |
Come spring, look for crappie tight to the bank in 2 to 8 ft. Expect a summer slide to 3 to 10 ft, then a winter hold in 3 to 10 ft. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 9 ft of water and rates prime come winter. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) is the honest summer answer here.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (9 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Sheldon Lake carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 9 ft down.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025* | Channel Catfish (fingerling) | 19,879 | — |
| 2025* | Lone Star Bass (fry) | 659,372 | — |
* Approximate date (agency reports month or season only). Source: TPWD stocking history, retrieved 2026-09-23.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Texas waters are set by the Texas Parks & Wildlife — and special regulations can apply to Sheldon Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Texas fishing regulations →
Sheldon Lake is about 10 ft (3 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target largemouth bass, bluegill, channel catfish, blue catfish, crappie on Sheldon Lake.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For largemouth bass, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Yes — per TPWD stocking history records, Sheldon Lake was most recently stocked 2025 with 19,879 channel catfish (fingerling). The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Sheldon Lake is regulated by the Texas Parks & Wildlife. Check the official Texas regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Lake Houston 9 mi · San Jacinto River 15 mi · Upper Galveston Bay 20 mi · Lake Conroe 48 mi · Lake Raven 56 mi · Lake Livingston 65 mi · San Bernard River 70 mi · Sabine Lake 80 mi, TX/LA · East Matagorda Bay 90 mi · B.A. Steinhagen Lake 90 mi · Somerville Lake 90 mi · Fayette County Reservoir 93 mi
See how Sheldon Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Texas · best crappie lakes in Texas · best bluegill lakes in Texas · best channel catfish lakes in Texas
Browse all Texas fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.