I had heard this place used to have a lot of break ins, but had cleaned up a bit. I decided to take my boat out and explore this morning. I launched at the ramp near Pineland Rd and Beaumont Hwy. There were a few other boaters on the lake as well. There was a man who was acting like he was bank fishing at the ramp, but was really scouting the area. Got back to my truck to find my lock punched in. The SOB rummaged through the center console and glove box stealing a variety of small items and a S&W 40 cal pistol. I filed a police report but doubt I'll ever see it again. Another boater at the ramp said the guy had tried to get in his truck through the window seal but failed.

I didn't get anything while throwing hollow bodied frogs, zoom z hogs, or foam gurgler flies. It's a shame TPWD can't clean this place up since it's so close. Please don't make the same mistake I did and avoid going to this lake.

Really sorry to hear that. I was thinking about trying that lake. I know better now. Thanks for the heads up.

I called the park HQ to let them know. They were very appreciative of the call, as the police reports aren't usually relayed back to them. They need information like mine to know this is still going on, try to pattern it and have better surveillance or something. So if this has happened to you in the past, call the park and let them know I guess.

When we used to fish Thur night tourneys there, it was always a concern but nothing ever happened, although I hear about it alot. We considered paying an extra $5 each to pay someone just to sit there. FFwd, we cant fish tourneys there anymore now, but I fished 3-4x this spring and had a 2014 red Chevrolet sitting there and no one messed with it. It was always in the back of my mind when I was out there though. Caught some good ones on cranks before the hydrilla/snot grass came up big time then it got real tough.

I personally saw a bag over 30 out of there one night though, will keep me going back there. But TPW takes good care of the state park part and you will see GW's there quite a bit, not sure with that high top launch what they could do to deter theft though as you cant see anything at waters edge over the top of it.

Not related to this latest incident but just an example of how the forum is such a great source of interesting info, I was gobsmacked to learn from this post about Sheldon Lake SP. I no longer live in the Houston area but grew up in North Shore a few miles away from what was then called Sheldon Reservoir. Starting in the late '50's through mid '60's I cut my teeth on bass fishing at this lake. I spent uncountable hours wading the extensive flats on the north and east sides. Many of the wade-able areas had to be accessed my crossing the perimeter bar ditches. On one such crossing, barely on tip-toes to keep my head above water I remember coming literally face-to-face with a rather large alligator. My fishing compadre and I were so scared and so helpless that instead of freaking, we actually starting laughing uncontrollably at the ludicrous situation we were in. We actually made it across the opening and after making sure we were not being followed, continued on our merry way for a nice day fishing. I have so many wonderful memories and fishing firsts from that place. It was a great kids playground, probably the time I spent there kept me from lots of other problems. Rather a shame, too, to hear about the current issues with security there.

If I manage to make if back to that area I will most certainly be going out to check out the place and its new status as a state park and environmental center. Does anyone still wade the flats there? Or has the lake be "reconfigured" and are there even any wade-able flats left there? I wonder.

I honestly didn't know there was another ramp until I looked up the SP map on their website. Is the northern ramp not as bad about break ins? I've only fished around the southern ramp and there aren't any wadeable spots I've found around that one.

When we first were going there in early 2000's there was a ramp on a gravel road at the N end that seemed usable within the last few years but the pads and other weeds had choked it in. I have heard a lot of the old timers talk about wading it, but there is not anywhere where one could do that now. There are some piers along the W bank that are not safe to walk on at all, but the one pier on the S end, I see people on it often and is in good shape. Before SAL, guys told me a few 13's came out of there which I dont doubt ( sure they fileted them) At BPS there is pic of two biologists in float tubes fishing it near the checkout, does not have a date on it and bass on a chain stringer. It is a wake only lake, and I catch more quality fish out if in than L Houston which is 7 miles from my house. I catch lots of 4,5,6 lb bass outta there, my best being a 9.2 3 years ago, I never catch fish like that in L Houston, and in a tourney a 5lb bass is a frontrunner for big bass every tourney in L Houston. Thursday nights we might have 2-3 over 8lbs a lot of times. Just more big ones in there for sure, which makes me wonder what is so different. But Sheldon looks fishy all over, L Houston does but only in the upper river branches and surely not as much cover as Sheldon. Never had a problem with gators but see several, including a few over 10ft everytime I go out there. It is not deeper than 6-7 feet throughout the whole lake.

Went a couple months back , too shallow too much Grass ,won't go back . Very disappointed they even call that a State Park...........

I grew up in North Shore and fished there from the 60's to early 90's from time to time and some good trips. But the criminal elements have kept me away since then.

I checked the TPWD website and it says there are two ramps, but it specifically states the ramp on Garrett Road is unusable to boats; bank fishing only. Does the state park have an accessable ramp? ....or is the south ramp, where all the breaks ins happen, the only one? ...or is the south ramp the state park ramp also?

No ramp in the Park only off Hwy 90 on south end , very steep and Crime infested . Shallow and grassy can't run Trolling motor but a few minutes and grass stops it up spent more time cleaning motor off than Fishing. Save your time go to the River or Lake Houston, or the Bay.

Thank you for the info. I've always wanted to get on Sheldon, but I can't afford to have anything broken into. I've been on Houston many times, but never had a day worth bragging about. One of these days I'll have me a bay boat and I can spend my time out there instead of bank fishing like I normally do.