Bear Branch Sportsfields

Here in The Woodlands Texas, we have an excellent, beautiful and popular sports complex nestled in the forest. It is across the road from Bear Branch Park, next to Bear Branch Creek, a thin reserve of forest which serves as a wildlife sanctuary. This park is used primarily for soccer matches. These tables are handy for many people who use the park for soccer or play (example: Frisbee throwing). Golf is prohibited in this complex. There are seven adult size soccer fields. During soccer season, one will find many smaller fields carved out of the large ones to accommodate the needs of sports clubs for children.

A concession stand with restrooms is new. The grass on the fields is lush and exceptional. Chick-Fil-A manages the concession stand which opens at 8am on weekend mornings. Unfortunately for the writer, on this particular morning, they did not serve coffee.

Park rules are clearly explained on this sign near the parking lots.
There is plenty if parking, some 236 spaces. Getting there: From I45 heading north, take exit 76 to Research Forest Drive. Follow this road until you pass the light at Shadowbend (Montgomery College is located on the right) and proceed over the bridge at Bear Branch Creek. Click here for a Google map locating the complex.

Bear Branch Park, The Woodlands Texas

This large park is easily accessible from Research Forest Drive. Located adjacent to Bear Branch Creek, it features a rink for roller hockey, is wheel and dog friendly and has natural trails to the creek. This park also has a combined soccer/baseball field and a volleyball court. Entrance to the dog park. On entering the park from Research Forest Dr, turn right into the parking lot and the dog park will be to your right. This is its entrance. There are two fenced areas, the right for small dogs and the left for large dogs. The large dog area. Very spacious. Its beautiful swimming pool. Small childrens playgound. Large pavilion is ideal to rent for group events. Its skateboard facilities include two separate boarding rinks. Five tennis courts It's hockey rink provides an unique amenity for all ages. One can walk on the pathway system over Bear Branch Creek or maybe explore some natural paths in the park. The Longleaf Pine is propigating along the creek bed. Even in dry season, Bear Branch Creek normally has water flowing down it.

How to get there
It is located just west of the bridge over Bear Branch Creek, on Research Forest. The entrance is on the north side of Research Forest, between Shadowbend and The Woodlands High School, across the street from the Bear Branch sports complex.
Google Map

Harpers Landing Park

There are some great trees and lots of dense forest in this park. I liked the swimming pool there and apparently there are many people who share that sentiment with me. It was busy for a Friday at noon. A visitor can enjoy the picnic benches. I saw at least two places where two families could share an area (two tables in close proximity). There is a toddlers park within this park, on the side opposite the pool. The park is bound by four streets and has walking paths on three sides. Two parking lots provide plenty of parking space. A soccer/baseball field is available, as well as tennis courts. This is a wheel friendly park. To see details in these photographs, make sure you click on the photographs themselves because every one is substantially larger than what you see here.

To get there, go east on highway 242 from I45. Take a left at the first street after Trade Center Parkway, Donwick. Go to Trade Center Parkway and take a left. The park will be obvious on your right at Harper's Landing Drive, where you will want to turn right in order to arrive at the parking lots.

Google Map

We have retention ponds in our Woodlands Parks

Ponds are one of our greatest assets here in The Woodlands. They have such diversity in their waters and shores. Making them better is a goal of the superintendent of the parks system. I have taken this for granted lately. Sometimes it is good to reflect some and consider the purpose of an amenity. I once called one pond here a "retention pond" to someone I know, just out of normal conversation. I had a counter response "That is not a retention pond, it is a detention pond." I have to admit, that threw me a curve ball. For years, subdivisions have been building "retention" ponds to meet state requirements for water runoff management. That is the only term I ever heard for these ponds. So I researched this topic, not wanting to use the wrong word for one of these ponds, even in casual conservation. The difference is fairly subtle. Ours are all retention ponds, not detention ponds. But there are detention ponds in some Texas locations. A detention pond can be wet or dry, but its function is strictly to slow down the runoff of water. Because our ponds have vegetation and hold water permanently, ours are considered retention ponds, as they filter and break down the pollutants in the water by natural biological processes, and hold water as a habitat for living organisms. Retention ponds are designed to hold water, slow down water runoff and be a natural habitat for plants and other living organisms. Ours do serve both purposes - retention and detention but technically have the attributes of a "retention" pond. ¹ Each day we can appreciate more about this place and its master plan.

References
¹Retention vs Detention

Spinning Wheel Park The Woodlands Texas

This little cozy park has some interesting unique features, an attribute characteristic of most of our parks. I like the little gazebo with a bench. The sidewalk is configured in a way to catch a newcomer's attention as well. You can observe from this photo that it has sort of a circular shape which forms an island of vegetation, which is the centerpiece of this neighborhood park.

Tamarac Park The Woodlands Texas

I visited this park for the first time today and was pleasantly surprised at its "friendliness". The restrooms are located near the entrance, so you know where they are, from the start. Access to the normal amenities are at the front also, such as the tennis courts and the basketball courts. There are some interesting and very old trees such as those covered in vines. I noticed two pines "kissing", a phenomenon when two trees are planted or seeded too close together. The park is full of mature trees of various species. To me this place felt like an old established park, such as Herman in Houston. That is a compliment, not a criticism. Sitting on a bench and enjoying this place is quite the thing to do. In fact, if you are with your spouse or friend, there is a swing under a large old tree that you might want to visit. There is some rich history at this location as noted on this sign dated July 4th, 1984.It is in the heart of the old logging site. This sandy floor volleyball court is located up front as well. The pavilion is about in the middle, on a small pond. I counted three tables inside. There are actually two ponds located here. I like this location with two tables right on the "point" where a picnic can be assembled right in front of the fountains. One pond is rather large with tri-fountains having a high trajectory of water and producing plenty of white noise for visitors. Not all paths are concrete. This park has several dirt paths for the children to explore and even for adults to get to picnic tables. This one leads to the tri-fountains. In this pond, there are large Koi. The playground equipment here is clean and ready for the little ones. This is a skate friendly park. I saw about 10 youngsters practicing there on their skateboards while I was walking through the park.

This is also a dog friendly park. It is the newest park in The Woodlands to provide a dog social and play area. Click here for article on that part of the park. 

Fishing in The Woodlands ponds and lakes

This is almost synonymous with fishing in the Woodlands parks but not quite. There are many bodies of water in The Woodlands. Each one has its own fish population and water ecology. This article will not address their differences and not recommend any particular park or body of water for fishing. Our purpose here is to reveal how the ecology systems generally work, what to look for in fishing these bodies of water, and what behaviors are expected of every single person fishing on these bodies of water. We also explore the varieties of fish that are found here and what dangers one may find hidden in eating those fish.

A resident caught this 6 pound Largemouth Bass on a spinner bait in a local pond. The fish was returned and lived to be caught again and perhaps spawn. A few weeks passed and another person caught the same fish and did not follow the rules; the person took it home and took away the opportunity for others to experience the excitement of catching a large fish.

This Bluegill is typical of a Bluegill caught on our ponds.

First, we will focus on the ponds. Some of the ponds were here before the master plan was developed. They are purely natural. Others were man-made to provide a distribution of ponds in various neighborhoods and control flooding. Builders charged a premium for a home on a pond or lake. This has been the case for every development that I have seen in the Houston area. Each pond has evolved over the years to a state of equilibrium among its fish population and other inhabitants. Most of the ponds have minnows, frogs, Crawfish, snails and bugs at the bottom of the food chain, Sunfish (Bluegills) in the middle, and Largemouth Bass at the top. Some of the ponds have catfish. Typically, no pond needs to be restocked. Each variety of fish independently regenerates. Some species such as the bass only breed in the spring; some such as the Bluegill, several times a year, even monthly.

There are three varieties of perch (bream) found here. The Redear, the Red Belly and the Bluegill. The Redear prefers deeper water, so we are unlikely to see them in the ponds; the Bluegill and Red Belly like to spawn in shallow water and are often found together. The Bluegill will grow up as large as 4 pounds. The Redear will grow that large as well, but the Red Belly tends to remain much smaller. Please consider others when fishing in these ponds. Don;t leave a mess of fishing line in the water or allow your plastic bags to blow into the water. That kills fish! Also, actively fish. Don't put natural bait on a line and walk away from it. A fish will swallow the bait and incur severe injuries from a gut wound or leaving the hook in its gut. A large bass can and will survive being caught many times if the humans who catch it will take steps to keep it alive after the process. Remove the hook carefully and get the fish right back into the water. The fish's mouth will heal. Don't wait more than a couple of minutes to show it to someone; the fish will lose its capability of equilibrium and breathing. If you want a memory, take a photograph. Also consider your own health when contemplating on keeping a fish. These ponds receive runoff from homes and accumulate minerals and chemicals. The fish are not tested for human consumption and the water is not intended for humans. Ponds are for not for swimming. I would not advise children or adults playing in any of them.

All fish in our ponds are considered park property and are to be released immediately after being caught. Visitors can be charged and fined for breaking the "catch and release" rule.

An alternative to fishing on a pond is to fish on Lake Woodlands or on the reservoir. This small Crappie was caught on the reservoir and had to be returned to the water to grow up.

Fishing on the reservoir is controlled by state fishing regulations. The fish can be taken home. The two large bodies of water are generally considered safe, so the fish living in Lake Woodlands or the reservoir can be harvested according to state laws. One must have a fishing license and observe all rules of that license, such as length of fish for harvesting and the quantity of individual species taken.³

You can leave with a basket of pan fish like this, or a few sports fish, e.g. catfish and bass.

No power boats are permitted on any pond or lake in The Woodlands. Canoes and Kayaks are often used by fishermen to seek out the fish. Flat bottom boats with trolling motors are allowed. Typical artificial and natural baits will catch the fish in the ponds and the lakes. I have found that plastic worms, top water lures and jigs produce about the same successes in these ponds as they do in other East Texas lakes and ponds. Color, size, and action do matter and depending on the weather, time of the year, time of day, life cycle of the fish and just some sort of magical preference of the day, a fisherman will have different results. Natural baits work fine, such as mealy worms, earth worms, or shrimp.

Ponds in George Mitchell Preserve are managed by the counties but have the same basic regulations as those under the jurisdiction of The Woodlands. Lakes and reservoirs are managed by the San Jacinto Water Authority and are patrolled by the Texas Game and Wildlife Commission. The Woodlands Park Rangers patrol the parks, enforce the rules and oversee the health of the ponds.

A word to the wise (and not so wise as well) - The Woodlands residents take great pride in the amenities here. The pond banks are not meant for trash. There are plenty of trash cans provided in our parks. Please have respect for this and clean up behind you. Take the extra step and not only clean up your trash, but those who were not so considerate before you as well. In George Mitchell Preserve, please haul all trash out of the park. It wasn't there before you and others came and should not be there when you leave.

References
¹How to Measure and Release a Fish by Texas Parks and Wildlife
²Summary of Recreational Fishing Regulations by Texas Parks and Wildlife
³Quantity and length Regulations of fish - Texas Parks and Wildlife