# Sheldon Reservoir



## Bass Slayer (Jun 15, 2017)

I am new to fishing in the Houston area. I am looking to fish Sheldon Reservoir. I just purchased a 17 foot bass boat and plan to use it there.

Any safety concerns? Any areas I should avoid?

Re bass fishing, any areas you mind sharing where I should fish this time of year? i am not looking to steal your honey holes, but any pointers are appreciated. I hear it's a small lake.

Thank you.


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## dk2429 (Mar 27, 2015)

Shallow lake. You can get the boat in just fine, but I would stay at idle (I think you have to anyway.) The last time I was there it was covered in weeds and trash. Maybe that's changed. Never really got the "good fishing" out of there that people talk about.

If you want a good chance at bass, I'd recommend going right down the road to Lake Houston and put in at Pondersoa Marina. Good bass fishing all up in that creek as well as crappie. It's literally right down the road from Sheldon.

https://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish/recreational/lakes/houston/access.phtml


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## bubbas kenner (Sep 4, 2010)

Don't leave nothing in your truck they will tare the horns off a goat around there.Troll around have fun watch get gators.


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## Bass Slayer (Jun 15, 2017)

bubbas kenner said:


> Don't leave nothing in your truck they will tare the horns off a goat around there.Troll around have fun watch get gators.


Geez! Is it really that bad? A broken window is not worth the fishing for me.


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## Bass Slayer (Jun 15, 2017)

dk2429 said:


> Shallow lake. You can get the boat in just fine, but I would stay at idle (I think you have to anyway.) The last time I was there it was covered in weeds and trash. Maybe that's changed. Never really got the "good fishing" out of there that people talk about.
> 
> If you want a good chance at bass, I'd recommend going right down the road to Lake Houston and put in at Pondersoa Marina. Good bass fishing all up in that creek as well as crappie. It's literally right down the road from Sheldon.
> 
> https://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish/recreational/lakes/houston/access.phtml


Your response is much appreciated! I think I will try your suggestion instead. Any other good areas to try besides Lake Houston? I am literally using google earth to find spots. Probably not the best approach.

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## calebsowell (Mar 9, 2014)

fished there a few weeks ago only had one blow up on top water early. one of the guys at the ramp told us how good it could be but I didnt see anyone pull out a fish there. It could have been an off day but Im not looking to go back any time soon. It is idle only and dont go for a swim because there is a ton of gators and some big ones. good luck


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## dk2429 (Mar 27, 2015)

Bass Slayer said:


> Your response is much appreciated! I think I will try your suggestion instead. Any other good areas to try besides Lake Houston? I am literally using google earth to find spots. Probably not the best approach.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I'm not sure where exactly in Houston you are, but another place to try in for bass is on Clear Creek. Put in at Walter Hall Park on Highway 3 in League City. I actually might go out there tomorrow. If you're looking out toward the creek from the ramp, go off to the left, go under the I-45 bridge, and anywhere passed that is good bass fishing. I actually fished a tournament on that creek a year or two ago. The only thing to watch out for there this time a year though is the idiots hauling *** in those wake boats and jet skis. I can name you a bunch of places here in the area for bass fishing

http://www.galvestoncountytx.gov/PS/Pages/WalterHallPark.aspx


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## redexpress (Apr 5, 2010)

Well uhh....Ponderosa Marina is on Luce's Bayou north of Crosby. Google map says 20.3 miles from Sheldon Reservoir. Luce's empties into the upper end of Lake Houston, or more correctly the east Fork of San Jacinto River. Ponderosa is where Wolf Road crosses Luce's bayou. Turn left on Wolf Rd. off FM 2100. 
I haven't fished Sheldon in awhile but fished it a lot years ago. There are some big bass in there. Idle speed only per TP&W.
Luce's Bayou is prettier. Classic bass fishing around cypress trees. You can go upstream a ways until you run out of water, or downstream and into east fork of San Jacinto river which is good bass fishing as well. Luce's gets hit pretty hard on weekends.


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## stammster - temporary (Jul 20, 2009)

Try Lake Conroe
Lake Bastrop is about 2 hrs away and makes a nice weekend trip.


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## dk2429 (Mar 27, 2015)

redexpress said:


> Well uhh....Ponderosa Marina is on Luce's Bayou north of Crosby. Google map says *20.3 miles *from Sheldon Reservoir. Luce's empties into the upper end of Lake Houston, or more correctly the east Fork of San Jacinto River. Ponderosa is where Wolf Road crosses Luce's bayou. Turn left on Wolf Rd. off FM 2100.
> I haven't fished Sheldon in awhile but fished it a lot years ago. There are some big bass in there. Idle speed only per TP&W.
> Luce's Bayou is prettier. Classic bass fishing around cypress trees. You can go upstream a ways until you run out of water, or downstream and into east fork of San Jacinto river which is good bass fishing as well. Luce's gets hit pretty hard on weekends.


I thought it was a lot closer than that! Guess I have my directions a little backwards.


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## Bass Slayer (Jun 15, 2017)

dk2429 said:


> I'm not sure where exactly in Houston you are, but another place to try in for bass is on Clear Creek. Put in at Walter Hall Park on Highway 3 in League City. I actually might go out there tomorrow. If you're looking out toward the creek from the ramp, go off to the left, go under the I-45 bridge, and anywhere passed that is good bass fishing. I actually fished a tournament on that creek a year or two ago. The only thing to watch out for there this time a year though is the idiots hauling *** in those wake boats and jet skis. I can name you a bunch of places here in the area for bass fishing
> 
> http://www.galvestoncountytx.gov/PS/Pages/WalterHallPark.aspx


My last message got tagged for review, not sure why. I am at US 59 and BW 8 on the north side (Humble Area). However, please give me your list of places I should try for LMB no matter the location. I will go down your list and try them all. Of course, the closer the better, but I'm new here, so they are all appreciated. I'm not picky at this point. Many thanks....


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## dk2429 (Mar 27, 2015)

Bass Slayer said:


> My last message got tagged for review, not sure why. I am at US 59 and BW 8 on the north side (Humble Area). However, please give me your list of places I should try for LMB no matter the location. I will go down your list and try them all. Of course, the closer the better, but I'm new here, so they are all appreciated. I'm not picky at this point. Many thanks....


Well, first off, pretty much any lake here in Texas is going to be for bass fishing.. But off the top of my head...

Clear Creek (like I said in my last post.)
Halls Bayou off of FM-2004
Dickinson Bayou (right down the road from clear creek)

There's a place over closer to you in Missouri City called Buffalo Run. There's a ramp and everything there and it was good fishing the last time I was there a few years ago!

Those are some good closer by places.. If you really want some good bass fishing and are willing to drive..

Sam Rayburn Lake
Houston County Lake
Fayette County Lake
Coleto Creek 
Lake Conroe (the closest out of all the ones I'm listing.)
Toledo Bend

Lake Conroe is where they held the 2017 Bassmaster Classic. Conroe is an excellent lake for bass fishing, but during the weekend during the summer, you'll see a lot of idiots hauling *** on wake boats

I'd say my favorite lake out of those are either Sam Rayburn or Houston County. In HC, it's very common to pull out a 4-5lb bass. Every time I've gone, I've caught more 2-3 pounders than anything. The last time I was (last weekend) I hung up on 7 pounder.

I'd say the most popular lake here is probably Sam Rayburn

Man honestly, the best thing to do if you are just new to fishing Texas period is just look at the map of Texas that shows the lakes on TPWD. Here's the link to the map. If you press on the lake name it will give you info about it and has a scale on how well the fishing is in that particular lake. Most the lakes I like to fish are in the Piney Woods region. (PW on the map.) If you press on the Gulfcoast Region, Sheldon lake and Lake Houston are on there. Have fun with that map! It shows basically every lake in Texas. Like I said, if you press on the name and scroll down, you'll see a chart that rates how well the fishing is for a particular type of fish in that lake, and it will also tell you how the best tips/tactics to use on that lake and the typical kind of cover/structure. http://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish/recreational/lakes/index.phtml


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## ccketchum (Oct 18, 2010)

sheldon has good fishing . may as well just leave the windows down and the doors open on your vehicle . aboout a 80 % chance they will break in anyway . google maps to deussen park , its on the south end of lake houston . wiiiiide ramp on one side , go to other end of parking lot and its a single lane ramp where you can park your vehicle closer . got to work around folks bank fishing and hanging around but free ramps , not as much stuff to hit . fish the boat docks on east side of lake near the creeks and ditches . if its on , usually catch dinks on up to 3 lbers .


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## redexpress (Apr 5, 2010)

If you're near Humble I would focus on Lake Houston since you're right there. Explore the north end of the lake. You can even get into Spring Creek from the West Fork of San Jacinto. There is a bit of a white bass run in there too. Work up the East Fork as far you as you feel comfortable. There used to be a private ramp at Hwy 59/Hamblen Rd. at the West Fork, but I think it is closed. I heard the county is planning to build a ramp there as part of the Spring Creek greenbelt.You can also fish below the Lake Houston dam in the San Jacinto River. There is a history of polluted water in the lower river and I would do catch & release. The lower river gets hit hard by hot rod boats on weekends. 
I grew up in the 1950-60's only bass fishing Luce's, Sheldon, & the river below the dam. We fished it regular and did well.
If you want to venture further south there is Trinity River. Launch at the US Army Corp of Engineers at the Wallisville Project south of I-10 and fish upriver. Also Turtle Bayou. Launch in Whites Park just south of I-10 at Hwy 61.


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## tbone2374 (Feb 27, 2010)

Bass Slayer said:


> Geez! Is it really that bad? A broken window is not worth the fishing for me.


 YES, it really is that bad...been like that for years. It's the East side thing! In the early 70's, we used to tube fish Sheldon, with swim fins. Lots of large Bass, but it's been drained, many times, since then. Good Luck!


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## redexpress (Apr 5, 2010)

I would be nervous about parking at the ramp close to Hwy 90. We usually used the dirt ramp on Garrett Rd. which is no longer in service. 
TP&W used Sheldon as an experiment. It was great fishing before they drained it in the 1970's?. I think at one time they even stocked it with walleye and pickerel. They also focused on goose habitat on the dry land east of the reservoir. I don't know if Robert Comstock is still in charge, but his focus seemed to be on urban park activities rather than fisheries. Or, maybe it was a TP&W thing.
Fishing seemed to be best in spring and fall rather than in the heat of the summer. 
To the original poster: you might look at: lakehoustonfishing.com. It ain't much, but it might help a little.


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## redexpress (Apr 5, 2010)

tbone2374 said:


> YES, it really is that bad...been like that for years. It's the East side thing! In the early 70's, we used to tube fish Sheldon, with swim fins. Lots of large Bass, but it's been drained, many times, since then. Good Luck!


Hey Tbone...you a east side boy?


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## Sgrem (Oct 5, 2005)

Gibbons Creek Reservoir
Lake Naconiche is where TPWD does all their sharelunker work.


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## FishermanSteve (Jun 24, 2014)

*try*

for Lake Houston
Lake Houston Marina on the east side of the lake right at 1960. it is a pay ramp so rif-raf is at a minimum.
Lake Conroe
Livingston
Sommerville
Sam Rayburn
Fayette Co.
and if you want to drive farther:
Travis
Canyon
McQueenie
Lake of the Pines
go by Academy and find a book put out by Fishing Texas it has maps of all the major lakes & bays in it you'll recognize it when you see it.


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## waterspout (May 21, 2004)

Highlands reservoir, turtle bayou and there has been quite a few boats etc. at sheldon lately with people around the ramp throughout the day. quite a few boats catching nice fat bass and crappie too! they opened the parking lot up off garrett And it's been packed like the old days with crappie fisher-peoples everywhere with their lawn chairs.


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## Bankin' On It (Feb 14, 2013)

<--- Born and raised on the east side. They don't play when it comes to stealing anything not bolted down. So frustrating I left.

The best fishing spots in that reservoir are the areas covered in lilly pads and inaccessible by motor boat. Canoe, yes...but then ya got the alligator factor. *shudders*

We would tear up the bass with a lilly pad jumping frog. If ya see a big swirl following your lure...JERK IT OUT QUICK! You're leading a gator straight to ya!


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## waterspout (May 21, 2004)

Bankin' On It said:


> <--- Born and raised on the east side. They don't play when it comes to stealing anything not bolted down. So frustrating I left.
> 
> The best fishing spots in that reservoir are the areas covered in lilly pads and inaccessible by motor boat. Canoe, yes...but then ya got the alligator factor. *shudders*
> 
> We would tear up the bass with a lilly pad jumping frog. If ya see a big swirl following your lure...JERK IT OUT QUICK! You're leading a gator straight to ya!


we use to take the john boat trolling for those suckers as a kid. I'd throw top waters and everything I had at those gators trying to get one to hit it! lol maybe not smart but dang we had fun!

True,, park on garrett lot and canoe or john boat around the pads up north of garrettt. The parking lot on that end is safer than the south end. the old levee on the south end that use to be at the spillway was a cotton mouth heaven. Lived over here 50 yrs now.


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## redexpress (Apr 5, 2010)

I forgot about Highlands Reservoir. I looked on Google satellite and didn't see a ramp. We fished that a little bit, but that was decades ago.
I think Sheldon was drained to re-work the levees. In my opinion it hasn't been the same since. I believe TP&W stocks it with Florida bass now. I just grew up fishing for native bass. I know the Floridas get bigger but it seems I can only catch a few per trip.
Weather cools off I'm gonna put the GoDevil in Sheldon.

Waterspout...I grew up in one of the finer sections on the east side...McCarty Drive at Loop 610. Wasn't really so bad in the 1950-60's. My folks moved to Beltway 8 @ 90 (Royalwood) after I got out of school. We lived in Woodforest for a time until we moved east to Liberty about 25 years ago.


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## waterspout (May 21, 2004)

Woodforest most of my life and now in Atascocita. I ran North Shore when it was 90% woods! Not many ponds in this area I don't know. Little secret. the Ditch north duessen park off lake H prkwy in summerwood is a awesome canal to fish. it's alway been there.

Hint: it feeds sheldon reservoir from the lake! :cheers:


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## waterspout (May 21, 2004)

you can park off L h prkwy and fish the crick, it's loaded with bass and the new super fish of the world. LMAO TILIPIA, big suckers too. They're aren't farmed raised and are actually good eating. besides. If you hook it you have to keep it. Against law to throw it back, It's invasive


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## Harbormaster (May 26, 2000)

waterspout said:


> we use to take the john boat trolling for those suckers as a kid. I'd throw top waters and everything I had at those gators trying to get one to hit it! lol maybe not smart but dang we had fun!
> 
> True,, park on garrett lot and canoe or john boat around the pads up north of garrettt. The parking lot on that end is safer than the south end. the old levee on the south end that use to be at the spillway was a cotton mouth heaven. Lived over here 50 yrs now.


Got this guy out of Sheldon on a white lunker lure with a trailer hook. Used to wade it at night and I had just got in the water and saw what I thought was a bull frog following my bait, so I slowed it down and he nailed it.

I drug him up to the truck and flipped him into the bed. Took him to the apartment and fed him ham in the tub for 2 days, then took him back and released him. ***** are much easier to tame! :smile:


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## Bass Slayer (Jun 15, 2017)

waterspout said:


> Highlands reservoir, turtle bayou and there has been quite a few boats etc. at sheldon lately with people around the ramp throughout the day. quite a few boats catching nice fat bass and crappie too! they opened the parking lot up off garrett And it's been packed like the old days with crappie fisher-peoples everywhere with their lawn chairs.


Is there a ramp off of Garrett? People around may deter theft. Thanks.

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## waterspout (May 21, 2004)

Bass Slayer said:


> Is there a ramp off of Garrett? People around may deter theft. Thanks.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


a small boat trailer off the bank... not a good ramp. that's john boat and canoe country up there. You can launch a 20' with a 250hp on the back at south ramp. better not get caught with it in the water. it's 9.9 or trolling motor! I use a 14' john with a 30lb in it, all you need. There are some hogs in that hole if you piddle with it a little.


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## waterspout (May 21, 2004)

Harbormaster said:


> Got this guy out of Sheldon on a white lunker lure with a trailer hook. Used to wade it at night and I had just got in the water and saw what I thought was a bull frog following my bait, so I slowed it down and he nailed it.
> 
> I drug him up to the truck and flipped him into the bed. Took him to the apartment and fed him ham in the tub for 2 days, then took him back and released him. ***** are much easier to tame! :smile:


I've been there moving a 8plus'r off Pineland rd more than once! Think all my buds back in the day had a dent or two in the bed of their truck from those tails. lol


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## redexpress (Apr 5, 2010)

waterspout said:


> a small boat trailer off the bank... not a good ramp. that's john boat and canoe country up there. You can launch a 20' with a 250hp on the back at south ramp. better not get caught with it in the water. it's 9.9 or trolling motor! I use a 14' john with a 30lb in it, all you need. There are some hogs in that hole if you piddle with it a little.


I think they eliminated the rule on 9.9 and below. I believe you can launch anything and run anything but only at idle speed. Like you say...a jon boat and trolling motor will cover it. 
The word back in the day was when the zoo had too many gators they brought them to Sheldon. I don't if that's true. 
Yeah we lived on White Cedar and then Stillington in Woodforest West. It just got a bit too intense.
I remember when Uvalde was a terrible 2 lane humped back road. We used to ride bicycles from Oates Prairie down Wallisville Rd. to the YMCA before Wallisville was paved. Dang I'm OLD!


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## Bass Slayer (Jun 15, 2017)

*Highlands Reservoir*



waterspout said:


> Highlands reservoir, turtle bayou and there has been quite a few boats etc. at sheldon lately with people around the ramp throughout the day. quite a few boats catching nice fat bass and crappie too! they opened the parking lot up off garrett And it's been packed like the old days with crappie fisher-peoples everywhere with their lawn chairs.


Where do you launch at Highlands Reservoir?


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## tbone2374 (Feb 27, 2010)

redexpress said:


> Hey Tbone...you a east side boy?


Naw...by marriage ...Born and mostly raised in South Park, Macgregor Park, before we moved to Aldine.


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## waterspout (May 21, 2004)

redexpress said:


> I think they eliminated the rule on 9.9 and below. I believe you can launch anything and run anything but only at idle speed. Like you say...a jon boat and trolling motor will cover it.
> The word back in the day was when the zoo had too many gators they brought them to Sheldon. I don't if that's true.
> Yeah we lived on White Cedar and then Stillington in Woodforest West. It just got a bit too intense.
> I remember when Uvalde was a terrible 2 lane humped back road. We used to ride bicycles from Oates Prairie down Wallisville Rd. to the YMCA before Wallisville was paved. Dang I'm OLD!


Small world. I lived off white cedar for 20 yrs!


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## dk2429 (Mar 27, 2015)

waterspout said:


> a small boat trailer off the bank... not a good ramp. that's john boat and canoe country up there. *You can launch a 20' with a 250hp on the back at south ramp*. better not get caught with it in the water. it's 9.9 or trolling motor! I use a 14' john with a 30lb in it, all you need. There are some hogs in that hole if you piddle with it a little.


Good to hear. The few times I've been there was in a little 8' Bass raider. I was wanting to back the 22 footer off in there to just idle around and fish but I wasn't too sure about that ramp!


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## waterspout (May 21, 2004)

drop the big motor a throw someone in a tube! that should get the gators happy to see ya! :slimer:


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## roninrus1 (May 27, 2004)

Unless they changed it back, they removed the motor size limit but put in a no-wake, idle only rule. Been checked a couple of years ago with a 16' alum boat and 40 hp Yammie. Was idling as required and the motor was never mentioned.
Used to work shift at Armco in Greens Bayou and fished Sheldon in the morning after graveyards, in the evenings after days and in the mornings before work on evenings. Normally fished 4-5 days a week. On off days fished the bay or surf. Fishing is tough but there are fish there to be had. I gave up because of the theft and non-fishing people hanging around ramp.
O Yeah! The ramp on Garrett was shell all the way around the parking area. When I was younger Dad would back trailer in, and like most others, leave it in the water. Used to be great crappie fishing in that area in the fall.


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## livinadream (Jun 25, 2014)

Fished Sheldon yesterday. Picked up 9, 2 small ones, the other seven 2 1/2-4 lbs. I had a 5+ lb jump and spit the hook, also broke off on a solid fish. It was my first time fishing Sheldon and thought it had pretty good potential.

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## Bass Slayer (Jun 15, 2017)

livinadream said:


> Fished Sheldon yesterday. Picked up 9, 2 small ones, the other seven 2 1/2-4 lbs. I had a 5+ lb jump and spit the hook, also broke off on a solid fish. It was my first time fishing Sheldon and thought it had pretty good potential.
> 
> Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk


Congrats. Boat or kayak? Any signs of theft upon your return?


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## livinadream (Jun 25, 2014)

Bass Slayer said:


> Congrats. Boat or kayak? Any signs of theft upon your return?


We were in a 21' skeeter. Truck was not tampered with, but there was alot of people around most of the day fishing off the dock. Might have helped some. Here is a puc, nothing special, but the only pic taken.









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## roninrus1 (May 27, 2004)

Almost forgot - at the Katy BassPro there is a picture over the exit door, of Sheldon from back in the 50's. Mr. Kemp and Mr. Beasley, in the picture, were biologist on the lake. There was a portable building at the exit from the south ramp onto Pineland that they would setup at and ask people leaving about their catches. They did a census of size, species, etc.
The state stocked redfish, flounder and specks into the lake in the '50s and there were signs asking anybody that caught one to notify the biologist. Never heard of one being caught.
Mr. Kemp the same Bob Kemp the big state hatchery is named for and is credited with getting Florida bass into Texas waters. 
Really nice, and a lot of fun, to see the posts from the other "older" guys who fished the res during the early days.


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## roninrus1 (May 27, 2004)

redexpress said:


> I think they eliminated the rule on 9.9 and below. I believe you can launch anything and run anything but only at idle speed. Like you say...a jon boat and trolling motor will cover it.
> The word back in the day was when the zoo had too many gators they brought them to Sheldon. I don't if that's true.
> Yeah we lived on White Cedar and then Stillington in Woodforest West. It just got a bit too intense.
> I remember when Uvalde was a terrible 2 lane humped back road. We used to ride bicycles from Oates Prairie down Wallisville Rd. to the YMCA before Wallisville was paved. Dang I'm OLD!


 Got a couple of years on you, I'll be 70 in August. And you Woodforest guys are too rich for an old Galena Park boy!:rotfl: I even married a Cloverleaf girl 51 years ago and still together.
Also old enough to remember freezing with Dad and an uncle duck hunting in Sheldon. On Pineland an old beer joint, the Pineland Club, rented boats to hunt and fish from. Don't ever remember any camo but they still killed ducks. It was one of those trips for a little kid that you couldn't wait to go on and couldn't wait to get home to get warm.
And calling Uvalde terrible is too nice. That asphalt would heat and flow in the summer and the humps move around. At least the tank-trap holes pretty well stayed in about the same places.
Around '74 gators were on the endangered species list so they brought their "surplus" from Herman zoo to Sheldon. We watched them put several in but the real issue was they were 6'-8' class and almost hand fed all their lives. They had no fear of people who they thought were there to feed them.
We got a new "55 Chevy in '55. Going east on Wallisville from Maxey a couple of miles was a huge muscadine vine over the shell road. Dad would park the car under the vine, Mom put a quilt on the car roof and my younger brother and I picked the grapes to make jelly with.


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## redexpress (Apr 5, 2010)

I never did it but my younger brother would skip school and sneak shoot geese on Les Downey's place across Hwy 90 from the reservoir. I don't think he ever asked the Downeys, but they were old family friends and probably wouldn't care. When there wasn't much out there all those old families were good friends. Downeys had a smoking hot daughter too. A bit older than me.
Wallisville Road between Oates school and 610 had a boat ramp section on it. Seemed like 45 degrees. Herman Pendley took his 63 Chevy airborn on it, all 4 wheels. I don't know how fast he was going, I was in the back seat, but way too fast.
What was the name of that hardware store on 90? My Dad fly fished a lot...Sheldon and Luce's. People who never seen one would ask where to get one and Dad would send them to.....White City Hardware. Dad somehow ended up with a new fly outfit every spring. 
My dad got shot in those woods off Wallisville between Federal and Uvalde. Rabbit hunting at night with a friend. 22 shell entered his neck exactly between the 2 collarbones, followed a collarbone and lodged in his ribs. Rushed to the Tidelands hospital. Doc watched him overnight and just left it in. Made an interesting x-ray.
I got a lot of tracks around there...a lot of them barefoot.
I was 28 years old when I moved to Woodforest. I grew up in OST Acres...Oates Prairie. We thought anybody that had sidewalks and a brick house lived in River Oaks!


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## roninrus1 (May 27, 2004)

When White City Hardware closed down a guy (I worked with at Armco years later) bought all the fishing stuff for a lump sum. When I worked with him he would bring boxes of lures to work for us to pick thru.
When I was 10, I bought a True Temper fly rod from Tipton's Hardware for $10 with lawn mowing money. Tipton's was still on Market at the time. When fly fishing Sheldon near Garrett Rd. people would stop and ask what I was doing. They had never seen anyone flyfish before. Only flies I used for poppers.
Les Downey always seemed like a real nice guy. There was a place on SW corner of Pineland Hwy 90 intersection that sold beer. Dad always stopped after leaving the res for a cold one. Saw Downey there some and got to know him a little. Never saw his daughter, sounds like my loss. Dang ice-cold root beer sure was good after a morning of wading. The fields on both sides of 90, on south side of res, were rice fields. No businesses then.
With you on the bricks and sidewalks!

Man, this could go on for days.:cheers:


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## Harbormaster (May 26, 2000)

We used to come in from East Mount Houston Rd. and duck hunt the North border of Sheldon. Some fast action when they started pouring in to roost. One evening I shot a beautiful greenhead and wounded it. It swam through the fence onto the refuge. I went after it as I didn't want to shoot it again and tear it up. I chased it till it was almost too dark to see, so I went ahead and shot it.

We loaded up the 14 foot john bote and headed back to the truck on the side of the road. We got everything in the truck and George (Friend of my dads) had to take his waders off cause they had a leak. As he was taking them off a truck went by and his headlights lit us up enough for the 3 car loads of wardens to see us. They had us on the ground spread eagle while others were searching the truck. They took us to jail in Humble to see Judge Lee for shooting after legal shooting time.

They threw us in the drunk tank with all the filth and puke...nasty place. Finally Judge Lee came in and we went before him. I told him what happened and he said, "Son how old are you?" I told him I was 15 and he looked at the bailiff and said, "We need to talk!"

He said, "Next time leave the duck, something will eat it!" George paid the $60 fine and we went back to get our straps that were hanging on a stump. 

I've got lots of stories of that area too. :biggrin:


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## Harbormaster (May 26, 2000)

Anybody remember this bait stand on East Mount Houston Rd.? :smile:


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## roninrus1 (May 27, 2004)

95!!!!! Congratulations are in order for you Sir!
I won't even try to compare numbers of memories.
The was a fellow named Norman Smith who lived in the same area as the bait stand.
BIG **** HUNTER with a pack of outstanding hounds.
He was our barber in Galena Park and his shop was on Holland near our house on 11th.
Grew up **** hunting with him. He passed at home while taking a nap, around 1968.
We were to hunt that night.


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## roninrus1 (May 27, 2004)

You old timers, like me, may have seen my old 4x4 Scout at Sheldon in the late 60's. Body was orange and the top was painted as an American flag. Horizontal red and white stripes with blue with white stars around the windows. Big peace symbol on the tailgate and text that said "Stop The War, Nuke Hanoi". Not exactly the everyday peace symbol!


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## redexpress (Apr 5, 2010)

Dang this almost a reunion. Only bait shop I can remember was named maybe Luties?. Seemed it was on 90 at Greens Bayou. It was a looong time ago. There was another one around there I guess later. I barely remember somebody robbing the bait shop and killing the owner. I can't remember if it was Luties or another one.
Les Downey...him and Edith were very good friends of my folks. Daughter named Sharon. They were pretty well off. Had the land on the south side of 90 and a big ranch up around Madisonville I think. Les is who gave his brothers money to start Downey Bros. Homes. For whatever reason we shopped a good bit on Lyons Avenue. Not really a lot of choices other than Galena Park. So I'm about 8 years old sitting in the barber shop on Lyons Ave. waiting my turn. Les Downey is getting his hair cut, he leaves and the barber starts talking about him and how rich he was. Barber asked me if I know who that was....sure, Les Downey. I thought the barber was gonna choke or cough up a hairball or something. Funny the stupid little things you remember 60 years ago. 
Ehhh.....should I tell this?......what the heck...my Dad and his brother grew up with hunting dogs in the Louisiana river bottoms. They were into **** dog field trials around here...back in the 1940's--1950's. My uncle owned a kennel. Whenever Roy & Dale came for the rodeo they kenneled Bullet at my uncles. They all became good friends and Roy usually wanted to go hunting with them. My folks didn't talk about it much but would always say Roy & Dale were the nicest most down to earth folks you could know. They usually had a big barn dance for them at Downeys. I'm thinking this would have been late 1940's, maybe early to mid 50's.
Lots of old stories from back then.


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## tdgal (Jun 16, 2009)

*Sheldon*

I grew up off of Wallisvile road in Channelview, My dad used to drop us off at Sheldon reservoir for a day of fishing. We would fish all day, sometimes we walked around to the back side. Learned to watch for gators might fast !!!! Caught a lot of bass and crappie out of that hole.

As we got older we drove out there and took a jon boat and trolled around fishing, always launched at Garrett road parking lot. Never had any issues of course we had an old hand-me down beat-up GMC farm truck. LOL

Good luck where ever you go.


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## redexpress (Apr 5, 2010)

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/lylelovett/wallisvilleroad.html

Would have been more appropriate for the local boy Rodney Crowell to have sang it.


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## redexpress (Apr 5, 2010)

Harbormaster said:


> We used to come in from East Mount Houston Rd. and duck hunt the North border of Sheldon. Some fast action when they started pouring in to roost. One evening I shot a beautiful greenhead and wounded it. It swam through the fence onto the refuge. I went after it as I didn't want to shoot it again and tear it up. I chased it till it was almost too dark to see, so I went ahead and shot it.
> 
> We loaded up the 14 foot john bote and headed back to the truck on the side of the road. We got everything in the truck and George (Friend of my dads) had to take his waders off cause they had a leak. As he was taking them off a truck went by and his headlights lit us up enough for the 3 car loads of wardens to see us. They had us on the ground spread eagle while others were searching the truck. They took us to jail in Humble to see Judge Lee for shooting after legal shooting time.
> 
> ...


Judge Lee in Humble....man I ain't heard that name in decades. Thankfully I never met him.
Harbomaster maybe you or somebody else can jog my memory. There was a cafÃ© on Hwy 59 I think, somewhere around 1960. They served fried chicken and a lot of vegetables. They grew the vegetables right next to the cafÃ©. It was a favorite of a lot of folks but it was the same thing I ate at home. Athletic teams would stop there a lot. I want to say Log Cabin but the wife says she doesn't think so.


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## roninrus1 (May 27, 2004)

redexpress said:


> http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/lylelovett/wallisvilleroad.html
> 
> Would have been more appropriate for the local boy Rodney Crowell to have sang it.


Never had heard of that one before.
He could have mentioned watching the submarine races at night, over by the channel, while he was over by Lynchburg.


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## SeaOx 230C (Aug 12, 2005)

redexpress said:


> Judge Lee in Humble....man I ain't heard that name in decades. Thankfully I never met him.
> Harbomaster maybe you or somebody else can jog my memory. There was a cafÃ© on Hwy 59 I think, somewhere around 1960. They served fried chicken and a lot of vegetables. They grew the vegetables right next to the cafÃ©. It was a favorite of a lot of folks but it was the same thing I ate at home. Athletic teams would stop there a lot. I want to say Log Cabin but the wife says she doesn't think so.


Log Cabin it was at the corner of Old Humble and 59..... We used to get the fried chicken necks and backs for cheap. Mama didn't mind as the neck her favorite part of the chicken.

I remember that bait camp well one member or another of my family owned a house on Danford off East Mt houston for at least 40 years. We lived in Sheldon woods in the seventies fished the reservoir and Eisenhower park below the dam and the big eddy.


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## tbone2374 (Feb 27, 2010)

Used to attend church @ Holland Ave. Baptist, in Galena Park. Back in the day, one didn't mess with Galena Park or Jacinto City, Cops. Had an old friend, Gary Freeman, that became Police Chief, and later Precient 7 Constable. Pulled up one day around lunch time @ Federal and Market, and Mickey Gilley, was sitting in a Corvette convertible, beside me. Oh, those were the days!!!LOL


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## flipflop (Jul 31, 2016)

redexpress said:


> I never did it but my younger brother would skip school and sneak shoot geese on Les Downey's place across Hwy 90 from the reservoir. I don't think he ever asked the Downeys, but they were old family friends and probably wouldn't care. When there wasn't much out there all those old families were good friends. Downeys had a smoking hot daughter too. A bit older than me.
> Wallisville Road between Oates school and 610 had a boat ramp section on it. Seemed like 45 degrees. Herman Pendley took his 63 Chevy airborn on it, all 4 wheels. I don't know how fast he was going, I was in the back seat, but way too fast.
> What was the name of that hardware store on 90? My Dad fly fished a lot...Sheldon and Luce's. People who never seen one would ask where to get one and Dad would send them to.....White City Hardware. Dad somehow ended up with a new fly outfit every spring.
> My dad got shot in those woods off Wallisville between Federal and Uvalde. Rabbit hunting at night with a friend. 22 shell entered his neck exactly between the 2 collarbones, followed a collarbone and lodged in his ribs. Rushed to the Tidelands hospital. Doc watched him overnight and just left it in. Made an interesting x-ray.
> ...


That's crazy you knew my second cousin Herman Pendley. Never got to meet him before he died. I was barely old enough to remember his funeral. My mother always talked about how crazy he was. I also got to cut my teeth around the Sheldon, wallisville, hwy90 and van rd areas.

Sent from my SM-J700T using Tapatalk


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## roninrus1 (May 27, 2004)

tbone2374 said:


> Used to attend church @ Holland Ave. Baptist, in Galena Park. Back in the day, one didn't mess with Galena Park or Jacinto City, Cops. Had an old friend, Gary Freeman, that became Police Chief, and later Precient 7 Constable. Pulled up one day around lunch time @ Federal and Market, and Mickey Gilley, was sitting in a Corvette convertible, beside me. Oh, those were the days!!!LOL


Know Gary thru Mary, Gary's wife. She grew up in GP and when in hi-school lived for a while with my wife and her family. Best friends with my wife's sister.
I grew up a couple of blocks south of that church on 11th st. Worked at the Phillip's 66 station on corner of Holland and 11th while in hi-school.
Gilley is a bit older than me but was friends with my parents.


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## dlpollard1 (Apr 19, 2017)

I sold Mickey Gilley 2 cars. Just saw him Friday night in Tomball. Still touring. My step dad has been his drummer for 20+ years. Heckuva nice guy, gets me on the golf course when i visit Mom in Branson, Mo.


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## redexpress (Apr 5, 2010)

dlpollard1 said:


> I sold Mickey Gilley 2 cars. Just saw him Friday night in Tomball. Still touring. My step dad has been his drummer for 20+ years. Heckuva nice guy, gets me on the golf course when i visit Mom in Branson, Mo.


I was watching an overhaul in a turbo shop a couple years ago and one of the Millwrights was from around Ferriday, and he said Mickey was well thought of around there and gave back to the community. His cousin, not so much.
I was listening to Michael Berry last week and he was firing off on Pasadena city council for refusing to name a street after Mickey Gilley. I think he still has a house there.


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## redexpress (Apr 5, 2010)

flipflop said:


> That's crazy you knew my second cousin Herman Pendley. Never got to meet him before he died. I was barely old enough to remember his funeral. My mother always talked about how crazy he was. I also got to cut my teeth around the Sheldon, wallisville, hwy90 and van rd areas.
> 
> Sent from my SM-J700T using Tapatalk


Herman was older than me..maybe 4 years. He was one of those guys that you always heard being talked about. It was kinda of "an honor" just to say you were in his company somewhere. To say I "knew" him would be a stretch. He ran with older brothers of my friends. 
Correct me if I'm wrong...but didn't Herman race a white GTO at the local drag strips? I can't remember the name of the girl he married. It's on the tip of my tongue. Unless I'm all messed up, and that's likely, her Dad worked for Shell at Deer Park.
edit add: Sheila Keeling???


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## redexpress (Apr 5, 2010)

tbone2374 said:


> Used to attend church @ Holland Ave. Baptist, in Galena Park. Back in the day, one didn't mess with Galena Park or Jacinto City, Cops. Had an old friend, Gary Freeman, that became Police Chief, and later Precient 7 Constable. Pulled up one day around lunch time @ Federal and Market, and Mickey Gilley, was sitting in a Corvette convertible, beside me. Oh, those were the days!!!LOL


Oh yes, those were the days. Federal @ Market...Ritzees drive in on one corner and Prince's across the street. Talk about a madhouse on Saturday night. Who was it that shot all the plate glass windows out of Prince's with a machine gun brought back from VietNam?


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## dlpollard1 (Apr 19, 2017)

redexpress said:


> I was watching an overhaul in a turbo shop a couple years ago and one of the Millwrights was from around Ferriday, and he said Mickey was well thought of around there and gave back to the community. His cousin, not so much.
> I was listening to Michael Berry last week and he was firing off on Pasadena city council for refusing to name a street after Mickey Gilley. I think he still has a house there.


He does still have the house out there. Nice spread. I sent him the link to the article on the street name. He was flattered, but get the feeling its not too big of a deal for him. He says the touring still keeps him alive, and he does it a lot and all over. We used to play golf, but he had an accident and can no longer hold the clubs or play the piano. Not playing golf hurts him more than the piano, I think.


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## roninrus1 (May 27, 2004)

redexpress said:


> Oh yes, those were the days. Federal @ Market...Ritzees drive in on one corner and Prince's across the street. Talk about a madhouse on Saturday night. Who was it that shot all the plate glass windows out of Prince's with a machine gun brought back from VietNam?


I don't think that name should be broadcast. It was years ago but this guy has kinda put that stuff behind him. At least that is what I heard.:cheers:

And there were some wild cars came thru those 2 places looking for a money race. Saw NHRA national champ's and record holders rolled off trailers and raced on Penn City road. LOTS of money changed hands on those races.


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## redexpress (Apr 5, 2010)

roninrus1 said:


> I don't think that name should be broadcast. It was years ago but this guy has kinda put that stuff behind him. At least that is what I heard.:cheers:
> 
> And there were some wild cars came thru those 2 places looking for a money race. Saw NHRA national champ's and record holders rolled off trailers and raced on Penn City road. LOTS of money changed hands on those races.


On further thought, I agree about publicizing the name. I can't remember specifically who it was anyway. 
Yes, there were some money races on Penn City Rd. I had a new 1969 Roadrunner but most of that racing seemed to be maybe a year or 2 before. At any rate I don't remember racing it on Penn City. Anywhere else was OK though! I did foul spark plugs a lot idling through Prince's and Ritzee. Used to go looking at scenery at South Houston Ritzee as well.


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## waterspout (May 21, 2004)

MY dad coached football at GP high school. he was around when a lot of the famous now folks went through. Rodney Crowell is a friend of his now. I ran with Gregg lley for year. I remember Mickey in the GP high school auditorium. Gary Freeman is still around. Rodney still chats with dad. He was a couch at GP for years. Mom taught at GP also. Heck ZZ Top played at the GP high Black and Gold celebration. I thik It was Billy Gibbons went there. Galena park has had some big names go through it. gilley and ZZtop did shows there.


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## waterspout (May 21, 2004)

OH,, YOU Jacinto city peeps. Any of yall have Mr"RED"Jones for a principal or Mr Wallis


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## flipflop (Jul 31, 2016)

redexpress said:


> Herman was older than me..maybe 4 years. He was one of those guys that you always heard being talked about. It was kinda of "an honor" just to say you were in his company somewhere. To say I "knew" him would be a stretch. He ran with older brothers of my friends.
> Correct me if I'm wrong...but didn't Herman race a white GTO at the local drag strips? I can't remember the name of the girl he married. It's on the tip of my tongue. Unless I'm all messed up, and that's likely, her Dad worked for Shell at Deer Park.
> edit add: Sheila Keeling???


Yeah he raced several different cars but that GTO was special. He did marry Sheila. Sweet sweet woman. She's still in the humble area.

Sent from my SM-J700T using Tapatalk


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## redexpress (Apr 5, 2010)

waterspout said:


> MY dad coached football at GP high school. he was around when a lot of the famous now folks went through. Rodney Crowell is a friend of his now. I ran with Gregg lley for year. I remember Mickey in the GP high school auditorium. Gary Freeman is still around. Rodney still chats with dad. He was a couch at GP for years. Mom taught at GP also. Heck ZZ Top played at the GP high Black and Gold celebration. I thik It was Billy Gibbons went there. Galena park has had some big names go through it. gilley and ZZtop did shows there.


I thought Rodney Crowell lived in Jacinto City maybe through junior high then moved to Crosby. First pic of him I saw on a CD I thought I've seen him before. He would have been a year or 2 behind me wherever he was. 
Furr being a junior and senior high, and the smallest school in HISD, was unusual in that the kids in junior high knew a lot of the older kids and vice versa to some extent. 
I thought Billy Gibbons' Dad was a big band leader from the rich side of Houston. I could be way wrong on that. I did rub elbows with Gibbons a bit at South Texas Jr. College. And like a lot of folks paid $1 to listen to him at Love Street Light Circus.
I wonder if the fish are biting in Sheldon??LOL


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## wwind3 (Sep 30, 2009)

Re: Rodney Crowell---someone said he graduated from Crosby and attended a reunion...it was said he awakened everyone in the middle of the night howling at the moon and eating pine cones. I have no independent verification of this but it seems maybe he graduated from Crosby.......


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## redexpress (Apr 5, 2010)

I think you're right about him graduating from Crosby. As corny as it sounds I vaguely remember hearing something about him being at the opening of the new US90 Crosby Freeway.


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## roninrus1 (May 27, 2004)

redexpress said:


> I thought Rodney Crowell lived in Jacinto City maybe through junior high then moved to Crosby. First pic of him I saw on a CD I thought I've seen him before. He would have been a year or 2 behind me wherever he was.
> Furr being a junior and senior high, and the smallest school in HISD, was unusual in that the kids in junior high knew a lot of the older kids and vice versa to some extent.
> I thought Billy Gibbons' Dad was a big band leader from the rich side of Houston. I could be way wrong on that. I did rub elbows with Gibbons a bit at South Texas Jr. College. And like a lot of folks paid $1 to listen to him at Love Street Light Circus.
> I wonder if the fish are biting in Sheldon??LOL


"Love Street Light Circus" and Feel Good Machine!
Ain't heard that one in a while!
Usually could hear the music on the grass outfront for free with lots of available "scenery".
Walking distance to Old Quarter or Market Square.
We were there at the B & G Revue to pay a buck to see Top. Don't remember Gibbons being in school in GP. 
The year I graduated they had Roy Head and not many went.
The old Metropolitan Theatre had midnight KLOL concerts for $1.01. Saw Bob Segar and original Brownsville Station. Brownsville did about 6 encores. One of the best jams I ever saw. Then Segar came out and couldn't compare. Bet he never did another concert w/them as first band.
And the Sunday afternoon concerts at UH. That was where I met Townes Van Zant. 
And Sheldon is probably muddy from wind and rain. :rotfl:


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## redexpress (Apr 5, 2010)

^^^That was an interesting scene at Love Street for a couple years. Moving Sidewalk (ZZ Top), Johnny Winters before he got the big Columbia contract. Saw Tower of Power there once. Impressive. Don't get me started on the Catacombs.
I'm about to wear the internet out. Laying on my back on the couch with 4 herniated discs, waiting on a surgery opening with Dr. MacDougall. Talking about a ruined summer. Dammit I even cancelled our trip to Eldora Speedway dirt track for the NASCAR truck race.


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## roninrus1 (May 27, 2004)

redexpress said:


> ^^^That was an interesting scene at Love Street for a couple years. Moving Sidewalk (ZZ Top), Johnny Winters before he got the big Columbia contract. Saw Tower of Power there once. Impressive. Don't get me started on the Catacombs.
> I'm about to wear the internet out. Laying on my back on the couch with 4 herniated discs, waiting on a surgery opening with Dr. MacDougall. Talking about a ruined summer. Dammit I even cancelled our trip to Eldora Speedway dirt track for the NASCAR truck race.


Don't know about yours but I had surgery in 2011 for herniated discs. Felt so good to wake up pain free. Wife had a hard time keeping me down after hurting bad for months. Just don't lift anything heavy! You will be surprised how hard it is not to go overboard. Good Luck!


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