Break out the rods! Isabella Lake Fishing Derby comes this weekend · 2019-04-12 · chase Fishing...
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Friday, April 12, 2019 www.ridgecrestca.com B10 The 2019 Isabella Lake Fishing Derby kicks off April 13-15, 2019, in the Kern River Valley. This event, now in its 30th year, started off small as a Kern River Valley Chamber of Com- merce-sponsored event designed to create some- thing new and fun that came after the local Whiskey Flat Days cele- bration up in Kernville and before the major hol- idays, designed to help the local economy and for everyone who loves the outdoors to partici- pate in and enjoy. From these humble small-town beginnings, the Isabella Lake Fishing Derby has grown into one of the largest public entry freshwater fishing tournaments in the state. The history of the der- by is varied and inter- esting and has changed along with the economy and angling regulations and conditions. From the lake being full during great water years to low during drought years, from a few hundred en- trants every year to thou- sands, and from a few prizes to many ways to win. What started with Chamber Sponsorship has turned into both local vendor and big company sponsorships like Berkley and Budweiser partici- pating in the festivities. The tournament has evolved and matured and above all has consistent- ly kept one thing in mind for entrants: Have fun and catch lots of fish! This event is all about fun and family and the Kern River Valley Cham- ber and all the derby sponsors have pulled out all the stops for the 30th year. The Chamber, in partnership with Red’s Marina, the DFW and the USFS, raises approx- imately 10,000 pounds of trout from early No- vember to right before the tournament. These fish are grown in the lake and are acclimated to wa- ter conditions and fed three times a day. And as they get larger, often- times fish must be re- leased early due to the pens becoming over- crowded. The icing on the cake: each year the Chamber brings in 5,000 pounds of Nebraska Tail walk- ers. These are trophy trout known for their fighting abilities and table quality and aver- age between five and 18 pounds! Plus, DFW stocks right before the Derby. Due to the great snow- pack the lake is filling up to its full capacity of 361,000 acre-feet this year. There are 10 different ways to win this year and Break out the rods! Isabella Lake Fishing Derby comes this weekend CONTINUED ON B1 PHOTOS COURTESY KERN RIVER VALLEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Transcript of Break out the rods! Isabella Lake Fishing Derby comes this weekend · 2019-04-12 · chase Fishing...
Friday, April 12, 2019 www.ridgecrestca.com B10
The 2019 Isabella LakeFishing Derby kicks offApril 13-15, 2019, in theKern River Valley.
This event, now in its30th year, started offsmall as a Kern RiverValley Chamber of Com-merce-sponsored eventdesigned to create some-thing new and fun thatcame after the localWhiskey Flat Days cele-bration up in Kernvilleand before the major hol-idays, designed to helpthe local economy andfor everyone who lovesthe outdoors to partici-pate in and enjoy.
From these humblesmall-town beginnings,the Isabella Lake FishingDerby has grown intoone of the largest publicentry freshwater fishingtournaments in the state.
The history of the der-by is varied and inter-esting and has changedalong with the economyand angling regulationsand conditions. From thelake being full duringgreat water years to lowduring drought years,from a few hundred en-trants every year to thou-sands, and from a fewprizes to many ways towin. What started withChamber Sponsorship
has turned into both localvendor and big companysponsorships like Berkleyand Budweiser partici-pating in the festivities.
The tournament hasevolved and matured andabove all has consistent-ly kept one thing in mindfor entrants: Have funand catch lots of fish!
This event is all aboutfun and family and theKern River Valley Cham-ber and all the derbysponsors have pulled outall the stops for the30th year. The Chamber,in partnership with Red’sMarina, the DFW andthe USFS, raises approx-imately 10,000 pounds
of trout from early No-vember to right beforethe tournament. Thesefish are grown in the lakeand are acclimated to wa-ter conditions and fedthree times a day. And asthey get larger, often-times fish must be re-leased early due to thepens becoming over-
crowded. The icing on the cake:
each year the Chamberbrings in 5,000 poundsof Nebraska Tail walk-ers. These are trophytrout known for theirfighting abilities andtable quality and aver-age between five and 18pounds! Plus, DFW
stocks right before theDerby.
Due to the great snow-pack the lake is fillingup to its full capacity of361,000 acre-feet thisyear.
There are 10 differentways to win this year and
Break out the rods! Isabella LakeFishing Derby comes this weekend
CONTINUED ON B1
PHOTOS COURTESY KERN RIVER VALLEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
over $26,000 in total prizes! Raf-fle items include a brand-new Sun-dolphin Boss 12 SS Fishing Kayak,a Honda Generator and cash. TheBobber Bowl, Lake TroutLotto, kids giveaways, on and on allkinds of ways to win. There arethree different prize slots this year.
Men’s and women’s divisions havetop prizes of $1,000 and $500 andchildren’s is $500 and $400. As anadded bonus, winners who pur-chase Fishing Derby T-shirts andhoodies get their winnings doubledfor the first slots in each division.
How do you win? Simple: catchthe longest trout!
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Friday, April 12, 2019 www.ridgecrestca.com B1
NEWLY REMODELED& READY TO SERVE YOU
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