Scenic 395 - The Official Guide 2023

22 2023 Scenic 395 Kern River By Darla A. Baker The Daily Independent There is exciting news for anglers who flock to the Kern River Valley each year to participate in the world’s largest amateur trout derby. The 31st Annual Isabella Lake Fishing Derby will expand its official window of opportunity to catch over 500 tagged fish in a chance to win over $35,000 in prizes. The 2023 derby will kick off April 1 and continue through June 4. Historically, the fishing derby lasted three days, however, due to the pandemic, the time allotted to catch tagged fish was extended in 2021, giving anglers a greater chance at catching cash prizes. Tagged fish range in dollar amounts from $20 to one grand- daddy fish worth $10,000. The granddaddy fish, however, must be caught within the first three days of the derby, otherwise the purse is reduced if caught at a later date. “It was just a lot of fun and we had a big turnout… By spread- ing it out, the crowds still came but everyone still had plenty of shoreline, and they weren’t stacked on top of each other,” said Fred Clark, chairman of the derby. The first batch of 10,000 fish was raised by the Chamber of Commerce and will be released the last week of March for the angling community to enjoy. The second batch of fish weighing in at 10,000 pounds will come fromMount Lassen. Of these, 500 will be tagged for the derby. Said Clark, “We are going to be stocking roughly 14,000 to 15,000 pounds of trout for our opening weekend of the derby.” The public will be will also be invited to participate in the blind boogie during opening weekend where anglers can turn in trout of any size caught during the day before 4 p.m., with 10 draw- ings to commence at 4:30 p.m. Prizes totaling $1,000 per day will be awarded varying from $25 to $100 a piece. The Bobber Bowl will also be featured and will allow anglers to draw from for a chance to double or triple their winnings. According to Clark, the 2022 event featured the return of the derby headquarters this year. Said Clark, “This is something we have not been able to have for two years due to the pandemic.” All anglers will be required to register at the derby headquar- ters in order to participate. Isabella Lake was created by a dam on the Kern River and was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers starting in 1948. The fishing derby began in 1989 by the local Visitors Council to help bring tourists into the Kern River Valley. The event went from a one time economy builder, to the annual event. Today, it has grown into a very successful and fun event for individuals, families and serious anglers alike. Entry fee is $40 for adults, and $15 for youth age 15 and young- er. Entry fees are good throughout the duration of the derby equating to almost three months full of fishing. Said Clark, “You can come fill your wallet if you want to.” For more information, contact the Kern River Valley Chamber of Commerce at (760) 379-5236, or visit kernrivervalley.com . Once applications go live, Clark suggested individuals sign up online. The fish are pouring in for 2023 Isabella Lake Fishing Derby A happy angler during a previous Lake Isabella Fishing Derby. Photo courtesy Lake Isabella Fishing Derby/Facebook