Annual Isabella Lake Fishing Derby

Event Details

This year's Derby will be offering over $200,000.00 in prize money as well as many free prizes and raffle items for everyone. Many local and regional sponsors are already on board, and the derby will again be offering 10 prize fish worth $10,000 each, and one fish sponsored by the Kern River Valley Chamber of Commerce worth $21,000.00 to celebrate the 24th year of the Derby. The Isabella Lake Fishing Derby is the largest amateur trout fishing derby in the country, and in the past 20 years, lucky fisher (men, women and children) have caught over $230,000.00 worth of trout during the three day event. Recently two lucky fishermen, one from Bodfish and one from Bakersfield, California each caught one of the $10,000 fish.

In addition to the $52,000.00 worth of tagged trout in the lake, we will also be giving away $1,000.00 for the largest trout by length caught in the derby. Everyone that is registered for the Derby, will be automatically eligible for this prize. The trout does not have to be tagged. Last year's Derby produced a cool $1,000.00 for a woman from Delano, California who caught a 23 ½" rainbow.

The Derby Committee in conjunction with our partners from the Fish & Game Habitat Club, is also involved in restocking Isabella Lake to help insure it remains one of the best trout producing lakes in the region. Proceeds from the Derby are used for this effort. Trophy Trout plants are being planned for December and in March a couple of weeks before the Derby. In addition to the Trophy Trout, the Derby Committee and Habitat Club plant 13,000 trout over a pound each two days before the Derby.

Watch our web site for information and updates on opening of registration and additional prize opportunities as they come available.