Isabella Lake Fishing Derby Official Rules

GENERAL RULES

May 20 to June 4, 2023

To qualify for any prize fish, each participant must be officially registered with the Isabella Lake Fishing Derby Committee before 7 a.m. on Saturday, May 20, 2023.

All Derby participants 16 years or older must have a valid California Sport Fishing License in their possession. Children under 16 are not required to have a California Fishing License.

Registration fees are $40 for adults and $15 for youth anglers ages 15 and under.

A copy of your 2023 registration entry form will not be returned to you. All participants must register with the Fishing Derby Headquarters before fishing. Register your entry:

Online via the Kern River Valley Chamber of Commerce website at www.kernrivervalley.com until 7 a.m. May 20, 2023.
By mailing Entry Forms and Payments to: Kern River Valley Chamber of Commerce, PO Box 567 Lake Isabella, CA 93240.
In person at the Kern Valley Chamber of Commerce at 6416 Lake Isabella Blvd, until 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 17, 2023.
In person at the Kern River Valley Eagles Lodge at 12251CA-178, Mountain Mesa, CA, between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Friday, May 19, 2023.
NO IN-PERSON REGISTRATIONS WILL BE TAKEN ON THURSDAY, MAY 18, OR SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2023.

All fish must be caught under the current California Sport Fishing Regulations guidelines. The Derby officially starts at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 20, 2023, and officially ends at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 4, 2023.

No fish will be received before 8:00 a.m. Saturday, May 20, 2023. Any fish caught before a.m. on Saturday, May 20, 2023, will not be eligible for prizes.

DO NOT REMOVE THE TAG FROM FISH BEFORE VERIFICATION / ALL TAGGED TROUT CAUGHT OPENING WEEKEND MUST BE CHECKED IN AT DERBY HEADQUARTERS!

***$10,000 Tagged Trout is ONLY valid May 20 and 21, 2023. You must have purchased the official derby T-shirt or Derby hat before the catch to qualify. The tagged trout value is limited to $5,000 on opening weekend if the above purchase was not made. The $10,000 trout reduces to $1,000 if caught between May 22 and June 4, 2023.

All tagged fish must be freshly caught within the footprint of Isabella Lake. To qualify for prizes, participants must be registered and show proper identification. Each winner is responsible for paying any and all taxes on any prize(s) won and must authorize the deduction of such taxes, if any, from the prize(s) to the extent required by law. Any angler caught submitting another angler’s catch as their own will be disqualified from the event, and all prize money due will be forfeited.

The Fishing Derby will take place as scheduled, regardless of weather conditions.

To help prevent the introduction of invasive species, fishermen are reminded to inspect and clean all equipment (boats, trailers, paddles, etc.) to remove all soil, seed and plant materials before entering Isabella Lake.

The Isabella Lake Fishing Derby is under a special use permit with the Sequoia National Forest and operates on a nondiscriminatory basis. To file a complaint alleging discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington D.C. 20250-9410 or call toll-free, 866-632-9992.