Rex Emerson
Special to the Sun

On Nov. 14, the Kern River Valley Chamber of Commerce received two loads of Rainbow Trout for this year’s derby. At the time of delivery, the average weight of the fish were five to a pound. Since that time a group of 25 volunteers from the Fish and Game Habitat Club and the community have been feeding the trout twice daily no matter rain, snow, wind, etc.

On Tuesday, March 17, two members of the Kernville Fish Hatchery, Danny Zide and William Wilson, visited the fish culture pens to check the condition of the trout and get their current weight. The results were outstanding with each fish averaging a weight of one pound each! On Thursday and Friday before the Derby, members of the Fish & Game Habitat Club will be planting all 13,000 of these beautiful one-pound trout into the lake.

Danny Zide, left, and William Wilson, of Kernville Fish Hatchery, visited the fish culture pens to check the condition of the trout and get their current weight.

In addition to these beauties being planted and available for the derby, the Kern River Valley Chamber of Commerce purchased another load of Alpers Trophy Trout which will be planted in Isabella Lake on Monday March 30 and again on the Friday prior to the derby. The fish are ready, the derby committee with all 125 plus volunteers are ready, so let’s all have a great weekend of fishing with everyone catching fish and winning big prizes. If you have not yet registered to particpate in the 20th Annual Isabella Lake Fishing Derby, you can register online, or download an entry form at http://derby.kernrivervalley.com No registrations can be accepted after 7 a.m., April 4, so get those entries in.