Dust off the cabin fever and dig the fishing gear out of storage. Fishing season is finally here! The Hamilton County Park District is stocking 750 pounds of beautiful rainbow trout at Lake Isabella Friday, March 1.

The boathouse at Lake Isabella is supplied to the gills with all of the live bait and trout tackle you will need for a successful fishing trip. The early season stockings are historically the best trout fishing of the year. This is mostly due to the water temperature, which is hovering just below 40 degrees. Rainbow trout thrive in cold water and eat immediately after being released into the lake.

Anglers have a few different options to throw at these fish. For the live bait fishermen, minnows are a great choice. Fish them on light line, with a #6 hook and very small split shot. Use the smallest bobber that will stay afloat and experiment with your depth. Begin in the two to four feet range and go deeper if you are not getting bites.

For the fishermen who prefer throwing artificial lures, there are many great types of baits to choose from. Little Cleo spoons and very small in-line spinners always work well at Lake Isabella. The best lures of choice vary from day to day depending on the weather. Ask the guys working at the boathouse; they will be excited to share their advice with you.

A total of 2,250 pounds of trout will be stocked at Lake Isabella during the month of March. A State fishing license is not required. A 2013 motor vehicle permit is required and anglers can purchase their fishing tickets at the boathouse. Adults fishing tickets are $10.00 per day; seniors pay $2.50 per day or $25.00 per year; and children pay $1.00 per day or $10.00 per year.

Send us pictures of your fish and we will include them in our Fishin’ Line reports. Please e-mail them to fishinline@greatparks.org.

Neal Ramsey, District Recreation Manager