We’re Just Getting Started at Lake Isabella!
First and foremost, on behalf of the Lake Isabella staff and all of Great Parks of Hamilton County we would like to welcome you back to the lake for 2014! For those of you who are just joining us or have not had the wonderful opportunity to visit our park we would like to welcome you! We have a lot in store this year!

Tournaments & Clinics
New this year we have brought back an old favorite: Midnight Madness Catfish Tournament! Three tournaments throughout the season on May 17, June 21, and July 19, offer anglers the chance at bragging rights and a handsome pool! The entry fee is only $40 per team (boats available for an additional fee) – you’d be mad not to try this tournament!

Also new this year are weekly fishing clinics open to anyone and everyone who wants to learn the basics of fishing or reacquaint themselves with the most exciting (and relaxing) outdoor sport around. Dates and times are soon to come! We also offer instructional fishing classes for groups such as youth and senior groups, 4H, boy scouts and girl scouts to name a few for only $5 per participant.

Evening Activities
Are you looking for a way to unwind after a long work week with fantastic food, live music and cold beer as you look out upon a quiet pristine lake? Look no further than our Friday Night Grill Outs! This ever popular event will be held every Friday from May 23–August 29. And after you’ve had your fill of food and music, wet a line and relax on the dock, because we will be open all night! Starting May 2 we will be open from 7 a.m. Friday to 9 p.m. Sunday. Stop on by any time of the weekend and we will be there to guide you on your way to catching a Kodak moment-worthy fish!

Rainbow Trout
For those anglers who didn’t have the chance or perhaps the luck to fight a rainbow trout last fall, now is your chance! Our spring stocking of rainbow trout is more than double of what we stocked in the fall. In March, 2,250 pounds of healthy rainbow trout was stocked. Our final stocking of 500 pounds of rainbow trout was this morning. The water is beginning to warm up, so they won’t be here for long!

I’m sure you’re wondering how in the world to catch these trout. From fisherman surveys, the most popular baits and lures this season are:

1. Powerbait – Green, yellow, Captain America, red and orange are the most popular colors. Make sure to get the floating formula with glitter to add that extra flash!
2. Live minnows – Simple and basic. Hook them through the lips or behind the dorsal fin for best results. A man this past Sunday caught five trout by simply drifting minnows four feet or so off the bottom.
3. Little Cleo – These simple spoons are found in our boathouse and have the most consistent catches of any lures sold. Gold, gold/red and silver are the most producing of our colors.
4. Popeyes and Jigs – Tip these little guys with a wax worm, red worm or minnow, and you should have no problem enticing a finicky trout.
5. Rooster Tails – These are Little Cleo’s biggest competition! They offer a flashier display and vibrations that the Little Cleo can’t on windy or overcast days where low light and turned up sediment cloud the water. White, gold and redhead are the most used colors with fantastic results.

Remember, trout locations are directly related to the direction and force of the wind. They often stack up on structure and ledges close to shore going with the wind. Most of the fish that have been caught range from 2.5–3 pounds with an average length of 15 inches. With the weather being as crazy and unpredictable as it is, it’s best to come with several bait options and lures to exploit the conditions. If you forgot your favorite lure, chances are we have it in in our boathouse. Also, the water temperature is still hovering only degrees above painfully cold and hypothermia cold, so the trout are as happy as can be!

Bluegills & Catfish
If rainbow trout aren’t your fish of choice, then how about some hybrid bluegills that will absolutely knock your socks off? If you haven’t had the chance to catch one let me be the first to tell you that they put up a fight and their size makes you wonder why they call them panfish – there is no way they will fit in a frying pan! April 4 is the annual stocking of hybrid bluegill. These fish are voracious eaters, and they’re caught quickly, so don’t miss out on the opportunity to catch a trophy panfish!

Rest assured, on April 11 we will begin our weekly stocking of channel catfish to satisfy all those cat lovers out there. There are still plenty of channel cats roaming the lake bottom as we speak, just waking up from winter. Channel catfish stocking runs all the way through summer and into fall ending September 26. Not to mention on May 16 and July 18 we will be stocking the lake with adult shovelheads and blue catfish to challenge anglers of all skill levels.

Boathouse Renovations
This year the boathouse has been completely overhauled and reorganized with you in mind! If you haven’t visited our boathouse recently you might be shocked to know that we now have even more of a selection of rods, reels and all the tackle you need! (No wall space is wasted in our boathouse!) Do you need catalpa worms for channel cats in your backyard pond? We have frozen and live (live availability varies). Need goldfish for those monster shovelheads? We have them, too! If you need it for a successful day on the water, then we have it!

If you have any questions, concerns, or comments drop us a line at 513-791-1663. Or, you are also more than welcome to stop in and visit!

Tyler Martin, Fishing Instructor, Lake Isabella