I’ve been asked several times about bass fishing on Isabella and while I wont give up all of my secrets I will share some tips and techniques that should make your fishing trip there a successful one. I’ll be breaking this post up into 3 parts. This first part will cover some of the history of the lake, safety tips and stuff to do around the lake. In part 2 I’ll be covering my favorite type of fishing, bass, and part 3 I’ll cover crappie and trout fishing. With that said, I give you Lake Isabella, part 1.
Since mid 1979 I’ve been living in the middle of the Mojave Desert in a town called Ridgecrest. We are located about 90 miles south, as the crow flies, from Death Valley CA, 90 miles north of Palmdale and 90 miles east of Bakersfield, yes in the middle of no where. I remember thinking WTH, when my dad moved us out here from Tucson AZ but I soon discovered the best kept secret in CA, Lake Isabella, which is located about 60 miles to the west of us. Coming from Tucson, where we had to drive at least 2 hours to do any quality bass fishing, this gem of a lake was just what the doctor ordered.
Located in the low mountains of the southern end of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in Kern County, California. With an approximate elevation of only 2,500 feet the summer temps can exceed 100 degrees and well below freezing during the winter. While the lake does not get a lot of snow during the winter, I know there has been more than once that I’ve been fishing in the snow.
There are plenty of areas to camp around the lake. You can camp in improved camp grounds like Tilley Creek and Boulder Gulch with hookups or you can rough it in Stein Cove or Rabbit Island. Then there are always all of the hotels and lodges located in the town of Isabella, Kernville and Wofford Heights. If you want a nice place to stay I suggest The River View Lodge located on the river in Kernville. Give John a call at 760-376-6019 and be sure to tell him that BassnMan Mike sent ya!
There are plenty of places around the lake that you can pickup a bite to eat. I would have to say that my 2 favorite places for breakfast are The Dam Corner and Neldas diner, both located in Isabella. There is also a Vons grocery store in the town of Isabella if you want to pickup steaks to cook while camping.
When full, Lake Isabella is one of California’s largest man made reservoir at 11,000 acres. Formed in 1953 when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built the earthen dam and flooded the former towns of Isabella and Kernville. The lake has 2 dams, the Main Dam and the Auxiliary dam.
Be warned, especially when boating, there are a lot of unmarked underwater hazards, such as submerged fencing, predominately in the South Fork, old tree orchard and rock outcroppings and islands that can appear and disappear with the lake’s constant fluctuating level, the western shore line has a lot of them so beware because on my opinion nothing will spoil your day worse than hitting your lower end or hull of your boat on a rock pile.
Then there is the Borel Canal, which is an eight foot deep concrete channel that supplies water to the power plant downstream of the Auxiliary Dam. The canal cuts right through the western part of Lake Isabella where the water may be deceptively shallow. The canal offers great fishing all through out the year because it has turns, rock piles and because of its depth it allows fish an “escape” do deep water. In addition, because it supplies water to the power plant, there is always a flow of moving water running through it.
One of the biggest hazards at Isabella has to be the wind. Because the lake is located in a canyon the winds can pickup very quickly making it very dangerous, especially when attempting to cross open water. Over the years I’ve personally experienced days when there has been 4 foot swells so be careful. Historically the wind seems to be worse during the change of the seasons, with spring and fall being the worse. There have been plenty of times during the heat of summer that I have wished for some wind, HA!
My best safety tip would be to keep an eye on the sky above the dams. When you see the white haze starting to build above them start to get close to shore because like I stated above, the wind can pickup very quickly. I remember year’s back they had towers located in the south and north forks that had green, yellow and red lights that would warn you about the lake conditions. Of course green meant everything was fine, yellow meant the wind was getting bad and get close to shore and red meant to get off the lake NOW. I’m not sure why they stopped using the warning lights, possibly budget cuts but I really wish they would bring them back because more that 1 boat has been lost over the years due to the wind.
The law limits boating to the daytime use only, one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset. I know on the 4th of July they will allow you to put your boat on the lake after dark to view the yearly fireworks show but to the best of my knowledge that is the only time they allow you to be on the water after dark.
Of course, just like other lakes in CA, the speed limit is 5 mph within 200 feet of shore, within 100 feet of swimmers, near docks, marinas or within South Fork Wildlife Area. Alcohol or drug use is illegal while operating a boat and is a felony if such use causes death or serious injury. Conviction of intoxication while operating a boat may bring a $1,000 fine and six months in jail. Boat operators must be at least 16 years old. A US Coast Guard approved Personal Flotation Device must be on board for each person on the boat as well as a throw cushion, sounding device and some kind of signaling device.
Isabella is also one of the best boating deals in CA, yearly boat permits are only $45.00 for the calendar year, I believe 2 day permits are also available. For more permit information, call 760-379-2806. Permits are available at any marina and at several convenience stores in the Lake Isabella area including the mini mart located at Lake Isabella Boulevard and Highway 155 and at James Store in Kernville.
OK, that ends part one. Be sure to check back soon for parts 2 and 3 where I’ll be sharing some specific information on fishing my favorite lake.
Thanks for visiting my site. Be sure to tell all of your fishing buddies and come back soon.
Until Next Time, Good Luck and Tight Lines To Ya!
