Due to safety concerns, the Bishop Chamber of Commerce has made the difficult decision to reschedule the previously rescheduled 2023 Blake Jones Trout Derby. Originally, the event was set for March 11 th, but unusually heavy snow made holding the derby impossible at that time.

Organizers had hoped conditions would improve by May 12 th , but the Owens River is running too high and too fast. Access to other waters is limited due to ice, snow removal and road repairs. New date for Blake Jones will be Saturday, September 16 th , 2023.

“We’re sorry to have to do this, but safety of our guests is our highest priority,” explains Event Coordinator April Leeson.

Conditions should improve greatly by mid-September. Flows in the Owens will likely stabilize and upper elevation lakes like Sabrina and South Lake will be open and ice-free. Pleasant Valley Reservoir should be good as well. The derby will follow the same format – registration, weigh-in and prize ceremony at the Tri-County Fair & Event Center. It will be a blind bogey with plenty of prizes for all.   Derby participants that have already registered may choose to rollover the fees to the new date or receive a refund.

“We’re grateful for all the hard work of the land and water management agencies as well as road repair crews.  This winter has been a tough one and we know everyone is working as hard as possible to get us safe access to all the places we love to recreate. We’ll just have to be patient,” adds Tawni Thomson, Chamber Executive Director.

Note: California Department of Fish and Wildlife has not changed the date for the General Trout Season Opener – Saturday, April 29 th . The Bishop Chamber, LADWP and Inyo County encourage anyone who is fishing or otherwise recreating in the region to be extra careful around all waterways. Please obey all road closures and pay attention to posted warning signs.

A silver lining… “We may get a bit of a late start this year, but we’ll see great fishing later into the season.  Summer and fall will be wonderful with full lakes and flowing streams,” adds Thomson.