BIG BEAR LAKE— Due to the Line Fire flaring back up beginning on Sept. 29, city officials pulled various permits for events (and there were a significant amount of them) going on in Big Bear last weekend including WON Big Bear Troutfest. The fire has charred nearly 50,000 acres at press time.At this point, there is no plan to reschedule Troutfest, so fans of the long-running event will be looking forward to the Derby returning (perhaps bigger and betterto make up for it) in 2025.
“I was very disappointed to hear that it had been canceled by the city due to the fire’s resurgence,” said WON Tournament Director Billy Egan. “We would have loved to run the event for all of our anglers, it is best to take caution for everybody’s safety and return next year with another installment of Troutfest.”
On October 2, USFS Operational Sections Chief Mark Lamont said firefighters have made “excellent progress” against the fire” and that “two main teams worked the fire: one on the west, and one on the east, where much of the action had moved.”
Also at press time, SR-38 was closed at Lake Williams, and SR- 330 also was closed to northbound traffic from Highland Avenue to SR-18 in Running Springs. SR-18 remains open in both directions.
Anglers that purchased tickets for the 2024 Big Bear Troutfest, can visit WONews.com and fill out a survey with the following options: Roll your entry to Lake Hemet Big Trout Campout April 26-27, 2025, or into Big Bear Troutfest 2025 taking place September 27-28, 2025, or WON can process a refund back to the original form of payment.
Click HERE to select one of those options.
