Few fishing spots in Arizona come with a National Register listing. Encanto Park began in 1934 as Dorris-Norton Park, and the Works Progress Administration supervised its construction from 1935 to 1938, according to the Cultural Landscape Foundation. The clubhouse, lagoon and boat dock were among the first features finished. In 1984, about 100 acres of the park, including the lagoons and golf course, were listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Encanto-Palmcroft Historic District.
What anglers call Encanto Lake is that lagoon system. AZGFD lists 7.5 acres of water with a maximum depth of 10 feet, arranged as meandering lagoons and canals around Picnic Island, home of the Enchanted Island amusement park, rather than a single round basin. The water threads through a 222-acre city park that also holds a swimming pool, tennis and racquetball courts, ball fields and golf.
Encanto joined the Community Fishing Program in 1989. It suits families who want fishing as one part of a day out, and anglers who like working a shoreline with bends and bridges instead of a featureless bowl. It has also grown some large fish: AZGFD's 2018 guidebook lists Encanto as the source of the all-time urban records for common carp (30 lb 0.6 oz) and white amur (47 lb 1.6 oz), both from 2002.
Lake notes updated October 6, 2026No recent official weeks are listed for Encanto Lake right now. AZGFD may still add this water in a later schedule.
No stocking activity found for this period.
Encanto Park's address is 2605 N. 15th Ave., north of McDowell Road in the heart of Phoenix, and the park is open 5:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. The city lists the park as ADA accessible, with restrooms, drinking fountains, grills and picnic areas, shade structures and a playground.
The lagoons give you a lot of shoreline, but not all of it is open. AZGFD rules prohibit fishing from the golf course, as posted, so stick to the park side of the water. Swimming, wading and glass containers are prohibited, and alcohol requires a permit.
Private boats are not allowed. Pedal boats are rented from a dock between Enchanted Island and the Encanto Park clubhouse; renters must be at least 14 with photo ID, and hours change with the season.
Channel catfish return about every other week after the mid-September restart. The narrow canals concentrate fish, which helps while the water is still warm.
Rainbow trout season. With a 10-foot maximum depth, trout often hold in the wider, deeper sections of the lagoon rather than the shallow side channels.
Catfish stockings resume and AZGFD adds bluegill once in spring. Resident sunfish and carp become more active as the water warms.
No stockings during the summer break. Holdover catfish and sunfish can still be caught early and late, and the park is open until 11 p.m.
Encanto Park Lake is classified as a community Lake, so daily limits are 4 catfish, 4 trout, 2 bass (13-inch minimum), 10 sunfish and 1 white amur (30-inch minimum), with statewide limits on other species. Anglers 10 and older need a valid Arizona fishing or combination hunt and fish license; children under 10 do not. Fishing from the golf course is prohibited, and alcohol in the park requires a permit. See AZGFD for the current rules.
It is a connected system of meandering lagoons and canals totaling about 7.5 acres, wrapped around Picnic Island and the Enchanted Island amusement park.
AZGFD rules prohibit fishing from the golf course shoreline, as posted. Fish from the park side of the lagoons instead.
It was established in 1934 as Dorris-Norton Park and built between 1935 and 1938 under WPA supervision. Part of it has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1984.
Yes. AZGFD's 2018 guidebook lists Encanto as the source of the all-time urban records for common carp (30 lb 0.6 oz) and white amur (47 lb 1.6 oz).
Dates are AZGFD stocking weeks, not guaranteed plant days. How this data is sourced