Kennedy Lake is the fishing centerpiece of John F. Kennedy Park, a 162.7-acre City of Tucson metro park on the southwest side of the city. The lake covers about 10 acres and reaches a maximum depth of 12 feet. It is one of three city park lakes that Tucson Parks and Recreation manages jointly with the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) under the Community Fishing Program, which counts four Tucson-area waters in all.
That depth puts Kennedy in the middle of the city lakes: deeper than the 7-foot basin at Silverbell, nowhere near the 35 feet at Lakeside. A cast from almost any bank lands in water typical of the whole lake. AZGFD designates it a community Lake rather than a Pond, a classification for larger waters that carries the program’s higher daily bag limits.
Stocking follows the program calendar: channel catfish in fall and spring, rainbow trout in the cool months, and nothing from June 25 to September 15 because of summer heat. With a public pool, sports fields and playgrounds on the same grounds, Kennedy suits families who want a short fishing session folded into a park outing.
Lake notes updated October 6, 2026No recent official weeks are listed for Kennedy Lake right now. AZGFD may still add this water in a later schedule.
No stocking activity found for this period.
The park’s main address is 3700 S. Mission Rd., but the City of Tucson lists the lake itself at 3601 S. La Cholla Blvd. (AZGFD uses 3600), so anglers should head for the La Cholla Boulevard side of the park.
Facilities include ramadas, picnic tables, grills, restrooms, shaded playgrounds, tennis and volleyball courts, and a dog park (closed Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for maintenance). Kennedy Pool, a 25-yard pool with 1- and 3-meter diving boards and a wading pool, is also in the park. Swimming, wading and glass containers are prohibited at the lake.
Small craft are welcome within limits: boats 14 feet or shorter, canoes or kayaks up to 17 feet, licensing for motorized craft and no gas motors. Paddleboards are permitted, boating is daylight-only, and the boat ramp is for loading and unloading, not parking.
Catfish stocking picks back up once AZGFD’s summer no-stock window closes on September 15. Channel catfish feed most actively in low light, and the park’s 10:30 p.m. closing time leaves room for an evening session after sunset.
Rainbow trout take over the rotation in the cold months. AZGFD reports that the trout it raises and stocks test well below the state mercury standard, with no limit on meals, so this is the season to keep fish for the table if you want to.
Stocking continues through spring, swinging back toward catfish as the water warms. Any trout left over from winter become harder to find as temperatures climb.
No fish are stocked between June 25 and September 15. Catfish remain from earlier deliveries; fish the first hour of daylight or the evening before closing.
Kennedy Lake follows AZGFD’s Community Fishing Program rules for a Lake. The 2025-26 regulations set a daily limit of 4 catfish, 4 trout, 2 bass (13-inch minimum), 10 sunfish and 1 white amur (30-inch minimum), with statewide limits for all other species. AZGFD has proposed amending the bass limits at Kennedy and the other Tucson community lakes for 2027-28, so check azgfd.gov for the rules in effect before keeping a bass. Anglers 10 and older need a valid Arizona fishing or combination license; children under 10 can fish without one.
The City of Tucson and AZGFD list a maximum depth of 12 feet across roughly 10 acres.
Yes, during daylight hours and without a gas motor. Children 12 and under must wear life jackets.
No. AZGFD does not stock any community lakes or ponds between June 25 and September 15 because of extreme heat. Catfish stocking resumes in the fall, and trout follow in winter.
Children under 10 do not need a license. Anyone 10 or older must carry a valid Arizona fishing or combination license, which is required at all Community Fishing Program waters.
Dates are AZGFD stocking weeks, not guaranteed plant days. How this data is sourced