The fishing water at Steele Indian School Park is officially a pond, and that label matters. AZGFD lists it as Steele Indian School Pond, 2.5 acres with a maximum depth of 12 feet, and community Ponds carry daily limits half those of community Lakes. Anglers who arrive expecting the 4-trout limit of a lake like Encanto will need to stop at two here.
The park has a history unlike any other fishing spot in the program. It occupies part of the former Phoenix Indian School, a federal boarding school for Native American children founded in 1891 that operated for nearly a century before closing in 1990. After a land exchange brought the grounds to the city, Phoenix developed them as a park named for local businessman and philanthropist Horace C. Steele, whose foundation donated $2.5 million to start the work. The park opened in November 2001. Historic school buildings still stand, and the city runs a Phoenix Indian School Visitor Center on site.
The pond is one piece of a chain of water features and a tree-lined canal laid out along the spine of the 72-acre park, a design its landscape architects say recalls Phoenix's history as a city of gardens. A light rail station named for the park makes it easy to reach without a car, which suits a lunch-hour or after-work session for anyone who lives or works along Central Avenue.
Lake notes updated October 6, 2026No recent official weeks are listed for Steele Indian School Park Lake right now. AZGFD may still add this water in a later schedule.
No stocking activity found for this period.
The park entrance is at 300 E. Indian School Rd., east of Central Avenue and north of Indian School Road, and the park is open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. The Valley Metro light rail station at Central Avenue and Indian School Road, a B Line stop also known as Steele Indian School Park station, is a few blocks west of that address, with connections to bus routes 0 and 41.
The city lists the park as ADA accessible, with restrooms, drinking fountains, grills and picnic areas, shade structures, a playground, basketball and volleyball courts and a dog park. AZGFD rules prohibit swimming, wading and glass containers, alcohol requires a permit, and boating is not allowed.
Steele Indian School is Phoenix's premier special-event park, with Memorial Hall and a large group ramada area available to rent, so check the city park page before planning a trip around a big weekend.
Catfish stockings restart after the summer break and arrive about every other week. The pond limit is two catfish per angler per day.
Rainbow trout season, with a two-trout daily limit. The 12-foot maximum depth gives trout somewhere to go on bright days, so vary bait depth before moving spots.
Catfish are stocked again, and the program adds one sunfish stocking in spring. Rising water temperatures push the best fishing toward mornings and evenings.
Community waters are not stocked through the hottest months. Holdover catfish and sunfish remain for early-morning anglers.
As a community Pond, Steele Indian School carries the reduced daily limits: 2 catfish, 2 trout, 1 bass (13-inch minimum), 5 sunfish and 1 white amur (30-inch minimum), with statewide limits for other species. Once you reach the limit for a species, you must stop fishing for it. Anglers 10 and older need a valid Arizona fishing or combination hunt and fish license; children under 10 fish free. Check AZGFD for the current regulations.
A pond. AZGFD lists it as Steele Indian School Pond, so the daily limits are 2 catfish, 2 trout, 1 bass, 5 sunfish and 1 white amur.
Yes. The Indian School/Central Ave. station on the Valley Metro B Line, also known as Steele Indian School Park station, is a few blocks west of the park entrance.
The Phoenix Indian School, a federal boarding school for Native American students that closed in 1990. The park opened in 2001, and several historic school buildings remain.
Dates are AZGFD stocking weeks, not guaranteed plant days. How this data is sourced