Lake Poway is located approx. 20 miles northeast of the city of San Diego. From Interstate 15, exit Rancho Bernardo Road and travel east 4 miles to Lake Poway Road. Turn left and follow to park entrance.

General Info:

    Lake Poway dam was built in 1972 to provide an additional water source for the local community. The lake is open for boating and fishing Wednesday through Sunday, sunrise to sunset. Entrance fee is $5 per vehicle. The park features picnic table, bbqs and softball fields. For more information, visit Poway web site or call (858) 668-4772.

Camping Info:

    Camping is allowed at the Lake Poway Wilderness Campground, located at the base of the dam. The campground is inaccessible by vehicle, so campers must walk in one mile on a moderately difficult trail. There are eight campsites with picnic tables, an amphitheater, restrooms, and horse corrals. For facility and campground reservations, call (858) 679-4342.

Boating Info:

    Rowboats, motor boats, sailboats, and paddle boats are available for rent at the consession stand. No private boats are allowed. Float-tubing is no longer allowed because of the quagga mussel threat.

Fishing Info:

    The lake is stocked weekly with 1,200 lb. of rainbow trout, November through mid-May and catfish during the summer months. Fishing permits are $4.50 for adults, $2.00 for youth ages 8-15 years, and $2.00 for seniors (55 and over) on Thursdays. Children 7 years and under may fish off an adult permit with a one fish limit per permit. Night fishing is allowed from June-Sept. on Friday and Saturday nights from 4:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. There are also largemouth bass bluegill and crappie here. Be sure to visit the CDFW web site for complete regulations before heading out.

• Read and Post Poway Lake Fishing Reports Here

Lake Records:

Largemouth Bass : 18 pounds, 1oz caught by Mike Long in 2002.
Rainbow Trout : 17 pounds, 14oz caught by Mike Long in 1999.
Blue Catfish : 34 lbs. 8 oz. caught by Scott Marchese in 2008
Channel Catfish : 28 lbs. caught by Richard Kolas in 1981
Sunfish : 2 lbs 4 oz. caught by Zach Greim in 2006
Bluegill : 2 lbs. 8 oz. caught by Deadre McCullough in 2002

Comments and Tips:

Like many of the smaller trout-stocked lakes in San Diego county, Poway has a reputation of producing some record-sized largemouth bass. Using soft-plastic trout imitation lures is a good method to entice one of these hogs into biting.

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