Lake Miramar Fishing: Hours, Permits, Rules & the Loop

Lake Miramar (officially Miramar Reservoir) is a City of San Diego drinking-water lake in Scripps Ranch, open daily from sunrise to sunset except the first Tuesday of each month. Fishing costs $10 a day for adults on top of a California fishing license, and the lake is known for largemouth bass, catfish and seasonal trout. Most non-anglers come for the paved road that loops roughly five miles around the water.

Lake Miramar at a glance

Detail	What applies
Address	10710 Scripps Lake Drive, San Diego, CA 92131
Hours	Daily, sunrise to sunset
Closed	First Tuesday of each month; Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day
Fishing permit	Adults (16–65) $10, seniors (65+) $7, youth (8–15) $5, 7 and under free
Payment	Cash or check only
Private boat / kayak fee	$10 per boat, $7 per kayak or canoe
Not allowed	Swimming, wading, paddleboards, camping, ground fires, glass
Contact	619-668-2050, lakes@sandiego.gov

All of the above comes from the city’s Miramar Reservoir page, which is also where closures and water-quality notices are posted first.

Hours and the first-Tuesday closure

Miramar opens at sunrise and closes at sunset every day of the week, which makes it one of the easier city reservoirs to plan around. Other city lakes run their own schedules, so if you have fished elsewhere in the county, don’t assume the same days apply here.

The one rule that catches people out is the monthly closure: the reservoir is shut on the first Tuesday of every month. It is also closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day, but open on Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and Labor Day, which are some of its busiest days.

Because opening time follows sunrise, a summer visit can start before 6 a.m. while a December visit starts closer to 7 a.m. Anglers chasing bass usually aim for the first hour of light.

Fishing at Lake Miramar

Permits and licenses

You need two things to fish here if you are 16 or older:

1. A city fishing permit for the day, bought on site: $10 for adults 16 to 65, $7 for seniors 65 and over, $5 for youth 8 to 15, and free for children 7 and under. Bring cash or a check; cards are not accepted for city fees.
2. A California sport fishing license from the state. For 2026, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife lists a one-day license at $21.09, a two-day at $32.40 and an annual (365-day) resident license at $64.54. Buy it online before you go so you are not hunting for cell signal at the gate.

State bag and size limits apply on top of any lake rules, so check the CDFW regulations for the species you are targeting.

What you can catch

The city lists largemouth bass, sunfish, catfish, crappie, trout and carp. Miramar has a long reputation as a bass lake, and the rocky points and coves along the shoreline are the obvious places to start. Remember the gate closes at sunset, so there is no after-dark catfishing here. Trout are the cool-season option; if you want them specifically, check recent local fishing reports before driving over, since catches vary week to week.

Shore fishing vs. boat fishing

Shore access is good because the perimeter road hugs the lake for most of its length, so you can park, walk a few minutes and fish a quiet cove. The road also makes it easy to move spots if one area is crowded.

Private boats, canoes, kayaks and float tubes are allowed. The launch fee is $10 per boat or watercraft and $7 per kayak or canoe. Stand-up paddleboards are not permitted, and dogs cannot ride in boats.

One recent caveat: the city posted that the boat ramp would be unavailable from about October 27 to November 17 for San Diego County Water Authority pipeline maintenance. Shore fishing is unaffected, but if you plan to launch in November, confirm the ramp has reopened. The reservoir was also closed to boats from September 2023 until July 2024 while crews laid a Pure Water San Diego pipeline across the lake bottom, so work-related boating closures here are not unusual.

Rentals and the concession

Boat, kayak and bike rentals have been run by a private concessionaire on a Wednesday-to-Sunday schedule, but its online information is out of date and partly contradictory, with one notice saying concessions are closed and another saying they are open. Don’t count on renting anything or buying bait on site. Call the city lakes office first, or bring your own gear and tackle.

Check the water notice before you go

The city has posted an algae bloom advisory for Miramar. Some blooms can produce cyanotoxins, so the city asks visitors to avoid touching the water and to keep pets out of it until conditions improve. The city states the bloom does not affect treated drinking water. Advisories like this change, so look at the notice section of the official page on the morning you go, especially if you plan to handle fish or launch a kayak.

The paved loop around the lake

If you are searching “Lake Miramar” for a walk rather than a cast, the perimeter road is the reason. It is a paved, mostly flat route of about five miles around the reservoir, shared by walkers, runners, cyclists, skaters and parents with strollers. Expect water views most of the way and little shade, so bring a hat and water in summer.

Cars use parts of the perimeter road on some days to reach fishing spots, and the concessionaire’s information says vehicles are allowed Saturday through Tuesday. On those days, walkers and cyclists share the road with slow-moving traffic. Wednesday through Friday is typically the calmer choice for a car-free loop.

Getting there and parking

Lake Miramar sits in Scripps Ranch, just east of I-15. Set your map to the entrance at 10710 Scripps Lake Drive; the lake is a straightforward freeway drive from downtown San Diego or North County.

There is a parking lot near the entrance and picnic area. Sunny weekends and holidays are the busiest times, so arrive early or come on a weekday for the easiest parking.

Facilities include restrooms, water fountains, picnic tables and barbecue areas. Only gas barbecues are allowed, and only in the designated spots. There is no fish-cleaning station, and camping is not permitted.

Rules worth knowing

• No swimming or wading. Miramar is part of the city’s drinking-water system.
• Leashed dogs only, and not in boats.
• No glass, no ground fires, no camping.
• No stand-up paddleboards.
• Cash or check for all city fees.

Insider tips

• Arrive at sunrise on a weekday for the quietest bank fishing and an easy parking spot.
• Go early in summer. The loop has little shade, and midday heat makes the full five miles harder work than it looks.
• Check the first-Tuesday date before booking a midweek trip. It is the most common reason people arrive at a locked gate.
• Bring all your tackle. With the concession situation unclear, assume nothing is for sale on site.

Who Lake Miramar suits

Miramar is ideal for anglers who want a close-in, sunrise-to-sunset bass and catfish lake without a long drive, and for families who want an easy, paved walk or bike ride with kids. It is less suited to anyone hoping to swim, paddleboard or camp. For a full day out with boat rentals, a restaurant and overnight cabins, Lake Cuyamaca in the mountains near Julian is the better pick.

Nearby pairings

Scripps Ranch has plenty of casual food options a few minutes away for lunch after an early session. If you are building a wider outdoors itinerary, Miramar pairs well with a trip east to Lake Cuyamaca for trout, or a winter drive up to Mount Laguna when the mountains get snow.