What fish are at Merced Lake North?

Fishing Merced Lake North is most likely to be for Mixed Trout. All 5 plants on record are Mixed Trout. Mixed Trout was last stocked March 29, 2026. Rainbow Trout (Per CDFW's 2026 Provisional Stocking Plan for this water (a planning document, not a confirmed release)) is recorded here outside the stocking reports.

Merced Lake North fishing

Fishing at Merced Lake North is on a natural lake, stocked with Mixed Trout and Rainbow Trout. It is stocked about 2.5 times a year since 2025, most often in January and March. Species guides list dawn and dusk as the active times.

Last stocked

March 29, 2026

Plants on record

Species recorded

Elevation

18.2 ft

Common questions

What fish are at Merced Lake North?: Fishing Merced Lake North is most likely to be for Mixed Trout. All 5 plants on record are Mixed Trout. Mixed Trout was last stocked March 29, 2026. Rainbow Trout (Per CDFW's 2026 Provisional Stocking Plan for this water (a planning document, not a confirmed release)) is recorded here outside the stocking reports.
When is Merced Lake North stocked?: Last stocked March 29, 2026. It is stocked about 2.5 times a year since 2025, most often in January and March.
How do you get on Merced Lake North?: A fee is required. The nearest town is San Francisco. Facilities include dock. North Lake is one of the connected basins of Lake Merced in San Francisco, a natural coastal freshwater lake that was a brackish lagoon before the 20th century. It has beaches and piers, and CDFW stocks it with catchable trout. A separate daily fishing access permit is sold.

Access and facts

Water type: natural lake
Nearest town: San Francisco
Fee required: Yes
Facilities: dock

North Lake is one of the connected basins of Lake Merced in San Francisco, a natural coastal freshwater lake that was a brackish lagoon before the 20th century. It has beaches and piers, and CDFW stocks it with catchable trout. A separate daily fishing access permit is sold.

Sources: wildlife.ca.gov, accessed September 23, 2026 , hoodline.com, accessed September 23, 2026 , hoodline.com, accessed September 23, 2026

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Fish at Merced Lake North

Fishing Merced Lake North is most likely to be for Mixed Trout. All 5 plants on record are Mixed Trout.

Mixed Trout 5 plants

Plants: 5 of 5
Last stocked: March 29, 2026

Stocking history

Source: California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Date	Species	Quantity	Avg. length	Source
March 29, 2026	Mixed Trout	–	–	report
March 1, 2026	Mixed Trout	–	–	report
February 8, 2026	Mixed Trout	–	–	report
January 4, 2026	Mixed Trout	–	–	report
December 21, 2025	Mixed Trout	–	–	report

Species found here

Confirmed present independent of the stocking records above, not from a stocking event.

Rainbow Trout : Per CDFW's 2026 Provisional Stocking Plan for this water (a planning document, not a confirmed release). (nrm.dfg.ca.gov, accessed September 23, 2026)

Species stocked here

Mixed Trout (5)

Depth-by-season, top lures, and bait notes for each species stocked here are on its own species guide, linked above.