Rainbow Lake Fishing near Chester, California

• Overview

  Rainbow Lake is a Plumas County water, in California. Beyond the shoreline you have mixed woodland. Small at around 24 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. The nearest town is Chester, 16 miles away. Then Westwood, 23 miles, and Shingletown, 28 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Rainbow Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Across Plumas County, recorded fish include rainbow trout, brook trout and Sacramento sucker. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. On Rainbow Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 59°F at the top of summer and 29°F at the bottom of winter. Whether it freezes depends on the year. It is not guaranteed even in a cold spell, so check yourself. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. The season on Rainbow Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Should this one be busy, Lower Twin Lake is 0.9 miles off. Confirm before you fish Rainbow Lake.