Rainbow Lake near Union City: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  You will find Rainbow Lake in Alameda County, California. The water sits 26 feet up. With some 51 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Ground here is low by California standards. The town to know is Union City, 1.7 miles out. After that come Fremont at 2 miles and Newark at 3.4 miles. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Rainbow Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Alameda County records list Chinook salmon, common carp, striped bass, rainbow trout and Sacramento sucker among the fish reported. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. On Rainbow Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 67°F for August and 49°F for December. The season runs year-round, with the peak either side of summer. March through May is the strongest run, with autumn a second stretch. The hot months push the fishing to dawn and dusk. On Rainbow Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. There is a mapped slipway roughly half a mile away. There is somewhere to leave the car, half a mile off. Fishing from a pier is possible half a mile away. A picnic spot sits half a mile from the bank. There is a toilet block some half a mile out. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Horseshoe Lake sits 0.2 miles off and takes the overflow. Treat Rainbow Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.