Rainbow Lake in Teller County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Rainbow Lake lies in Teller County, in Colorado. Elevation runs to 8,970 feet. This is a pocket water of some 10 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. For supplies, Woodland Park is 4.5 miles out. Cascade-Chipita Park is 5.5 miles away, with Air Force Academy at 6.6 miles. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Rainbow Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Records held for Teller County cover brook trout, rainbow trout and black-spotted cutthroat trout. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Rainbow Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 22°F in January up to 58°F in July. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Winter locks it down, and late April brings it back. Averages suggest open water from about late April through to roughly late November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. The season on Rainbow Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. The nearest car park we can see is 0.9 miles out, so expect a walk with your gear. Mapping records toilets within 0.9 miles. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. The nearest alternative is Columbine Lake, 0.2 miles out. For Rainbow Lake in particular, ask before you travel.