Fishing at Rainbow Lake, Adams County, Idaho

• Overview

  Rainbow Lake lies in Adams County, Idaho. The ground around here is rolling bush. The water measures roughly 22 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. McCall sits 24 miles from the bank. The big place round here is Boise, 113 miles distant. Also within reach: Black Lake roughly 0.6 miles, Partridge Creek Lake at 1.5 miles, Buck Lake roughly 2.6 miles and Elk Lake at 3.5 miles. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Rainbow Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Public occurrence data for Adams County names rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, Coho salmon and yellow perch. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. The shape of Rainbow Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 53°F; the cold one sits at 20°F. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid May. Climate averages put the opening at about mid May and the closing near mid November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. The season on Rainbow Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. A campsite lies half a mile away for anyone staying over. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. If the gate is shut, Black Lake at 0.6 miles is the nearest alternative. Confirm access to Rainbow Lake locally before you travel.