Rainbow Lake, Montana: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  The Carbon County end of Montana holds Rainbow Lake. Country round the bank runs to pine and birch. It measures about 91 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. The edge runs 1.7 miles or so, easy to work in an afternoon. It ranks high for size among our Carbon County listings. Nearest town is Red Lodge, 22 miles off. Absarokee is 29 miles away, with Columbus at 41 miles. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Rainbow Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Species logged across Carbon County include rainbow trout, brook trout and sauger. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. On Rainbow Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect August to average close to 49°F, with January the cold end at about 14°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Ice-out usually falls in early June, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Open water usually runs from early June until about early November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Rainbow Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. For a change of water, Rimrock Lake is 0.7 miles distant. For Rainbow Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.