Rainbow Lake, Utah: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Rainbow Lake lies in Duchesne County, in Utah. The land about it is rolling bush. Surface area is around 34 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. By elevation it is in the upper part of our Utah listings. Mountain View is the closest town at 32 miles. Provo sits 85 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Rainbow Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. County-wide records name brook trout, brown trout and rainbow trout. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. The shape of Rainbow Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 52°F at the top of summer and 17°F at the bottom of winter. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around early June. On average, early June opens the water and early November closes it again. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Time your trip to Rainbow Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. 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. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. The nearest alternative is Wilderness Lake, 0.4 miles out. Confirm before you fish Rainbow Lake.