Fishing Rainbow Springs Lake in Waukesha County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Rainbow Springs Lake is one of the Waukesha County waters in Wisconsin. It lies 807 feet above sea level. With some 35 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Ground here is low by Wisconsin standards. The nearest town is Eagle, 3.7 miles away. The big place round here is Milwaukee, 29 miles distant. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Rainbow Springs Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Across Waukesha County, recorded fish include common carp, bluegill and brown trout. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. Rainbow Springs Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 71°F at the top of summer and 18°F at the bottom of winter. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about early April. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early April and starts locking again about mid December. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. It sets the rhythm of the year at Rainbow Springs Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. The nearest mapped parking is half a mile away, so the last stretch is on foot. Part of this sits inside or beside Kettle Moraine State Forest-Mukwonago River Unit, so read the notices. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Hogan Lake at 0.4 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the position on Rainbow Springs Lake before loading the car.