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

• Overview

  Rainbow Lake sits in Fremont County, out in Wyoming. The bank is 9,193 feet above sea level. Around 30 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. For supplies, Jackson is 43 miles out. Moose Wilson Road is 45 miles away, with South Park at 47 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Rainbow Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Survey and observation records for Fremont County include brown trout, rainbow trout, white sucker and brook trout. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On Rainbow Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 49°F, with December the cold end at about 15°F. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. The lid usually goes in late May, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about late May until roughly early November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Rainbow Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. If the gate is shut, Upper Brooks Lakes at 0.3 miles is the nearest alternative. For Rainbow Lake in particular, ask before you travel.