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Best rainbow trout lakes in Alaska

70 Alaska waters hold rainbow trout, 51 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. The classic stocked cold-water trout. Depth is everything: rainbows follow the temperature layer they like.

1. Iliamna Lake — 988 ft max · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Lake Trout
2. Becharof Lake — 594 ft max · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Coho Salmon, Lake Trout
3. Tustumena Lake — 942 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Coho Salmon, Lake Trout, Arctic Char
4. Kenai Lake — 569 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Lake Whitefish, Arctic Grayling
5. Skilak Lake — 633 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Coho Salmon, Lake Trout, Arctic Char
6. Klutina Lake — 295 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Arctic Char
7. Nunavaugaluk Lake — 525 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Arctic Char
8. Eklutna Lake — 189 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Arctic Char
9. Hidden Lake — 148 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Coho Salmon, Lake Trout, Arctic Char
10. Crescent Lake — 100 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Coho Salmon, Lake Trout, Arctic Grayling
11. Chelatna Lake — 410 ft max · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon
12. Crosswind Lake — 128 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Burbot
13. Cooper Lake — 476 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Arctic Char
14. Kenai River (Middle) — 15 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon
15. Swan Lake — 44 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Coho Salmon, Arctic Char
16. Upper Trail Lake — 146 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Coho Salmon, Lake Trout, Arctic Char
17. Big Lake — 89 ft max · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Burbot, Arctic Char
18. Shell Lake — 94 ft max · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Coho Salmon, Arctic Grayling
19. Stephan Lake — 91 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Lake Trout
20. Pepper Lake — 42 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Coho Salmon, Arctic Char
21. Ptarmigan Lake — 246 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Arctic Char
22. Bird Lake — 27 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout
23. Nancy Lake — 65 ft max · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout
24. Jean Lake — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Coho Salmon
25. Kelly Lake — 41 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Coho Salmon

…plus 45 more Alaska waters holding rainbow trout.

When to fish rainbow trout in Alaska

• Spring 5–20 ft — Post-ice-out trout roam shallow; fish inflows and windblown shorelines.
• Summer 8–30 ft — Rainbows hold near cold inflows, current seams and the thermocline — find the cool water and you've found the fish.
• Fall 10–35 ft — Fall feeding on rock shoals, current and channel edges as water cools.
• Winter 8–40 ft — Trout are comfortable in cold water — one of the best winter targets; streams and tailwaters fish shallow, deep lakes hold on basin edges.

Also in Alaska: best northern pike lakes · best chinook salmon lakes · best coho salmon lakes · best lake trout lakes · best lake whitefish lakes · best burbot lakes · best arctic grayling lakes · best arctic char lakes

Rainbow Trout elsewhere: Ontario · Minnesota · Michigan · New Hampshire · Montana · Wyoming · Massachusetts · Washington · North Dakota · Indiana · Connecticut · Utah · Colorado · New York · Wisconsin · Kentucky · Arizona · Nevada · Tennessee · Missouri · Oregon · Maine · Vermont · West Virginia · Rhode Island · New Jersey · California · Idaho