Best rainbow trout lakes in Indiana
10 Indiana waters list rainbow trout (official records or labelled estimates), 9 mapped with survey or official-chart depth data. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality, leading with the waters in our reviewed search catalog — 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.
- Worster Lake (Potato Creek) — 18 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
- Lake Gage — 68 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Oliver Lake — 90 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Round Lake — 62 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Rainbow TroutWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Olin Lake — 81 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- TROY-CEDAR LAKE — 84 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Pinhook Lake — 20 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Spring Mill Lake — 10 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Martin Lake — 55 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Airline Lake (Greene-Sullivan) — 67 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Rainbow TroutWhy #10: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
Find the closest rainbow trout waters to you →
How to use this ranking
The order is a map-planning ranking, not a claim about today's fish population. It favors larger mapped waters and gives survey-backed contours a three-times data-quality boost. Agency population surveys, current regulations, access and recent conditions should make the final decision.
Compare maximum depth across 37,233 lake records · See Indiana waters with public access data
When to fish rainbow trout in Indiana
- 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 Indiana: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best sauger lakes · best northern pike lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best muskellunge lakes · best white bass & hybrids lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best flathead catfish lakes · best blue catfish lakes · best freshwater drum lakes · best common carp lakes · best longnose gar lakes · best rock bass lakes
Rainbow Trout elsewhere: Ontario · Wisconsin · Minnesota · British Columbia · Québec · Michigan · Germany · Maine · New Hampshire · New York · Montana · Saskatchewan · Massachusetts · Wyoming · Washington · North Dakota · Alberta · Connecticut · Nebraska · California · Missouri · Vermont · Alaska · Utah · Arizona · Colorado · New Mexico · West Virginia · Mississippi · Idaho · New Jersey · Kentucky · Alabama · Oregon · Tennessee · Georgia · Nevada · Rhode Island · Pennsylvania · Maryland