Best rainbow trout lakes in Kentucky
6 Kentucky waters hold rainbow trout, 1 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.
- Dale Hollow Lake — 130 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
- Paintsville Lake — 100 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill
- Dewey Lake — 45 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
- Metcalfe County Lake — 16 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
- Greenbo Lake — 55 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
- Cumberland River Tailwater — 30 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Sauger, Rainbow Trout
When to fish rainbow trout in Kentucky
- 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 Kentucky: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best sauger lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best muskellunge lakes · best white bass & hybrids 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 · Minnesota · Michigan · New Hampshire · Montana · Wyoming · Massachusetts · Washington · North Dakota · Indiana · Connecticut · Utah · Colorado · Alaska · New York · Wisconsin · Arizona · Nevada · Tennessee · Missouri · Oregon · Maine · Vermont · West Virginia · Rhode Island · New Jersey · California · Idaho