← Vermont fishing maps

Best rainbow trout lakes in Vermont

51 Vermont waters hold rainbow trout, 16 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. Lake Champlain — 392 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 15 public access sites, 3 carry-in or shore-oriented
2. Moore Reservoir — 120 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites
3. Lake Dunmore — 106 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
4. Crystal Lake — 106 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Lake TroutWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
5. Great Averill Pond — 102 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Lake TroutWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
6. Lake Hortonia — 58 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
7. Lake Fairlee — 48 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Rainbow TroutWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
8. Chittenden Reservoir — 37 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Rainbow TroutWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
9. Joe's Pond — 90 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
10. Harriman Reservoir — 180 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Rainbow Trout, Lake TroutWhy #10: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
11. Caspian Lake — 142 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Lake TroutWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
12. Fairfield Pond — 48 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow TroutWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
13. Lake Salem — 67 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Rainbow TroutWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
14. Island Pond — 59 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Rainbow TroutWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
15. Lake Willoughby — 337 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Lake Trout, Landlocked SalmonWhy #15: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
16. Lac Wallace — 60 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Rainbow TroutWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
17. Waterbury Reservoir — 100 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Rainbow TroutWhy #17: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
18. Little Averill Pond — 113 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Lake TroutWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
19. Peacham Pond — 59 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
20. Lake St. Catherine — 65 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Rainbow TroutWhy #20: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
21. North Hartland Reservoir — 36 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Bluegill, Rainbow TroutWhy #21: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
22. Echo Lake — 129 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Rainbow TroutWhy #22: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
23. Lake Eden — 40 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #23: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
24. Holland Pond — 39 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Chain Pickerel, Brown BullheadWhy #24: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
25. Lake Elligo — 100 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Rainbow TroutWhy #25: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached

…plus 26 more Vermont waters holding rainbow trout.

Find the closest rainbow trout waters to you →

When to fish rainbow trout in Vermont

• 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 Vermont: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best northern pike lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best lake trout lakes · best brown trout lakes · best brook trout lakes · best landlocked salmon lakes · best chain pickerel lakes · best burbot lakes · best brown bullhead lakes

Rainbow Trout elsewhere: Ontario · Wisconsin · Minnesota · British Columbia · Québec · Michigan · Germany · Maine · New Hampshire · Montana · New York · Saskatchewan · Wyoming · Massachusetts · Washington · Indiana · North Dakota · Alberta · Connecticut · Nebraska · Missouri · California · Utah · Arizona · Colorado · Alaska · New Mexico · West Virginia · Mississippi · Idaho · New Jersey · Kentucky · Alabama · Oregon · Tennessee · Georgia · Nevada · Rhode Island · Pennsylvania · Maryland