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Best rainbow trout lakes in Vermont

51 Vermont waters list rainbow trout (official records or labelled estimates), 32 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.

1. Lake Champlain — 392 ft max · real survey depth contours · 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 · real survey depth contours · 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 · 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
4. Crystal Lake — 106 ft max · real survey depth contours · 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 · real survey depth contours · 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 · real survey depth contours · 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 · real survey depth contours · 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 · real survey depth contours · 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 · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
10. Caspian Lake — 142 ft max · real survey depth contours · Rainbow Trout, Lake TroutWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
11. Fairfield Pond — 48 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow TroutWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
12. Lake Salem — 67 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Rainbow TroutWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
13. Island Pond — 59 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Rainbow TroutWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
14. Lac Wallace — 60 ft max · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Rainbow TroutWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
15. Little Averill Pond — 113 ft max · real survey depth contours · Rainbow Trout, Lake TroutWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
16. Peacham Pond — 59 ft max · real survey depth contours · Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
17. Echo Lake — 121 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Rainbow TroutWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
18. Lake Elligo — 101 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Rainbow TroutWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
19. Glen Lake — 64 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
20. Sunset Lake — 120 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Rainbow TroutWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
21. Woodward Reservoir — 52 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, BluegillWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
22. Spectacle Pond — 15 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Rainbow TroutWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
23. Newark Pond — 30 ft max · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Brown TroutWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
24. Amherst Lake — 94 ft max · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
25. Sunset Lake — 39.8 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Rainbow TroutWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached

…plus 26 more Vermont waters holding rainbow trout.

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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

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