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Rating depth structure for rainbow trout.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
727-acre lake in Stikine Region, British Columbia. The lake tops out around 92 ft. The surface is reconstructed from 94 measured spot soundings collected in 1980; water between those measurements is interpolated. Treat the contours between those soundings as a guide, never as navigation. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Traced from the shoreline, Rainbow Lakes runs 727 acres with 8.4 miles of edge. A development index of 2.2 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. Roughly 18% of the water is 15 ft or less as modeled, the band where the food chain lives. End to end it runs roughly 3.4 mi, about 0.6 mi across. You'll find it in Stikine Region. The nearest mapped water is Rainbow Lakes, 4 mi to the southwest.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: rainbow trout in 5 to 20 ft. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 30 ft, wintering in 8 to 40 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 5 ft range, good in winter. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow feeding flat (14 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Deep basin (5 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
When the water first warms, lake whitefish slide up into 15 to 45 ft. Summer is a 40 to 90 ft game here, winter a 25 to 70 ft one. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 74 ft of water and rates prime come summer. The feeding windows run early morning. Keep a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow feeding flat (14 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Break off the point (74 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | open water | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (74 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: bull trout in 10 to 40 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 30 to 90 ft before dropping to 20 to 70 ft for winter. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 74 ft of water that rates prime for bull trout in summer. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a trolled plug on downrigger or a heavy jigging spoon gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Large jointed plug, 6" swimbait (kokanee/trout pattern) |
| Summer | 30 to 90 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (74 ft) | Trolled plug on downrigger, Heavy jigging spoon |
| Fall | 5 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Large glide bait, Jointed plug |
| Winter | 20 to 70 ft | dawn | Break off the point (74 ft) | Heavy spoon (slow lift), Large soft swimbait |
Spring dolly varden on Rainbow Lakes hold shallow, usually 1 to 30 ft. They move out to 2 to 40 ft in summer and finish the year down in 8 to 45 ft. Put Main-lake point first on the milk run — a point near 1 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a small chrome spoon or a baitfish streamer.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 30 ft | dawn & midday | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Small silver spoon, Inline spinner |
| Summer | 2 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Small chrome spoon, Baitfish streamer |
| Fall | 1 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Small spinner, Egg or fry pattern |
| Winter | 8 to 45 ft | midday | Deep basin (5 ft) | Small slow spoon, Weighted baitfish fly |
Rainbow Lakes carries 7 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Break off the point, about 74 ft down.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for British Columbia waters are set by the BC freshwater fishing synopsis — and special regulations can apply to Rainbow Lakes specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official British Columbia fishing regulations →
Rainbow Lakes is about 91.86 ft (28 m) deep at its deepest point. The surface is reconstructed from 94 measured spot soundings collected in 1980; water between those measurements is interpolated. Treat the contours between those soundings as a guide, never as navigation.
Anglers target rainbow trout, lake whitefish, bull trout, dolly varden on Rainbow Lakes.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 74 ft of water that rates prime for bull trout in summer. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For rainbow trout, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Rainbow Lakes is regulated by the BC freshwater fishing synopsis. Check the official British Columbia regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Rainbow Lakes 4 mi · Elephant Lake 8 mi · Wolverine Lake 10 mi · Hottah Lake 13 mi · Letain Lake 17 mi · Tucho Lake 24 mi · Three Kettle Lake 27 mi · Dall Lake 29 mi · Cry Lake 32 mi · Boreal Lake 36 mi · Denetiah Lake 37 mi · Moodie Lakes 39 mi
See how Rainbow Lakes stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in British Columbia · best lake whitefish lakes in British Columbia
More water nearby: Stikine Region fishing maps (88 charts). Browse all British Columbia fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: British Columbia Fish and Wildlife Branch · Rainbow Lakes historic bathymetric chart spot soundings; contour geometry independently interpolated by DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.