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923-acre reservoir near Thompson. CT DEEP survey water. The lake tops out around 35 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
The outline encloses 923 acres, worked by 6.3 miles of shoreline. With a 1.5 development index there's bank structure worth casting at, in moderation. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 74% of this chart. Figure 2.9 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.7 mi at the beam. It sits in Capitol County. If the bite dies, Twin Lakes North is 8 mi to the southwest.
In spring, brown trout run shallow here, mostly 3 to 25 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 11 to 35 ft before dropping to 5 to 35 ft for winter. Summer brown trout concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 33 ft. Fish it in after dark and early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (5 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 11 to 35 ft | night & dawn | Deep basin (33 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (5 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Break off the point (8 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Spring landlocked salmon on Rainbow Reservoir hold shallow, usually 1 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 11 to 35 ft, and by winter most fish are in 9 to 35 ft. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 33 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a dodger + streamer down deep or a thin spoon on lead core.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (5 ft) | Streamer flies (Grey Ghost) off boards, Thin spoon (Mooselook style) |
| Summer | 11 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (33 ft) | Dodger + streamer down deep, Thin spoon on lead core |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (5 ft) | Casting spoon at the mouths, Streamers |
| Winter | 9 to 35 ft | dawn | Deep basin (33 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Swedish pimple + smelt |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: yellow perch in 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 30 ft before dropping to 15 to 35 ft for winter. The spot to know is Back-bay flat, a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (8 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (33 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (33 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
When the water first warms, smallmouth bass slide up into 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter an 11 to 35 ft one. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 8 ft of water and rates prime come fall. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (5 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (8 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (8 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 11 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (8 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Come spring, look for largemouth bass tight to the bank in 2 to 10 ft. They move out to 8 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 35 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 2 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (8 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (5 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (33 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: rock bass sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 5 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 12 to 30 ft. The spot to know is Main-lake point, a point in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for rock bass in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around the evening. Throw a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Dock / pier line (4 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 5 to 20 ft | dusk | Main-lake point (5 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 8 to 22 ft | midday | Break off the point (8 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 12 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (33 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
Rainbow Reservoir also holds white perch (11 to 35 ft in summer), crappie (10 to 25 ft in summer), bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer), brown bullhead (3 to 12 ft in summer), common carp (3 to 15 ft in summer), chain pickerel (3 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Structure-wise the chart holds 10 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 33 ft.
Access data: Connecticut DEEP — State Boat Launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Connecticut waters are set by the Connecticut DEEP — and special regulations can apply to Rainbow Reservoir specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Connecticut fishing regulations →
Rainbow Reservoir is about 35 ft (11 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target brown trout, landlocked salmon, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, rock bass, white perch, crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead, common carp, chain pickerel on Rainbow Reservoir.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 33 ft of water that rates prime for landlocked salmon in summer. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For brown trout, the summer bite is best in after dark and early morning. 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 Reservoir is regulated by the Connecticut DEEP. Check the official Connecticut regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Twin Lakes North 8 mi · Twin Lakes South 8 mi · Congamond Lakes South Pond 9 mi, MA/CT · Congamond Lakes 9 mi, CT/MA · Congomond Lakes (Middle basin ) 9 mi, MA/CT · Congomond Lakes (North basin) 10 mi, MA · Farmington River 12 mi · McDonough Lake 12 mi · Wethersfield Cove 13 mi · Keeney Cove 13 mi · Batterson Park Pond 14 mi · Crow Point Cove 14 mi
See how Rainbow Reservoir stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Connecticut · best smallmouth bass lakes in Connecticut · best crappie lakes in Connecticut · best bluegill lakes in Connecticut
More water nearby: Capitol County fishing maps (22 charts). Browse all Connecticut fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. 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.