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Rainbow Lake

9
Fish species
0
Boat launches
✓
Public access
Conditions today C+ 56/100 Average conditions Last stocked Oct 22, 2023 Walleye, 3 years ago Keeper size (estimated) Oct 2027 Next: Walleye Access 0 boat launches Public access

📊 Fishing Conditions

The fishing conditions score rates how favorable Rainbow Lake looks for the day you pick (today by default), from 0 to 100. It adds up five things: how recently the lake was stocked, the moon phase, the season, how many game and panfish species live here (such as channel catfish, largemouth bass and rainbow trout), and the size of the lake. It does not include the weather forecast. The cards below show how many points each factor contributed.

C+
56/100
Friday, October 30, 2026
Conditions score

Average conditions, fish are catchable but may be selective.

🎣 Stocking
Last stocked Oct 22, 2023
Last: Oct 22, 2023
🌖 Moon Phase
Waning Gibbous
Feeding bonus
🍂 Season
Fall feeding frenzy
October
🐟 Species
8 game/panfish species: outstanding variety
Game & panfish
📐 Lake Size
Size unknown
Surface area

Fishing Tips for Rainbow Lake Today

Fall fish at Rainbow Lake are feeding heavily before winter. Match the forage: shad, crawfish, and perch patterns work well.

📊 Fishing Pressure

Fishing pressure is our estimate of how busy Rainbow Lake is likely to be today. It looks at the day of the week, the time of year, and whether the lake has been stocked recently, because fresh stockings tend to draw anglers. Lower pressure usually means more room to work the water for channel catfish, largemouth bass and rainbow trout.

Moderate estimated pressure today
Friday Peak season Popular stocking lake

Moderate activity expected. Midweek mornings are typically quieter.

Estimate based on day of week, season, and recent stocking. Not a live crowd count.

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📅 Best Time to Fish Rainbow Lake

Combined bite activity across all 9 species in this lake.

Jan
Feb
Mar
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May
Jun
Jul
Aug
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Oct
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📏 Fishing Regulations

Statewide general rules for the species found here. Individual waters can have exceptions (special size limits, closed seasons, trout lake types), so check this lake's listing in the official DNR Fishing Guide before heading out.
SpeciesMin sizeDaily limit
Channel Catfish12"10
Largemouth Bass14"5 bass combined
Rainbow Trout8" (most inland lakes)5 trout, max 3 over 15"
Smallmouth Bass14"5 bass combined
Walleye15"5
Yellow PerchNone25
Hybrid SunfishNone25 sunfish combined
Redear SunfishNone25 sunfish combined
📅 Stocking Timeline 5-year history
8 Stocking events
58,803 Fish stocked
4 Species
1104d Since last stock
1101d Longest gap
Yellow Perch 200
Fathead Minnow 40,000
Hybrid Sunfish 200
Walleye 18,403
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
Today
Qty / event
Oct '17
Oct '18
Oct '19
Oct '22
Oct '23

📋 Rainbow Lake Stocking Records

Date Species Quantity Size
Oct 22, 2023 Walleye 1,600 6.0"
Oct 19, 2022 Walleye 4,000 6.5"
Oct 14, 2019 Walleye 4,000 7.0"
Oct 10, 2018 Walleye 4,278 2.6"
Oct 24, 2017 Walleye 4,525 6.5"
Oct 17, 2017 Yellow Perch 200 4.0"
Oct 17, 2017 Hybrid Sunfish 200 6.0"
Oct 17, 2017 Fathead Minnow 40,000 1.5"
Oct 24, 2016 Walleye 3,637 6.5"
Oct 24, 2015 Walleye 3,180 6.5"
May 22, 2013 Yellow Perch 4,500 4.8"
Oct 24, 2012 Smallmouth Bass 1,500 6.0"
May 16, 2012 Hybrid Sunfish 2,500 5.0"
Sep 11, 2010 Largemouth Bass 2,000 6.0"
Mar 10, 2004 Rainbow Trout 160 14.5"
Nov 6, 1998 Walleye 1,200 6.0"
Jun 20, 1998 Walleye 20,000 2.0"
Mar 30, 1996 Channel Catfish 2,000 7.0"
Oct 14, 1993 Redear Sunfish 10,729 1.5"
Oct 13, 1993 Redear Sunfish 1,985 1.5"
Sep 29, 1992 Redear Sunfish 3,200 2.0"
Aug 11, 1992 Redear Sunfish 13,251 1.6"
Jun 1, 1992 Channel Catfish 2,000 7.0"
Oct 21, 1991 Redear Sunfish 5,000 2.1"
Jul 10, 1991 Redear Sunfish 52,745 1.3"
Showing 25 of 36 stocking records, newest first

* Records shown are from our database. For the most current data, visit the Michigan DNR directly.

📅 Stocking Forecast

Based on 36 historical stocking events at this lake. Next likely stocking window: May.
Peak Stocking Months
Oct May Jun
Most Stocked Species
Walleye Rainbow Trout Redear Sunfish

* Forecast is based on historical DNR data and is not a guarantee of future stocking.

⚓ Rainbow Lake Boat Launches

No launch data on record for this lake. Browse all Michigan boat launches.

💡 Angler Tips for Rainbow Lake

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🌤 Current Rainbow Lake Weather Conditions

No coordinates on file for this lake.
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