Rainbow Lake 5 fishing

Fishing at Rainbow Lake 5 is on a high alpine lake, stocked with Cutthroat Trout. It is stocked about 0.9 times a year since 2011, most often in June and July.

Last stocked

June 25, 2025

Plants on record

14

Since 2011

Species recorded

1

Average size

2.4 in

Elevation

9,619 ft

Access and facts

Water type
high alpine

One of a chain of high-alpine lakes numbered Rainbow Lake #1 through #7 in the Main Boulder River drainage of the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, roughly 9,400-9,700 ft elevation. Reached only by trail; no road access, per a Montana FWP mountain-lakes fisheries survey.

Sources: water_type , shore_notes

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How Rainbow Lake 5 is stocked

The first plant of the year usually falls in the fourth week of July. In 2025 it was June 25, 2025, earlier than usual.

No plants recorded in 2016.

Fish at Rainbow Lake 5

Fishing Rainbow Lake 5 is most likely to be for Cutthroat Trout. All 14 plants on record are Cutthroat Trout.

Around the dates Rainbow Lake 5 is stocked, Open-Meteo's 2016-2025 archive puts mean air temperature at 52.7°F in July, 42.3°F in June, 51°F in August. That is air temperature at these coordinates, not water temperature. Open-Meteo

Cutthroat Trout 14 plants
Plants
14 of 14
Last stocked
June 25, 2025
Average length
2.4 in

Seasons and rigs are on the Cutthroat Trout guide.

Fish stocked per year

  • 2,9002011
  • 2,9002012
  • 1,5002013
  • 2,9002014
  • 2,7002015
  • 2,0002017
  • 2,9002018
  • 2,9002019
  • 2,9002020
  • 2,9002021
  • 2,9002022
  • 2,9002023
  • 2,9002024
  • 2,9002025

Stocking history

Source: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.
Date Species Quantity Avg. length Source
June 25, 2025 Cutthroat Trout 2,900 2.04 in report
July 30, 2024 Cutthroat Trout 2,900 2.03 in report
August 2, 2023 Cutthroat Trout 2,900 2.64 in report
July 25, 2022 Cutthroat Trout 2,900 2.49 in report
July 27, 2021 Cutthroat Trout 2,900 2.66 in report
July 2, 2020 Cutthroat Trout 2,900 2.64 in report
July 17, 2019 Cutthroat Trout 2,900 2.71 in report
July 23, 2018 Cutthroat Trout 2,900 2.17 in report
July 17, 2017 Cutthroat Trout 2,000 2.1 in report
June 29, 2015 Cutthroat Trout 2,700 1.94 in report
July 14, 2014 Cutthroat Trout 2,900 2.5 in report
July 29, 2013 Cutthroat Trout 1,500 2.4 in report
July 30, 2012 Cutthroat Trout 2,900 2.5 in report
August 1, 2011 Cutthroat Trout 2,900 2.4 in report

Species stocked here

Depth-by-season, top lures, and bait notes for each species stocked here are on its own species guide, linked above.

Nearest lakes