Haven't seen posting of anyone that has fished Rainbow Trout in the BWCA lakes. We did this past July on a small lake just off the Gunflint, with a guide. He used a unique method that takes some catching on to. I was very surprised to see the succulent bright orange color of the fillets. Would bet they are very good on the grille. Take night crawlers, if you are fishing in the mid-Summer. They are also good for Bass and Walleye.

I usually fish for Rainbows on lakes just outside the BW. I don't think there are too many lakes in the BW with Rainbows. I know there are many with Brookies. I have success trolling jointed Rapalas down about 5-10ft. even during the summer. And yes, they taste fabulous on the grill.

egknuti: "I usually fish for Rainbows on lakes just outside the BW. I don't think there are too many lakes in the BW with Rainbows. I know there are many with Brookies. I have success trolling jointed Rapalas down about 5-10ft. even during the summer. And yes, they taste fabulous on the grill."

Ram Lake is the only one that really comes to mind right now. There is this list on the DNR page that includes a few others, but if you click through to the surveys and stocking info I don't see much rainbow activity on any of the others.

Bruleman, I'd be curious to know where you're finding then in the BWCA. I tend to target lakers up there since there are other rainbow opportunities much closer to home for me.

I thought right after posting this, that I should not have made it a BWCA lake. Actually, we fished just off the Gunflint. I hesitate to name the lake for respect to the guide. If it were just up to me, my fishing days in this area may well have come to a close. I am 100% for fishermen that use this location and would gladly provide any tips learned over a 60 year experience fishing these waters. However, things have changed a lot, since my dad and I first fished Brule in 1957.

No worries, I'm pretty familiar with rainbow waters outside the wilderness, I was mainly asking to satisfy my curiosity :)

A couple of the popular rainbow lakes off the gunflint have been great. Best lure for me has been a small husky jerk in summer and bluegill gear with spikes in winter.

There are many lakes just outside the Bwca that are stocked with rainbows but I believe they discontinued stocking them in Bwca lakes .

Stocked Rainbow lakes are easy peasy lemon squeezey when it comes to catching. The great thing about Minnesota is the 11-13 inch stockers are mostly orange fleshed and taste delicious. I have fished Rainbow lakes (Taylor) that get the smaller 9-10 inch variety and they tend to not have the orange flesh or taste as good. IMO

I think it is pretty rare to find any rainbow lakes in the BWCAW now. If I remember right there was a decision made stock only fish native to Minnesota in the BWCAW a few years back...brookies are the only stream trout stocked now, but even the amount of those lakes has declined due to either anglers bringing smallmouth into those lakes or flooding allowing them to spread causing the DNR to abandon them. As others noted there are a decent amount in the periphery though for rainbows. That is all off memory so that is dangerous:)

timatkn: "I think it is pretty rare to find any rainbow lakes in the BWCAW now. If I remember right there was a decision made stock only fish native to Minnesota in the BWCAW a few years back...brookies are the only stream trout stocked now, but even the amount of those lakes has declined due to either anglers bringing smallmouth into those lakes or flooding allowing them to spread causing the DNR to abandon them. As others noted there are a decent amount in the periphery though for rainbows. That is all off memory so that is dangerous:)"

True... The DNR and the Forest Service are in a bit of a disagreement about "NON-native" stocking of fish in the BWCA according to the coffee shop klatch talk I have heard. The purist idealist enviros do not want any fish stocked in the BWCA particularly NON-Natives. The MN DNR wants to do what it can to increase angler opportunity. The agreement is that only lakes that were stocked pre BWCA can continue to be stocked. The Forest Service has decided to not maintain portages to some Brook Trout Lakes in the BWCA. Why ?
This is all hearsay meaning I'm telling you what I heard and what I thought people said. Whether it's the truth is up to you.

MackinawTrout: "

timatkn: "I think it is pretty rare to find any rainbow lakes in the BWCAW now. If I remember right there was a decision made stock only fish native to Minnesota in the BWCAW a few years back...brookies are the only stream trout stocked now, but even the amount of those lakes has declined due to either anglers bringing smallmouth into those lakes or flooding allowing them to spread causing the DNR to abandon them. As others noted there are a decent amount in the periphery though for rainbows. That is all off memory so that is dangerous:)"

True... The DNR and the Forest Service are in a bit of a disagreement about "NON-native" stocking of fish in the BWCA according to the coffee shop klatch talk I have heard. The purist idealist enviros do not want any fish stocked in the BWCA particularly NON-Natives. The MN DNR wants to do what it can to increase angler opportunity. The agreement is that only lakes that were stocked pre BWCA can continue to be stocked. The Forest Service has decided to not maintain portages to some Brook Trout Lakes in the BWCA. Why ?
This is all hearsay meaning I'm telling you what I heard and what I thought people said. Whether it's the truth is up to you. "

I think can stock new lakes,but correct on only stocking fish native to the watershed. They still do splake also.