Fishing Rainbow Lake & Pinetop-Lakeside from Grumpy Toads Getaway

Updated October 19, 2026. Regulations and stocking change, so check Arizona Game and Fish before you go.

This is the part of staying at Grumpy Toads people don't expect. You don't drive to go fishing. The cabin backs a seasonal creek, and a private community pond and Rainbow Lake are both steps from the back door. Grab a rod and a coffee and you're fishing before the rest of the house is up.

Steps from the back door

The community pond

The private community pond is the easy one. It's quiet and close, and great for kids or a quick cast before breakfast. It's private water, and as our guests you're welcome to fish it. No boat ramp crowd.

Rainbow Lake

Rainbow Lake is the bigger water, also just steps away. It's a shallow mountain lake at about 6,760 feet, built in 1903 by damming Walnut Creek. Arizona Game and Fish lists:

Rainbow trout, stocked in spring and early summer
Largemouth bass, channel catfish, bluegill and green sunfish
Northern pike, introduced illegally. State rules say pike must be killed or released right away.

Most of the shoreline is private, so the best way to fish it is from the water. That's where the cabin's kayaks come in: two adult and two kid kayaks, plus life vests. Motors on Rainbow Lake are limited to 10 horsepower, so it stays calm. There's also a public boat ramp and dock by the dam if you bring your own boat.

Want more than a kayak? Rainbow's End Resort, a small fishing-cabin resort right by the lake on Trout Road, runs a little marina that's open to the public, about a 6-minute walk from the cabin. It rents canoes, paddleboards, paddle boats, aqua cycles and small trout boats with trolling motors, plus bait and tackle. Public rentals start at 9 am and the last one goes out at 3 pm. The gas pontoons are mainly for resort guests, so call ahead if you want one: (928) 368-9004. Hours and season can change, so call before you walk over.

One honest note: Rainbow Lake is shallow and gets weedy in late summer. Spring and early summer are its best stretch.

Licenses and limits

Who needs a license: anyone 10 or older fishing public water like Rainbow Lake. Kids under 10 fish free.
Private ponds: Arizona exempts fishing private ponds with the owner's permission. If you're fishing Rainbow Lake too, get the license and you're covered everywhere.
Visiting for a few days? Arizona sells a short-term daily license (under the 2025–26 rules, $15 a day for residents and $20 for nonresidents), and you pick the days when you buy.
Where to buy: online at license.azgfd.com before you leave, or at the Show Low Lake store, about 15 minutes away.
Limits: the statewide daily limit is 4 trout. Bass, catfish and sunfish have their own limits in the regulations.

When to go

Spring and early summer: prime trout time. Game and Fish has been stocking the Pinetop-Lakeside lakes from March through early July.
Mid-July to mid-September: the shallow lakes warm up. Fish early mornings and evenings for bass, catfish and sunfish, or drive up to colder water like Big Lake.
Fall: cooler water and quieter lakes. Big Lake's brook trout are a fall highlight.
Winter: some higher lakes freeze, and Big Lake is the ice-fishing spot. Game and Fish's advice is blunt: never assume Arizona ice is safe, and stay off anything thinner than 4 inches of clear ice.

More water within an hour

Nearby fishing (drive times from Lakeside are approximate)
Water	Where	Why go
Woodland Lake	Pinetop-Lakeside	Trout, bass, bluegill, catfish. Electric motors only, fishing pier, easy shore access.
Show Low Lake	Show Low, ~15 min	Known for big walleye; trout from shore year-round. Store with bait, tackle, licenses and boat rentals.
Scott Reservoir	Lakeside	Forest Service lake with a boat ramp. Electric motors only. Trout stocked.
Fool Hollow Lake	Show Low	State park lake with trout, bass, crappie, walleye. Low water in fall 2026: hand-launch only, check conditions.
Silver Creek	Near Show Low	Spring-fed and never freezes. Catch-and-release, flies and lures only, Oct 1 – Mar 31.
Greer lakes (River, Bunch, Tunnel)	Greer, ~1 hr	High-country trout at about 8,200 feet. River Reservoir is catch-and-release Oct 1 – Apr 30.
Big Lake	~1 hr	9,000 feet. Rainbow, cutthroat and brook trout. Best late April–May and into fall; store and boat rentals.
Becker Lake	Springerville	Year-round catch-and-release trophy trout, flies and lures only.

Tribal waters on the Fort Apache Reservation, like Hawley Lake and Sunrise Lake, need a separate White Mountain Apache Tribe permit. Your Arizona license doesn't cover them.

Grumpy Toads Getaway

4 bedrooms · sleeps 10 · one dog welcome · steps from Rainbow Lake. Book direct with us and skip the Airbnb service fee.

Check dates at Grumpy Toads

Common questions

Can you fish right from Grumpy Toads Getaway?

Yes. The cabin is steps from a private community pond and Rainbow Lake. You can be casting a few minutes after your morning coffee, and kayaks and life vests are included if you want to get out on the water.

What fish are in Rainbow Lake?

Arizona Game and Fish lists rainbow trout, largemouth bass, channel catfish, black bullhead, bluegill and green sunfish, plus northern pike that were introduced illegally. Trout are stocked in spring and early summer.

Do I need a fishing license?

For Rainbow Lake and other public waters, yes, for anyone 10 or older. Kids under 10 fish free. Arizona doesn't require a license for fishing private ponds with the owner's permission, but if you plan to fish Rainbow Lake too, one license covers you everywhere.

When is the best time to fish near Pinetop-Lakeside?

Spring and early summer are best for trout, when the lakes are stocked and the water is cool. Mid-July to mid-September the shallow lakes warm up, so switch to bass, catfish and sunfish, or head to higher lakes like Big Lake.

Can I use a boat on Rainbow Lake?

Yes. Motors are limited to 10 horsepower, and there's a public boat ramp and dock by the dam. Most of the shoreline is private, so a kayak or boat is the best way to fish it, and the cabin's kayaks work great for that. Rainbow's End Resort's small marina, a short walk away, also rents boats, canoes and paddleboards to the public.

Can I fish on the Fort Apache Reservation?

Yes, with a White Mountain Apache Tribe permit. Your Arizona license doesn't cover tribal waters like Hawley Lake or Sunrise Lake.

More: Pinetop-Lakeside · Show Low · Greer · White Mountains golf

Sources

Drive times are typical, measured from the town or neighborhood, and change with traffic and weather. Event dates are as published when we wrote this; confirm with the organizer before you plan around them.

Fishing from the back door