Minnesota · Cass County
Big Portage Lake Fishing guide
Big Portage Lake sits in Cass County, Minnesota, and covers 902 acres, reaching 23 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 6.6 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 8 times, most recently in 2023, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
Northern pikeFair numbers6.9per gill net19"Typical33"Biggest
Lengths measured · 57 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 57 fish
2023Lengths measured · 77 fish
2017Lengths measured · 8 fish
2016Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 135 fish
2012BluegillJust a few9per trap net7"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 450 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 450 fish
2023Lengths measured · 80 fish
2017Lengths measured · 119 fish
2016Lengths measured · 165 fish
2012CrappieJust a few1.5per trap net8"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 262 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 262 fish
2023Lengths measured · 44 fish
2017Lengths measured · 10 fish
2016Lengths measured · 33 fish
2012Yellow perchGood numbers6.5per gill net5"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 52 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 52 fish
2023Lengths measured · 126 fish
2017Lengths measured · 163 fish
2012Lengths measured · 208 fish
2007No recent survey rating.
Rates come from standard DNR survey gear (gill nets, trap nets, electrofishing), judged against statewide benchmarks for the same gear, so the same number of fish per net can read differently for two species. Where the standard gear can't count a species reliably, only presence and size are listed. Typical is the middle fish of those measured. Open a row for the full length spread, survey by survey.
How to fish Big Portage Lake through the year
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth.
- Early summer
- Pike are on the outside weed edge and points.
- Summer
- Pike are on the deep weed edge and points near the coolest water they can find. With 100% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops.
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds.
- Early summer
- Walleye are setting up on the outside weed edge, points and shallow structure.
- Summer
- Walleye are working the weed edge, points and any wind-blown structure. With 100% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows.
Season patterns for each species. Open the live map for today's wind, light and water temp.
Size history
Biggest fish by survey year
| Survey year | Northern pike | Walleye | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 33" | 27" | 19" |
| 2017 | 34" | 25" | 12" |
| 2016 | 20" | 26" | 19" |
| 2012 | 34" | 25" | 15" |
| 2007 | 37" | 26" | 13" |
| 2002 | 32" | 27" | 12" |
| 1997 | 30" | 25" | 17" |
Longest fish measured by DNR survey crews in each year's nets. Survey gear samples the population, so the lake usually holds larger fish than any survey measured.
Suggested tackle
What to bring
Top presentations for this lake's structure and clarity:
Northern pike · Hardbaits
Weedless Spoon + Trailer (Silver Minnow)
3/8–1/2 oz weedless spoon
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Walleye · Trolling
Snap Weights + Stickbaits
4–5" suspending or slow-floating stickbait
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Topwater Popper
2.5–3" concave-face popper
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Hollow-Body Frog
3–3.5" hollow-body frog
Full setups, including hooks, weights and line, are on the live map. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
DNR stocking records
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Stocked |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | 901,710 fry |
| 2024 | Walleye | 904,365 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 901,800 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 901,755 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 906,300 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 902,495 fry |
| 2016 | Walleye | 902,090 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2023 survey
Big Portage (Rice Portage) Lake is a 902-acre lake with 7.22 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 23 feet located northeast of Backus, MN. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different classes based on physical, chemical and other characteristics. Big Portage Lake is in Lake Class 39. Other area lakes in this class include Brockway, Island (Bucker) and Townline. A State-owned public access is located on the south shore and most of the lakeshore is privately owned. Big Portage Lake is primarily managed for Northern Pike, Bluegill and Walleye, and secondarily for Black Crappie, Largemouth Bass, and Yellow Perch. A special regulation for Sunfish (daily limit 10 fish, 20 in possession) and Black Crappie (daily limit 5 fish, 10 in possession) was implemented in 2021.
Big Portage Lake provides multi-species angling opportunity. Northern Pike abundance met management goals with fish ranging in length from 10 to 34 inches and averaging 19 inches long. Bluegill abundance met management goals with an average length of seven inches and fish up to nine inches long sampled. Walleye were sampled in low numbers and did not meet the management goal. Walleye averaged 24 inches long and fish ranging from 21 to 28 inches were sampled. Black Crappie ranged in length from four to 12 inches long. Largemouth Bass were sampled in low numbers with an average of length of 15 inches and fish ranging from 12 to 19 inches. Management goals for Largemouth Bass are based on spring electro-fishing which was not conducted in 2023. Yellow Perch catches did not meet management goals. Sampled perch ranged from five to nine inches and averaged six inches long.
Read the full DNR narrative
Other fish species sampled include Bowfin (Dogfish), Brown Bullhead, Hybrid Sunfish, Pumpkinseed, and Yellow Bullhead.
People can have significant impacts on lakes and the fish populations they support. Harvest, lakeshore development, removal of shoreline vegetation, and introductions of invasive species can all adversely affect fish populations. Currently, no aquatic invasive species (AIS) have been identified in Big Portage Lake. AIS are moved from infested to non-infested waters by anglers, boaters, and lake shore owners and can adversely impact lakes and fish populations. To avoid spreading AIS, lake users are required to remove all aquatic plants or animals from their watercraft and drain all water from their boat before leaving the access. If you suspect an infestation of an invasive species in this lake, save a specimen and report it to a local natural resource office. Additional information on all of these topics can be found on the DNR website (www.dnr.state.mn.us) or by contacting the Walker Area Fisheries office.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Big Portage Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Big Portage Lake from guides, tournaments and regular anglers. Anything posted in the last two weeks also bumps the matching spots on the live map, so you'll see a "matches a recent report" tag on them.
Public water access
Getting on the water
- DNR access: T139 R30 S24 - off of MN Highway 87
DNR bathymetry
Big Portage Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Deep Portage Lake · 129 ac · 1.5 mi
- Johnson Lake · 90 ac · 2 mi
- Willard Lake · 8 ac · 2 mi
- Five Point Lake · 251 ac · 2.2 mi
- Ox Yoke Lake · 185 ac · 2.3 mi
- Sanborn Lake · 220 ac · 2.5 mi
- Horseshoe Lake · 260 ac · 2.7 mi
- Hattie Lake · 588 ac · 2.9 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Big Portage Lake?
Big Portage Lake reaches 23 ft at its deepest point; about 100% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Big Portage Lake?
Big Portage Lake covers 902 acres with about 7.2 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Big Portage Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Big Portage Lake average 6.6 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Big Portage Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2023) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Big Portage Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Big Portage Lake have a public access?
Yes. Big Portage Lake has one public access site: DNR access (T139 R30 S24 - off of MN Highway 87).
How big do northern pike get in Big Portage Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 33"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1997.
When was Big Portage Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Big Portage Lake in 2023, the most recent of 8 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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