Minnesota · Aitkin County
Portage Lake Fishing guide
Portage Lake sits in Aitkin County, Minnesota, and covers 372 acres, reaching 18 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 4.3 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 10 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
No recent survey rating.
Northern pikeOne of the best around16per gill net21"Typical30"Biggest
Lengths measured · 92 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2025Lengths measured · 15 fish
2025Lengths measured · 77 fish
2022Lengths measured · 125 fish
2012Lengths measured · 35 fish
2012BluegillJust a few15per trap net7"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 218 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2025Lengths measured · 34 fish
2025Lengths measured · 184 fish
2022Lengths measured · 139 fish
2012Lengths measured · 287 fish
2012CrappieFair numbers16.3per trap net6"Typical14"Biggest
Lengths measured · 282 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2025Lengths measured · 37 fish
2025Lengths measured · 245 fish
2022Lengths measured · 538 fish
2012Lengths measured · 57 fish
2012Yellow perchExcellent numbers23per gill net7"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 114 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2025Lengths measured · 1 fish
2025Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 113 fish
2022Lengths measured · 3 fish
2012Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 190 fish
2012Rates 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 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 84% 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. A 18-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn.
- Early summer
- Largemouth are on the shallow spawning flats and protected bays, where beds go on firm bottom next to isolated cover.
- Summer
- Largemouth are in and along the weeds: cabbage and milfoil edges, matted cover and shade. With 84% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Largemouth are chasing bait back onto the flats and into the remaining green weeds, feeding hard and shallow before the freeze. A 18-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
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 | Largemouth bass | Yellow perch |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 29" | — | 5" |
| 2022 | 30" | 8" | 8" |
| 2012 | 28" | 21" | 6" |
| 2002 | 29" | 11" | 7" |
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 · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Northern pike · Muskie & pike
Soft Rubber (Bull Dawg / Medusa)
10" soft rubber body bait
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Wacky-Rigged Stickworm
5" stickworm
Yellow perch · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Yellow perch · Live bait
Slip Bobber + Leech
jumbo or large leech
Full setups, including hooks, weights and line, are on the live map. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
This survey was conducted on 2/27/2025 to gauge the likelihood of a winterkill occurring on Portage Lake. Winter dissolved oxygen levels were good for Portage Lake and likely tolerable based on this survey with 4.5 ppm below the ice and 1.1 ppm near the bottom. Therefore, it seemed unlikely for any significant winterkill to occur in spring 2025.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Portage Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on 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
- Portage Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Portage Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Turner Lake · 63 ac · 1.7 mi
- Rock Lake · 342 ac · 3.3 mi
- Bass Lake · 57 ac · 3.4 mi
- Round Lake · 185 ac · 4.7 mi
- Fleming Lake · 319 ac · 4.7 mi
- Wilkins Lake · 349 ac · 5.2 mi
- Rice Lake · 3,684 ac · 5.7 mi
- Dam Lake · 598 ac · 5.7 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Portage Lake?
Portage Lake reaches 18 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 8 ft; about 84% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Portage Lake?
Portage Lake covers 372 acres with about 5.1 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Portage Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Portage Lake average 4.3 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Portage Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Portage Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Portage Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Portage Lake have a public access?
Yes. Portage Lake has one public access site: Portage Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Portage Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 30"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2002.
When was Portage Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Portage Lake in 2025, the most recent of 10 surveys on record.
Page updated .
Featured guide spot
Your guide service here
One featured guide per lake, with your photo, your writeup and a link straight to your booking page. Free through December 31, 2026.
Then $20 a month from January. Cancel any time.
The live map adds today's conditions and ranked spots for Portage Lake, plus a trip plan you can share:
Open Portage Lake on the live map → Fished it lately? Write a report