Minnesota · Cass County
Portage Lake Fishing guide
Portage Lake sits in Cass County, Minnesota, and covers 1,539 acres, reaching 55 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 5 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 6 times, most recently in 2021, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2024One of the best around14per gill net16"Typical25"Biggest
Lengths measured · 176 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 176 fish
2021Lengths measured · 68 fish
2007Lengths measured · 182 fish
2000Northern pikeJust a few2.3per gill net23"Typical37"Biggest
Lengths measured · 27 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 27 fish
2021Lengths measured · 40 fish
2007Lengths measured · 62 fish
2000BluegillJust a few3.1per trap net3"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 38 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 38 fish
2021Lengths measured · 18 fish
2007Lengths measured · 22 fish
2000CrappieJust a few2.4per trap net4"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 40 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 40 fish
2021Lengths measured · 15 fish
2007Lengths measured · 24 fish
2000Yellow perchOne of the best around92.9per gill net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 1160 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 1160 fish
2021Lengths measured · 2181 fish
2007Lengths measured · 2863 fish
2000Rock bassGood numbers1.1per seine haul8"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 12 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 12 fish
2021Lengths measured · 3 fish
2007Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 12 fish
2000Rates 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
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. On a lake that drops to 55 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows.
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. On a lake that drops to 55 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Largemouth are chasing bait back onto the flats and into the remaining green weeds, feeding hard and shallow before the freeze.
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 | Walleye | Largemouth bass | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 25" | — | 37" |
| 2007 | 27" | 18" | 34" |
| 2000 | 28" | 18" | 33" |
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:
Walleye · Live bait
Live-Bait (Lindy) Rig + Leech/Crawler
jumbo leech or half a nightcrawler
Walleye · Trolling
Leadcore Line + Crankbaits
4–5" mid-diving crankbait behind a long leadcore run
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Topwater Popper
2.5–3" concave-face popper
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Hollow-Body Frog
3–3.5" hollow-body frog
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
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Walleye | 7,175 fingerlings · 956 yearlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 21,164 fingerlings · 500 yearlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 27,320 fingerlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 48,600 fry |
| 2016 | Walleye | 6,242 fingerlings · 1,201 yearlings · 1,757 adults |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2021 survey
Portage Lake is a 1,539-acre lake with 7.91 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 55 feet located west of Bena, MN. A US Forest Service owned public access is located on the north shore. The DNR has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different classes based on physical, chemical and other characteristics. Portage Lake is in Lake Class 27; lakes in this class are generally large, deep, regularly shaped lakes. Other area lakes in this class include Ada, Crooked, and Webb. The lake is primarily managed for Northern Pike and Walleye. Bluegill, Black Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Tullibee (Cisco), and Yellow Perch are secondary management species.
Northern Pike abundance declined from previous surveys but remained within management goals. Size structure goals were met as average length and weight of Northern Pike was 24 inches and 3.5 pounds, and Northern Pike ranged in length from 20 to 37 inches. Walleye abundance was the highest recorded on Portage and well above management goals. Walleye lengths ranged from 13 to 26 inches with an average length of 17 inches. Yellow Perch numbers were above management goals and perch up to 10 inches long were sampled. No Largemouth Bass were sampled in 2021 and this is consistent with previous surveys. Bluegill were sampled in low numbers with an average length of 5 inches and fish up to 9 inches sampled. Black Crappie abundance was below management goals, and crappie ranged in length from 4 to 13 inches.
Read the full DNR narrative
Other fish species sampled include, Bowfin, Brown Bullhead, Hybrid Sunfish, Pumpkinseed, Rock Bass Tullibee (Cisco), White Sucker, 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 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
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
- Middle Sucker Lake · 286 ac · 5.3 mi
- Upper Sucker Lake · 113 ac · 5.3 mi
- Lower Sucker Lake · 592 ac · 5.4 mi
- Six Mile Lake · 1,323 ac · 8.1 mi
- Winnibigoshish Lake · 56,471 ac · 9.7 mi
- Thirteen Lake · 555 ac · 11.8 mi
- Pike Bay Lake · 4,756 ac · 12.4 mi
- Windigo Lake · 195 ac · 13.1 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Portage Lake?
Portage Lake reaches 55 ft at its deepest point; about 44% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Portage Lake?
Portage Lake covers 1,539 acres with about 7.9 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Portage Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Portage Lake average 5 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Portage Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2021) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Portage Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Portage Lake have a public access?
Yes. Portage Lake has one public access site: Portage Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Portage Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 25"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2000.
When was Portage Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Portage Lake in 2021, the most recent of 6 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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