Minnesota · Crow Wing County
Portage Lake Fishing guide
Portage Lake is a 287-acre lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, reaching 37 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 13.1 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 13 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers1.7per gill net17"Typical30"Biggest
Lengths measured · 19 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2025Lengths measured · 1 fish
2025Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 18 fish
2023Lengths measured · 11 fish
2016Lengths measured · 16 fish
2012Largemouth bassFair numbers46.6per hr (electrofishing)10"Typical16"Biggest
Lengths measured · 148 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2025Lengths measured · 10 fish
2025Lengths measured · 138 fish
2023Lengths measured · 1 fish
2016Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 80 fish
2012Northern pikeGood numbers12.8per gill net18"Typical34"Biggest
Lengths measured · 89 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2025Lengths measured · 8 fish
2025Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 81 fish
2023Lengths measured · 62 fish
2016Lengths measured · 73 fish
2012BluegillJust a few11.6per trap net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 208 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2025Lengths measured · 126 fish
2025Lengths measured · 82 fish
2023Lengths measured · 2 fish
2016Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 124 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. At 13.1 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- 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.
- 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. At 13.1 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- 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.
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 18" | 19" | 16" |
| 2023 | 34" | 30" | 16" |
| 2016 | 34" | 31" | 14" |
| 2012 | 35" | 29" | 18" |
| 2006 | 28" | 29" | 15" |
| 1994 | 33" | 26" | 14" |
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
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 · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Free Rig
Creature bait or magnum finesse worm
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 | 1,800 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 1,116 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 1,809 fingerlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 1,775 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Portage Lake was conducted on June 16, 2025, by Lake Biological Monitoring and Assessment (LBMA) Program staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at 10 sampling stations. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used at all stations. Nearshore sampling captured 17 species of fish including five species that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, Blacknose Shiner, Iowa Darter, and Rock Bass) and none that are tolerant of disturbance.
A summer trap net survey was conducted by LBMA Program staff during the week of June 16, 2025. Nine trap nets were set along the shoreline in locations that encompassed multiple habitat types. Trap net sampling captured twelve species of fish, including one that is intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Rock Bass) and one that is tolerant of disturbance (i.e., Black Bullhead). Bluegill comprised a majority of the catch by number and whereas Bowfin comprised a majority by biomass.
Read the full DNR narrative
The nearshore and trap net survey data were combined with gill net data from a survey conducted during the week of June 12, 2023 to describe the fish community and provide a fish-based IBI (FIBI) score. The FIBI uses fish community data to measure a lake's health, and the types of fish species present can help identify any stressors that may be negatively affecting the lake environment. In Minnesota lakes, certain fish species cannot survive without clean water and a healthy habitat (e.g., Blackchin Shiner, Iowa Darter, and Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Black Bullhead). The FIBI score, composed of several fish community diversity and composition metrics, indicates the overall health of a lake by comparing it to what is expected for a healthy lake. For additional information on the FIBI, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov website.
Results from this survey provide evidence that the fish community Portage Lake is healthy as indicated by an FIBI score that meets the exceptional aquatic life use threshold determined for similar lakes. The FIBI results are similar to previous findings, which indicated that Portage Lake is fully supporting aquatic life use. The survey results will be considered when the biological health of the lake is assessed during the Mississippi River-Brainerd Watershed assessment process, which will be completed in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency. You can help protect the fish community in Portage Lake by reducing runoff, maintaining natural shorelines, and preventing the spread of invasive species.
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.
DNR bathymetry
Portage Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Hanks Lake · 165 ac · 0.7 mi
- Crooked Lake · 463 ac · 1.5 mi
- Nokay Lake · 704 ac · 3 mi
- Clearwater Lake · 906 ac · 3 mi
- Bay Lake · 2,330 ac · 3.6 mi
- Partridge Lake · 188 ac · 3.8 mi
- Borden Lake · 1,011 ac · 4.3 mi
- Turtle Lake · 108 ac · 4.4 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Portage Lake?
Portage Lake reaches 37 ft at its deepest point; about 38% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Portage Lake?
Portage Lake covers 287 acres with about 2.6 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Portage Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Portage Lake average 13.1 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Portage Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Portage Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
How big do northern pike get in Portage Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 34"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1994.
When was Portage Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Portage Lake in 2025, the most recent of 13 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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