Minnesota · Hubbard County
Portage Lake Fishing guide
Portage Lake sits in Hubbard County, Minnesota, and covers 429 acres, reaching 17 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 5.9 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 13 times, most recently in 2022, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
Largemouth bassJust a few18.9per hr (electrofishing)10"Typical17"Biggest
Lengths measured · 29 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 29 fish
2022Lengths measured · 39 fish
2017Lengths measured · 58 fish
2016Lengths measured · 25 fish
2015Northern pikeGood numbers12.3per gill net17"Typical29"Biggest
Lengths measured · 126 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 126 fish
2022Lengths measured · 348 fish
2017Lengths measured · 220 fish
2016Lengths measured · 240 fish
2015BluegillLast stocked 2024Just a few16.6per trap net5"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 178 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 178 fish
2022Lengths measured · 204 fish
2017Lengths measured · 264 fish
2016Lengths measured · 130 fish
2015CrappieLast stocked 2024Just a few0.1per trap net9"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 20 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 20 fish
2022Lengths measured · 68 fish
2017Lengths measured · 3 fish
2016Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 3 fish
2015Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Yellow perchLast stocked 2024Good numbers5.1per gill net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 49 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 49 fish
2022Lengths measured · 31 fish
2017Lengths measured · 4 fish
2016Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 1 fish
2015Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
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 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 96% 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 17-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
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 96% 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. A 17-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 | Walleye | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 29" | 20" | 17" |
| 2017 | 35" | 25" | 17" |
| 2016 | 31" | 18" | 13" |
| 2015 | 31" | — | 16" |
| 2014 | 34" | 21" | 16" |
| 2009 | 34" | 25" | 18" |
| 2007 | 29" | 15" | 18" |
| 2002 | 31" | 24" | 11" |
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 · Jigs & bladed
Spinnerbait
3/8–1/2 oz safety-pin spinnerbait with tandem willow-leaf blades
Walleye · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Wacky-Rigged Stickworm
5" stickworm
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 | Black Crappie | 222 fingerlings |
| 2024 | Bluegill Sunfish | 135 fingerlings |
| 2024 | Walleye | 1,501 fingerlings · 150 yearlings |
| 2024 | Yellow Perch | 221 fingerlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 3,476 fingerlings · 635 yearlings · 1 adults |
| 2021 | Walleye | 113 adults |
| 2020 | Walleye | 62 yearlings · 381 adults |
| 2019 | Walleye | 413,440 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 3,016 fingerlings |
| 2016 | Walleye | 7,520 fingerlings · 119 adults |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2022 survey
Portage Lake is located three miles northwest of Park Rapids in west-central Hubbard County. Portage has a surface area of 429 acres and a maximum depth of 17 feet. A county owned public access is located on the south shore of the lake. Portage is a very popular lake for ice fishing, as it is one of the first lakes to freeze in the area. Due to the shallow depth and heavy aquatic vegetation growth, Portage Lake is subject to periodic winterkills. Portage provides angling opportunities for Northern Pike, Panfish, Largemouth Bass and Walleye.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different types based on physical, chemical, and other characteristics. Portage is in lake class 39, one of fifteen class 39 lakes in the Park Rapids management area. Class 39 lakes are generally shallow, with high littoral area and are regularly shaped. Other class 39 lakes in the work area include: First Crow Wing, Fourth Crow Wing, Ham, Hennepin, Loon, Minnie, Paine, Peysenski, Rice, Shallow, Upper Twin, Wolf, and Hungryman.
Read the full DNR narrative
Northern Pike abundance was down from recent surveys but is still considered high. Anglers will find the Northern Pike population spread out with most from 13 to 27 inches in length. Northern Pike sampled had an average length of 18.8 inches and weighed 1.5 pounds.
Portage supports a fast-growing Black Crappie population and angling for them is popular year-round. Anglers will find most Black Crappie in the 8.5 - 10.5 inch size range, with fish up to 12.3 inches. Portage also provides good fishing for Bluegill and Pumpkinseed; with some nicer fish up to 8.5 inches sampled.
Walleye were sampled in low numbers, and below previous recent surveys. Walleye sampled had an average length of 15.9 inches with fish measuring up to 20.6 inches. Yellow Perch, an important forage species for Walleye were sampled in increasing numbers, but most were too small for anglers.
Curly-leaf Pondweed is an aquatic invasive species (AIS) that has been identified in Portage. 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.
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
- Fish Hook Lake · 1,643 ac · 2.8 mi
- Potato Lake · 2,096 ac · 4.2 mi
- Eagle Lake · 424 ac · 4.5 mi
- Ivan Lake · 22 ac · 5 mi
- Two Inlets Lake · 578 ac · 5.5 mi
- Island Lake · 541 ac · 5.9 mi
- Blue Lake · 336 ac · 6.6 mi
- Straight Lake · 471 ac · 7 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Portage Lake?
Portage Lake reaches 17 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 10 ft; about 96% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Portage Lake?
Portage Lake covers 429 acres with about 5.3 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Portage Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Portage Lake average 5.9 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Portage Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2022) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Portage Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked black crappie, bluegill sunfish, walleye and yellow perch 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 northern pike get in Portage Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 29"; 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 2022, the most recent of 13 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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