Minnesota · Otter Tail County
Portage (main bay) Lake Fishing guide
Portage (main bay) Lake covers 269 acres in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, reaching 49 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 12.4 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 7 times, most recently in 2023, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025One of the best around14per gill net13"Typical24"Biggest
Lengths measured · 91 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2023Lengths measured · 3 fish
2023Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 88 fish
2022Lengths measured · 101 fish
2017Lengths measured · 75 fish
2004Largemouth bassJust a few3.4per hr (electrofishing)10"Typical18"Biggest
Lengths measured · 117 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2023Lengths measured · 18 fish
2023Lengths measured · 99 fish
2022Lengths measured · 26 fish
2017Lengths measured · 18 fish
2004BluegillJust a few23.8per trap net5"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 474 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2023Lengths measured · 133 fish
2023Lengths measured · 341 fish
2022Lengths measured · 20 fish
2017Lengths measured · 23 fish
2004CrappieJust a few1.3per trap net9"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 28 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2023Lengths measured · 8 fish
2023Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 20 fish
2022Lengths measured · 2 fish
2017Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 8 fish
2004Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
No 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 Portage (main bay) Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 12.4 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. On a lake that drops to 49 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. At 12.4 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- 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 49 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 | Smallmouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 22" | 18" | — |
| 2022 | 24" | 17" | 17" |
| 2017 | 23" | 15" | — |
| 2004 | 25" | 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:
Walleye · Live bait
Live-Bait (Lindy) Rig + Leech/Crawler
jumbo leech or half a nightcrawler
Walleye · Jigs & bladed
Tail Spinner
Compact lead body with a free-spinning blade on the tail
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
Smallmouth bass · Soft plastics
Drop Shot (Finesse Plastic)
4" finesse worm or 3" minnow-profile plastic
Smallmouth bass · Jigs & bladed
Tail Spinner
Compact lead body with a free-spinning blade on the tail
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 | 148,000 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 148,000 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 148,000 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 148,000 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 148,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2023 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Portage Lake was conducted on August 8-9, 2023, by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program staff. Nine 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 ten sampling stations. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample six stations, a 15-foot seine was used at three stations, and site conditions prevented the use of seines at one station. Nearshore sampling captured fourteen species of fish including six species that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, Blacknose Shiner, Iowa Darter, Mimic Shiner, and Smallmouth Bass) and zero that are tolerant of disturbance.
A concurrent summer trap net survey was also conducted by IBI Program staff. Nine trap nets were set along the shoreline in locations that encompassed multiple habitat types. Trap net sampling captured eight species of fish. Bluegill comprised a majority of the catch by number, whereas Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, and Yellow Bullhead comprised a majority by biomass.
Read the full DNR narrative
The nearshore and trap net data were combined with gill net data from a July 2022 survey 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, Least Darter, and Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Black Bullhead and Green Sunfish). 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 indicate that the fish community in Portage Lake is healthy as indicated by an FIBI score that exceeds the general use threshold determined for similar lakes. These results will be considered when the biological health of the lake is assessed during the Redeye River Watershed assessment process, which will be completed in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.
In addition to the fish survey, Minnesota DNR Fisheries IBI program staff conducted an assessment of lakeshore habitat on Portage Lake on Sep 22 2023, following the Score the Shore survey protocols. The assessment consisted of 28 survey sites evenly spaced 150 meters around the lake. Assessments were made in three habitat zones: Shoreline Zone (the shore-water interface to the top of the natural bank), Shoreland Zone (land-ward from shoreline to development structure or 100 feet), and Aquatic Zone (lake-ward 50 feet of shoreline). The average lakewide habitat score was 75.4 (+/- 4.3) out of 100 possible. A score of 75.4 indicates the lakewide shoreline condition is Moderate, but a large difference was noted in shoreline condition between undeveloped and developed sites. Undeveloped sites had a mean score of 94.4, and excellent shoreline condition. However, developed sites were in poor condition with a mean score of 58.9.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Portage (main bay) Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Portage (main bay) 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 (main bay) Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Donalds Lake · 166 ac · 1 mi
- West Leaf Lake · 700 ac · 1.8 mi
- Buchanan Lake · 964 ac · 2.5 mi
- Middle Leaf Lake · 404 ac · 3.7 mi
- Rush Lake · 5,276 ac · 4.9 mi
- East Leaf Lake · 423 ac · 5.3 mi
- Round Lake · 273 ac · 5.4 mi
- Ethel Lake · 191 ac · 6 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Portage (main bay) Lake?
Portage (main bay) Lake reaches 49 ft at its deepest point; about 55% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Portage (main bay) Lake?
Portage (main bay) Lake covers 269 acres with about 2.5 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Portage (main bay) Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Portage (main bay) Lake average 12.4 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Portage (main bay) Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2023) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Portage (main bay) Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Portage (main bay) Lake have a public access?
Yes. Portage (main bay) Lake has one public access site: Portage Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Portage (main bay) Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 24"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2004.
When was Portage (main bay) Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Portage (main bay) Lake in 2023, the most recent of 7 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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