Portage

Portage Lake (DOW# 11-0476; Lake Class 23) is a 277-acre lake with 95 littoral acres, 3.1 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 84 feet located near Hackensack, MN. A US Forest Service owned public access is located on the south shore. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different classes based on physical, chemical and other characteristics. Portage Lake is in Lake Class 23; lakes in this class tend to be deep, have a low percentage of area less than 15 feet deep, have hard water and are very clear. Other area lakes in this class include Hay, Horseshoe, Island, Mule, Ponto and Stony lakes. The lake is primarily managed for Black Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike and Smallmouth Bass, and secondarily for Bluegill, Walleye and Yellow Perch. A catch and release regulation for Largemouth Bass and Smallmouth Bass was implemented in 1996. In 2018, this regulation was modified to a 14 to 20 inch Protected Slot Limit (PSL) with one fish over 20 inches allowed in possession. The purpose of this survey was to assess Northern Pike, Walleye, and Yellow Perch populations and evaluate Walleye fry stocking. A standard lake survey was completed in the summer of 2025. Portage lake is a great multi species lake with potential to produce trophy sized fish. Black Crappie were caught in low numbers with fish from 5 to 12 inches sampled. Management goals are based on spring trap netting which was not conducted in 2025. Low numbers of Largemouth Bass were sampled with fish from 6 to 12 inches. A targeted survey using electrofishing was conducted in the spring of 2025 for Largemouth Bass and Smallmouth Bass (see targeted survey for details). Northern Pike abundance met management goals and lengths ranged from 13 to 39 inches, Northern Pike size goals were partially met in the 2025 survey. Smallmouth Bass were sampled with fish from 5 to 17 inches present. Bluegill catch rates were below the management goal, but met size goals. Bluegills measuring up to 8 inches were present. Walleye abundance was below the management goal and lengths ranged from 9 to 22 inches long. Yellow Perch abundance was below the management goal and lengths ranged from 5 to 9 inches. Other fish species sampled include Hybrid Sunfish, Pumpkinseed Sunfish and White Sucker. 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. 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.

Portage Lake (DOW# 11-0476; Lake Class 23) is a 277-acre lake with 95 littoral acres, 3.1 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 84 feet located near Hackensack, MN. A US Forest Service owned public access is located on the south shore. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different classes based on physical, chemical and other characteristics. Portage Lake is in Lake Class 23; lakes in this class tend to be deep, have a low percentage of area less than 15 feet deep, have hard water and are very clear. Other area lakes in this class include Hay, Horseshoe, Island, Mule, Ponto and Stony lakes. The lake is primarily managed for Black Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike and Smallmouth Bass, and secondarily for Bluegill, Walleye and Yellow Perch. A catch and release Bass regulation was implemented in 1996. In 2018, this regulation was modified to a 14 to 20 inch Protected Slot Limit (PSL) with one over 20 inches allowed in possession. The purpose of this survey was to assess the effectiveness of the special regulation. Quality angling opportunities exist for Largemouth Bass and Smallmouth Bass in Portage Lake. Largemouth Bass were abundant, lengths ranged from 8 to 19 inches, with an average length of 13 inches. Sampled Largemouth Bass were slightly below length based management goals in this survey. Smallmouth Bass were abundant, lengths ranged from 7 to 18 inches, with an average length of 13 inches. Length based management goals were partially met in this survey. 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.

A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Portage Lake was conducted on July 6, 2021, by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) 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 all 10 sampling stations. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample six stations, a 15-foot seine was used to sample three stations, and site conditions prevented the use of a seine at one station. Nearshore sampling captured 14 species of fish including six species that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Blackchin Shiner, Blacknose Shiner, Iowa Darter, Mimic Shiner, Mottled Sculpin, and Smallmouth Bass) and none that are tolerant of disturbance. The nearshore data were combined with trap net and gill net data from a July 2020 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, Iowa Darter, and Smallmouth Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., 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 exceptional use threshold determined for similar lakes. These results will be considered when the biological health of the lake is assessed during the Leech Lake River Watershed assessment process, which will be completed in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Muskellunge, Black Crappie, and Hybrid Sunfish in Portage. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.

Minnesota DNR records list public access for Portage. Check the DNR LakeFinder page for the launch type and directions before you go.

Portage has a maximum depth of 84 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Portage is from 2025.

No invasive species are on record for Portage in Minnesota DNR data. Always clean, drain, and dry your equipment to help keep it that way.