Portage Lake (main bay)

Details

DNR lake ID

56014001

County

Otter Tail

Surface area

269 acres

Maximum depth

49 feet

Shallow water (littoral) area

148 acres, 55% of the lake

Shoreline

2.5 miles

Average water clarity

12.4 feet (Secchi disk, 2 readings)

Latest DNR fish survey

August 2023, targeted survey

Surveys on record

7, since 1984

Game fish caught in the 2023 survey

bluegill 370, largemouth bass 30, pumpkinseed 29, yellow perch 13, hybrid sunfish 11, walleye 9, black crappie 8, smallmouth bass 1

Fish species recorded

black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, yellow perch, and 13 other species

Stocked in 2025

walleye fry (148,000)

Stocked in 2023

walleye fry (148,000)

Stocked in 2021

walleye fry (148,000)

Stocking years on record

5 of the last 10 (2017 to 2025)

Portage Lake Public Water Access Site

trailer launch, concrete slab ramp, 8 trailer spaces, run by DNR Division of Parks and Trails

Fish consumption

Follow the statewide guidelines; fish from this lake have not been tested

Size

100 to 499 acres

Deepest point

30 to 59 feet

Public access

Yes

Stocked in the last 3 years

Yes

Sources

• Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
  Checked September 24, 2026
• Minnesota DNR Public Water Access Sites
  Checked September 24, 2026

Survey catches show what DNR nets and electrofishing found on the survey date, not how the fishing is today. Check the current regulations and the Department of Health advice before you keep fish, and confirm access conditions before you tow a boat.