Portage Lake (Houghton County)

Houghton County, Michigan

Portage Lake in Houghton County is a roughly 9,640-acre lake on the Keweenaw Waterway, connected to Torch Lake and Lake Superior. MI DNR reports an excellent Walleye population and a high-quality Northern Pike fishery.

Air temp in Dollar Bay, MI Loading current temperature…

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Current air temperature at Portage Lake (Houghton County) (National Weather Service) ↗

Surface area9,640 acres

Max depth54 ft

Shoreline—

Boat motorsCheck local rules

Species

Fishery rating out of 5.

Walleye●●●●●

About 2 adults per acre per MI DNR; stocked in odd years

Northern Pike●●●●○

Fast growth per MI DNR

Smallmouth Bass●●●○○

Rock, gravel and points. Tubes, jerkbaits and drop-shots.

Yellow Perch●●●○○

Schools on mud and sand flats. Great through the ice.

Crappie●●●○○

Brush piles, docks and standing timber. Minnows or small jigs.

Largemouth Bass●●○○○

Weeds, docks and wood in the shallows.

Boat launches

3 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.

Houghton County Marina launchMarina
Hard-surface ramp for large watercraft, Franklin TownshipDirections ↗
City of Houghton launchRamp
West of the lift bridge; $5 per launch or $40 seasonDirections ↗
More public accessPublic
See the Michigan DNR or lake website for all ramps and feesDirections ↗

Size & creel limits

Special rules for this lake, confirmed from official state regulations. Minimum size and daily limit.

Species	Min size	Daily limit
Walleye Only 1 Walleye 23 inches or greater in daily possession	15"	5
Lake Sturgeon Release immediately; season July 16 - March 15		0

Other species in this lake: look up the limits at Michigan Department of Natural Resources ↗

Verified October 2026. Rules change, so confirm current limits with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources before you fish.

Bait & tackle nearby

No shops listed yet for this lake. Use the search link below.

Search more bait shops near Portage Lake (Houghton County) ↗

Local tips

Only 1 Walleye 23 inches or longer is allowed in the daily limit of 5.
Lake Sturgeon must be released immediately; season July 16 - March 15.
Fish consumption advisories are in place; check MI DNR guidance.

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Zoom and pan on a street, satellite or terrain map. Red pins are boat launches.

More Michigan lakes

Torch Lake (Antrim County) Lake Charlevoix Burt Lake Mullett Lake Lake Gogebic Manistique Lake Black Lake Crystal Lake All Michigan lakes →

Always wear a life jacket and check your state's current regulations before you fish.