Portage Lake (Manistee County)

Manistee County, Michigan

Portage Lake is a 2,110-acre natural lake in western Manistee County, with the village of Onekama on its northeast shore. It is known for panfish and for walleye and salmon fisheries supported by DNR stocking.

Air temp in Onekama, MI Not available right now.

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

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

Surface area2,110 acres

Max depth60 ft

Shoreline—

Boat motorsCheck local rules

Species

Fishery rating out of 5.

Yellow Perch●●●●○

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

Bluegill●●●○○

Weed beds and shallow flats in late spring.

Walleye●●●○○

Supported by DNR stocking

Smallmouth Bass●●●○○

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

Largemouth Bass●●●○○

Weeds, docks and wood in the shallows.

Northern Pike●●○○○

Weed edges and bays. Spoons, spinnerbaits and tip-ups through the ice.

Chinook Salmon●●●○○

Stocked; seasonal

Boat launches

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

Portage Lake Boat Launch (MDNR)Public
Onekama Township; hard-surface large-watercraft ramp, about 70 parking spaces, restroom, ADA kayak launchDirections ↗
Village of Onekama boat launchPublic
Downtown OnekamaDirections ↗
More public accessPublic
See the Michigan DNR or lake website for all ramps and feesDirections ↗

Size & creel limits

Minimum size and daily limit for each species in Portage Lake (Manistee County) are published by the state. Look up the current size and creel limits for this lake directly: Michigan Department of Natural Resources ↗

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 (Manistee County) ↗

Local tips

Yellow perch and bluegill dominate the DNR survey catch, so panfish are the most dependable target.
Walleye and salmon are stocked by the DNR; check current stocking and seasons before planning a trip.
The DNR launch has a large hard-surface ramp with about 70 parking spaces, suited to larger boats.

View on interactive map

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

More Michigan lakes

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