Portage Lake
depth
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Depth scale
Survey readout
Portage Lake is mapped to a depth of 60 ft on the Michigan DNR survey and covers about 2,100 acres in Manistee County, Michigan.
Measured from the Michigan DNR inland-lake contour survey.
- Deepest sounding
- 60 ft
- Mean depth
- 19.4 ft · estimated
- Surface area
- 2,100 acres
- Estimated volume
- 40,783 acre-ft · 13,289M gal
- Shoreline
- 11.43 mi · irregular
- Aquatic vegetation
- 2% of surface · NDVI estimate
- Public access
- Boat Launch
Additional depth details9 contours
- Contour depths
- 0–60 ft
- Recorded point soundings
- 60 ft, 60 ft, 20 ft
33.7% of the surface sits over water shallower than 10 ft; 41.9% is deeper than 20 ft; the survey shows 2 distinct basins. Depth, area and volume are estimated from the interpolated survey surface — historical reference, not measurement.
Compare with another lakeProvenance
Sources: MI DNR inland lake contours, USGS 3DEP, USDA NAIP (public domain), OpenStreetMap (ODbL), MI DNR Boat Launches.
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Map details & sources5 sources
All layers registered to one bounding box; positions in WGS 84.
Survey-derived depth contours drape over USGS 3DEP elevation, with a USDA NAIP aerial basemap and OpenStreetMap shoreline. Colour shows surveyed depth; dark lines are the survey's own isobaths.
- Coordinates
- 44.36206, -86.23393
- MI DNR lake ID
- L17513
- Vertical exaggeration
- 5.9× below the waterline; land at true scale
- Basemap
- USDA NAIP · public domain
- Model size
- 2.4 MB
Paddling
Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-08-21Portage Lake has a substantially developed setting, notable open-water exposure, substantial nearby higher-volume roads. No special watercraft restriction is identified in the current source.
Why this score?5 components
Included in the index
| Component | Rating | Points of weight | Measurement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural setting | Modest | 2.9 of 30 | 33% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (13% forest, 19% wetland; 43% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Mixed | 3.0 of 25 | mean fetch 3,367 m · 0% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · long fetch in some directions |
| Watercraft controls | None identified | 7.5 of 15 | No special watercraft restriction identified in the current DNR source. Motors permitted, subject to general law. |
| Public access | Excellent | 15.0 of 15 | 2 sites with DNR boating-facility records · carry-in launch · 4 ramp lanes · 25 trailer spaces |
| Road isolation | Modest | 1.9 of 15 | substantial nearby higher-volume roads · 145 MDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 4,956 vehicles/day |
Additional paddling considerations
These describe the lake but are not part of the v1 Paddling Index and do not change the number above.
- Wake sensitivity
- Low — wide enough that wakes disperse over most of the lake
- Aquatic vegetation
- Low — approximately 2% mapped coverage · NAIP aerial imagery (NDVI)
- Observed motorized activity
- Unknown — No lake-level measurement of boat traffic is available. Legal permission to operate motors is not evidence of use.
- Wildlife habitat potential
- Limited — 13% forest and 19% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
Compare Michigan lakes by Paddling Index →
Fish you might catch
from angler catches, DNR surveys & active stocking28 species with recent evidence in this lake — sized relative to each other. Illustrations are AI-generated representative adults in everyday colours, not photographs (provenance).
Chinook Salmon
Longnose Gar
Northern Pike
Common Carp
Bowfin
Channel Catfish
Coho Salmon
Lake Trout
Walleye
Burbot
Brown Trout
Rainbow Trout
Freshwater Drum
Largemouth Bass
White Sucker
Smallmouth Bass
Menominee Whitefish
Cisco
Brown BullheadBullhead
Black CrappieCrappie
White Perch
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Rock Bass
Hybrid Sunfish
PumpkinseedFishing rules for this lake Beta
Size and daily limits for the 28 species found here — 28 open to harvest.
These are hook-and-line size, daily limit and season rules. Gear, spearing and bow fishing, spawning closures and rod limits are set by other Fisheries Orders and are not shown here.
From FO-206.26 (eff. 2026-04-01) / FO-215.23A (eff. 2023-09-15) / FO-254.25 (eff. 2025-10-10), checked against the 2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations digest · verified 2026-08-24. Regulations can change — Michigan DNR rules are the controlling source; verify current regulations before fishing. Official regulations
Notable catches
Master Angler program · 1995–2025Trophy-size fish anglers caught here and registered with the DNR — what people have actually caught, distinct from what a survey netted or the state stocked below.
Catch details by species23 species
Biggest on record
Bait: artificial lure (45) · live bait (31) · minnow (19)
Method: spincasting (86) · ice fishing (74) · still fishing (36) · trolling (28)
Fishery
Gamefish Largemouth Bass 5,152 · Northern Pike 3,665 · Smallmouth Bass 1,560 · Walleye 394
Panfish Yellow Perch 25,938 · Bluegill 3,865 · Rock Bass 2,473
All survey species17 species
Gamefish
Panfish
Bullhead & catfish
Forage & nongame
DNR stocking
state stocking record · 1979–2026Fish the Michigan DNR has planted in this lake — what was added, distinct from what a survey netted above.
Non-native species records
10 recordsMussels & snails
- Mud Bithynia
- Quagga Mussel
- Zebra Mussel
Plants & algae
- Common Reed
- Curly-leaf Pondweed
- Eurasian Watermilfoil
- Narrow-leaved Cattail
- Yellow Iris
Fish
- Common Carp
- Round Goby
What does non-native mean?
USGS records identify non-native species that have been documented for this lake or its shoreline. Non-native does not necessarily mean invasive, and historical records do not confirm current presence.
Source: Midwest Glacial Lakes Partnership Conservation Planner; underlying nonindigenous species records from the USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database.
At the lake
community-mapped amenities · straight-line distanceBait & tackle nearby
licensed retail bait dealers · straight-line distancePortage Lake — common questions
How deep is Portage Lake?
The deepest contour on the Michigan DNR bathymetric survey of Portage Lake is 60 ft. That is the deepest depth the historical survey map records, which may differ from the deepest point of the lake itself.
How big is Portage Lake?
Portage Lake covers about 2,100 acres in Manistee County, Michigan.
What is the average depth of Portage Lake?
The estimated mean depth of Portage Lake is 19.4 ft, calculated from the survey contours.
What fish are in Portage Lake?
Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include brown trout, burbot, channel catfish, chinook salmon, coho salmon, lake trout. The page lists all 28 species and the evidence behind each.
Is there public access to Portage Lake?
Yes. The Michigan DNR boat-launch data identifies 2 public access sites on Portage Lake, including Portage Lake.
