Portage Lake, Jackson County Fishing
A 398-acre Michigan lake in Jackson County.
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A first look at Portage Lake, Jackson County
Portage Lake, Jackson County spreads across 398 acres in Jackson County, by the EGLE inland lake layer. About 6 miles separates Portage Lake, Jackson County from Grass Lake. On the Lower Peninsula, it belongs to the Southern Lake Michigan Management Unit. Ecoregion Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains; basin Southeastern Lake Michigan.
Species found since 1970 include redear sunfish, bullhead, crappie, largemouth bass, northern pike and smallmouth bass. The shore holds 1 public launch. EGLE satellite clarity: about 7.1 feet (2023). The MDNR names it a Family Friendly Fishing water.
For the redear sunfish herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 Species anglers find in Portage Lake, Jackson County
MDNR sources behind the Portage Lake, Jackson County list: Fish Atlas surveys since 1970, stocking events and access site lists.
Survey history for Portage Lake, Jackson County
| Species | Atlas records | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Redear sunfish | 2 | 1989 to 1993 |
| Blacknose shiner | 1 | 1950 |
| Bluegill | 1 | 1950 |
| Bluntnose minnow | 1 | 1950 |
| Brook silverside | 1 | 1950 |
| Iowa darter | 1 | 1950 |
| Johnny darter | 1 | 1950 |
| Largemouth bass | 1 | 1950 |
| Least darter | 1 | 1950 |
| Northern logperch | 1 | 1950 |
| Northern longear sunfish | 1 | 1950 |
| Pumpkinseed | 1 | 1950 |
| Rock bass | 1 | 1950 |
| Spottail shiner | 1 | 1950 |
MDNR Fish Atlas and Family Friendly Fishing lists, MDNR stocking table, checked October 2026. Older collections are history, not a current survey.
Public launches on Portage Lake, Jackson County
- Portage Lake Boat Access near Grass Lake4 lanes, 69 trailer spaces, courtesy pier, toilet, Recreation Passport; Waterloo State Recreation Area (PRD)
Shore and pier access at Portage Lake, Jackson County
- Portage Lake fishing site, Grass Lake fishing pier, Dawn until dusk, pier
- Big Portage Lake fishing site, Waterloo Townshipfishing pier, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., pier
Launch sites a short tow from Portage Lake, Jackson County
- Mud Lake Boat Access near ChelseaMud Lake, 5 miles east
- Sugarloaf Lake Boat Access near ChelseaSugarloaf Lake, 6 miles east
- Crooked Lake Boat Access near ChelseaCrooked Lake, 6 miles east
- Winnewanna Impoundment Boat AccessWinnewana Impoundment, 6 miles east
- Gilletts Lake Boat AccessGilletts Lake, 7 miles southwest
- Mill Lake Boat AccessMill Lake, 7 miles east
MDNR Parks and Recreation boat access sites and MDNR fishing sites, checked October 2026.
How clear Portage Lake, Jackson County runs
The Portage Lake, Jackson County clarity bars are EGLE July to September satellite averages, shown in feet.
The 2023 chlorophyll a estimate is 8.39 micrograms per liter.
EGLE Michigan Inland Lakes Water Clarity layer (Landsat, July to September), checked October 2026. Depth is not published here: the layer depth fields are unreliable.
Harvest rules on Portage Lake, Jackson County
| Species | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth and smallmouth bass | 5 in any combination; minimum 14 inches | Possession: Sat. before Memorial Day – Dec. 31; catch-and-immediate-release open all year |
| Walleye (Lower Peninsula) | 5; minimum 15 inches | Last Sat. in April – March 15 |
| Northern pike (Lower Peninsula) | 2; minimum 24 inches | Last Sat. in April – March 15 |
| Muskellunge | Only 1 per angler per license year (April 1 – March 31); mandatory harvest registration within 24 hours; minimum 42 inches (46, 50 or 38 inches on listed waters) | Possession: 1st Sat. in June – March 15; catch-and-immediate-release open all year |
| Yellow perch | 25 | Open all year |
| Sunfish and crappie | 25 in any combination of the listed species | Open all year |
| Channel catfish | 10; minimum 12 inches | Open all year |
| Flathead catfish | 5; minimum 15 inches | Open all year |
| White bass | 10 | Open all year |
| Cisco and whitefish | 5 in any combination | Open all year |
| Burbot | 5 | Open all year |
| Trout in unclassified lakes | 5, no more than 3 of which may be 15 inches or greater; minimum 8 inches | Open all year |
These are the Lower Peninsula inland rows that cover Portage Lake, Jackson County.
2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations (April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), statewide tables and county exceptions, checked October 2026.
Recent fish plants in Portage Lake, Jackson County
From 2025 to 2025 the table shows 1 plants and 2,470 fish for Portage Lake, Jackson County, mainly walleye.
| Date | Species | Strain | Avg length | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 28, 2025 | Walleye | Muskegon | 13.1 in | 2,470 |
MDNR Fish Stocking Report table, January 2024 to October 2026. Michigan stocking.
Sizing up Portage Lake, Jackson County against its neighbors
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Clarity ft | Fish listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portage Lake, Jackson County | 398 | 1 | 7.1 | 10 | |
| Grass Lake, Jackson County | 5 miles south | 353 | 1 | 5.5 | 0 |
| Mud Lake, Washtenaw County | 5 miles east | 74 | 1 | 0 | |
| Sugarloaf Lake, Washtenaw County | 6 miles east | 178 | 1 | 6.3 | 1 |
| Crooked Lake near Chelsea, Washtenaw County | 6 miles east | 114 | 1 | 13.4 | 1 |
| Gilletts Lake | 6 miles southwest | 334 | 1 | 5.1 | 1 |
EGLE inland lake layer, MDNR access sites and Fish Atlas.
Close by Portage Lake, Jackson County
Neighboring lakes to Portage Lake, Jackson County
- Grass Lake, Jackson County5 miles south
- Mud Lake, Washtenaw County5 miles east
- Sugarloaf Lake, Washtenaw County6 miles east
- Crooked Lake near Chelsea, Washtenaw County6 miles east
- Gilletts Lake6 miles southwest
Live bait and lures near Portage Lake, Jackson County
- The Minnow Bucketbait and tackle shop, Jackson, 6 miles
- Lock & Key Storagemarina, Napoleon, 12 miles
- N & K Marinemarina, Gregory, 12 miles
- Talkin' Tacklebait and tackle shop, Jackson, 16 miles
- Eagle Point Marina & Boat Clubmarina, Clarklake, 16 miles
- Vineyard Lake Marina IImarina, Brooklyn, 16 miles
Guided trips on Portage Lake, Jackson County
- Charters by Gregcharter, Belleville, (734) 796-4948
- Michigan Guide Inccharter, Novi, (248) 305-7337
- Murphys Fish Taxidermyfishing guide, Howell, (517) 548-6857
Overnight stops close to Portage Lake, Jackson County
- Grass Lake6 miles
- Stockbridge8 miles
- Michigan Center9 miles
Where Portage Lake, Jackson County sits by county
- Jackson Countyseat: Jackson
A Piscifun setup for a day on Portage Lake, Jackson County
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Fish an angler meets at Portage Lake, Jackson County
Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
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Photo: George Chernilevsky, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Dezidor, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Tommy Andriollo, CC BY 4.0
Portage Lake, Jackson County questions Michigan anglers ask
In which Michigan county is Portage Lake, Jackson County?
Find it in Jackson County, Southern Lake Michigan Management Unit, about 6 miles from Grass Lake.
How many acres does the EGLE layer credit to Portage Lake, Jackson County?
About 398 acres.
How many public launches reach Portage Lake, Jackson County?
1 public launch; Portage Lake Boat Access near Grass Lake is the biggest.
Which fish has the MDNR found in Portage Lake, Jackson County?
Records show redear sunfish, bullhead, crappie, largemouth bass, northern pike, smallmouth bass and sunfish.
Which limits apply on Portage Lake, Jackson County?
Walleye (Lower Peninsula): 5; minimum 15 inches; season Last Sat. in April – March 15.
What does a license cost to fish Portage Lake, Jackson County?
Anglers 17 and older carry a Michigan all-species fishing license: $26 a year for residents, $76 for nonresidents, $11 for seniors or $10 for one day.
How deep does sunlight reach in Portage Lake, Jackson County?
EGLE estimated 7.1 feet in 2023.
Which store on our Michigan list is closest to Portage Lake, Jackson County?
Try The Minnow Bucket, roughly 6 miles off.
Does the MDNR plant fish in Portage Lake, Jackson County?
The latest MDNR plants on file (2025): 2,470 walleye.
Haul the boat to Portage Lake, Jackson County
Check the limits above, then choose a launch.