Portage Lake, Manistee County for visiting anglers
EGLE mapping gives Portage Lake, Manistee County 2,117 acres of surface water inside Manistee County. Base a trip in Onekama, about 2 miles from the lake. MDNR biologists of the Central Lake Michigan unit cover it (Lower Peninsula). EPA ecoregion: North Central Hardwood Forests. Watershed: Lake Michigan.
Anglers can expect cisco, walleye and trout, per MDNR records. Boaters reach it through 2 public launches. In 2023, July to September imagery gave roughly 13.3 feet of clarity.
MDNR Fish Atlas and Family Friendly Fishing lists, MDNR stocking table, checked October 2026. Older collections are history, not a current survey.
Trout
Portage Lake, Manistee County on the trout lake list
Type Ftrout lake Type
nodesignated trout lake
5/3^daily possession
Rule
Value for Portage Lake
Regulation
Type F Non Designated
Fishing season
January 1st to December 31st
Possession season
January 1st to December 31st
Daily possession
5 fish in any combination, but no more than 3 fish of any one species, except up to 5 salmon (Chinook or coho) may be retained. Zero (0) Artic Grayling.
Tackle
All types of natural bait and artificial lures may be used.
Minimum sizes
brook 10", brown 10", rainbow 10", splake 10", lake trout 10", Chinook 10", coho 10", pink 10", Atlantic 10"
MDNR files Portage Lake, Manistee County under inland trout lake Type F.
MDNR Trout and Salmon Inland Lake Regulation Types layer and 2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations (April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), pp. 42-65.
Launches
Getting a boat onto Portage Lake, Manistee County
Onekama Village Park2 lanes, courtesy pier; Village of Onekama
Portage Lake Boat Access near Onekama2 lanes, 25 trailer spaces, courtesy pier, toilet, Recreation Passport; Orchard Beach State Park
Other public launches near Portage Lake, Manistee County
Bear Lake Boat Access near Bear Lake (MDNR A-51-003)Bear Lake, 6 miles northeast
Hopkins ParkBear Lake, 6 miles northeast
Eastlake Penny ParkManistee Lake, 8 miles southwest
Arthur Street Boat AccessManistee Lake, 8 miles southwest
Kenneth E. Messer Memorial Boat AccessArcadia Lake, 9 miles north
First Street Boat AccessManistee River, 10 miles southwest
MDNR Parks and Recreation boat access sites and MDNR fishing sites, checked October 2026.
Clarity
Satellite clarity readings for Portage Lake, Manistee County
201812.7 ft
201913.7 ft
202012.8 ft
202112.7 ft
202211.4 ft
202313.3 ft
Clarity at Portage Lake, Manistee County is estimated from summer Landsat scenes by EGLE.
EGLE put 2023 chlorophyll a at 2.95 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.
Regulations
Size and bag limits on Portage Lake, Manistee County
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
5 fish in any combination, but no more than 3 of any one species, except up to 5 salmon (Chinook or coho); minimum brook 10", brown/rainbow/splake 10", lake trout 10", Chinook/coho/pink 10",
Open all year
For Portage Lake, Manistee County, statewide inland limits for the Lower Peninsula apply unless an exception is listed.
2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations (April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), statewide tables and county exceptions, checked October 2026.
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Photographs
The shore near Portage Lake, Manistee County through a lens
Manistee River39 mi Photo: Notorious4life ( Uploads ), CC0 1.0Crystal Lake21 mi Photo: Hgjudd, CC BY-SA 3.0Platte River24 mi Photo: Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, CC BY 2.0Pere Marquette River30 mi Photo: Yetiwriter, CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers
Asked and answered: fishing Portage Lake, Manistee County
Where in Michigan does Portage Lake, Manistee County lie?
Manistee County, Central Lake Michigan Management Unit, about 2 miles from Onekama is where it sits.
What is the surface area of Portage Lake, Manistee County in acres?
EGLE measures 2,117 acres.
Where is the ramp at Portage Lake, Manistee County?
2 public launches, including Onekama Village Park.
Does Portage Lake, Manistee County hold bluegill and other panfish?
MDNR records list cisco, walleye and trout.
What size limits cover Portage Lake, Manistee County?
Walleye (Lower Peninsula): 5; minimum 15 inches; season Last Sat. in April – March 15.
Does fishing Portage Lake, Manistee County call for a Michigan license?
Trout and salmon need no separate stamp in Michigan; the all-species license ($26 resident, $76 nonresident a year) covers them.
How many feet of visibility does Portage Lake, Manistee County have?
In 2023, about 13.3 feet.
Which Michigan bait counter is the shortest drive from Portage Lake, Manistee County?
Closest on our list: Onekama Marine Inc at 1 mile.
How many fish went into Portage Lake, Manistee County recently?
Most recently in 2026: 65,283 walleye.
What are the trout rules on Portage Lake, Manistee County?
Type F (type f non designated): 5 fish in any combination, but no more than 3 fish of any one species, except up to 5 salmon (Chinook or coho) may be retained. Zero (0) Artic Grayling. Season january 1st to december 31st.
Spend a morning casting Portage Lake, Manistee County
Buy the all-species license before you leave home.
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