Portage Lake, St. Joseph County Fishing
A 400-acre Michigan lake in St. Joseph County.
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Portage Lake, St. Joseph County for visiting anglers
EGLE mapping gives Portage Lake, St. Joseph County 400 acres of surface water inside St. Joseph County. Base a trip in Mendon, about 4 miles from the lake. MDNR biologists of the Southern Lake Michigan unit cover it (Lower Peninsula). EPA ecoregion: Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains. Watershed: Southeastern Lake Michigan.
Boaters reach it through 1 public launch. In 2023, July to September imagery gave roughly 5.8 feet of clarity.
Fish recorded in Portage Lake, St. Joseph County
MDNR Fish Atlas records from Portage Lake, St. Joseph County
| Species | Atlas records | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Chestnut lamprey | 1 | 1952 |
| Common shiner | 1 | |
| Rainbow darter | 1 |
MDNR Fish Atlas and Family Friendly Fishing lists, MDNR stocking table, checked October 2026. Older collections are history, not a current survey.
Getting a boat onto Portage Lake, St. Joseph County
- Portage Lake Boat Access near Mendon2 lanes, 28 trailer spaces, courtesy pier, toilet, Recreation Passport; Cassopolis Field Office
Other public launches near Portage Lake, St. Joseph County
- Mendon Boat AccessSaint Joseph River, 4 miles southeast
- Barton Lake Boat AccessBarton Lake, 5 miles northwest
- Fisher's Lake Boat AccessFishers Lake, 5 miles southwest
- Covered Bridge ParkSturgis Dam Pond – Saint Joseph River, 6 miles south
- Prairie View County ParkHogset Lake, 8 miles northwest
- Hogset Lake Boat AccessHogset Lake, 8 miles northwest
MDNR Parks and Recreation boat access sites and MDNR fishing sites, checked October 2026.
Satellite clarity readings for Portage Lake, St. Joseph County
Clarity at Portage Lake, St. Joseph County is estimated from summer Landsat scenes by EGLE.
EGLE put 2023 chlorophyll a at 13.75 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.
Size and bag limits on Portage Lake, St. Joseph 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 |
For Portage Lake, St. Joseph 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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Dates and winners for Portage Lake, St. Joseph County are on its tournament page.
Lakes around Portage Lake, St. Joseph County side by side
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Clarity ft | Fish listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portage Lake, St. Joseph County | 400 | 1 | 5.8 | 0 | |
| Barton Lake | 4 miles northwest | 330 | 1 | 8.7 | 0 |
| Sturgis Dam Pond | 5 miles south | 574 | 1 | 6.3 | 0 |
| Howard Lake, Kalamazoo County | 5 miles northwest | 151 | 0 | 10.9 | 1 |
| Fishers Lake | 5 miles southwest | 330 | 1 | 8.6 | 0 |
| Three Rivers Imp. | 8 miles southwest | 491 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
EGLE inland lake layer, MDNR access sites and Fish Atlas.
In the Portage Lake, St. Joseph County area
More Michigan lakes by Portage Lake, St. Joseph County
- Barton Lake4 miles northwest
- Sturgis Dam Pond5 miles south
- Howard Lake, Kalamazoo County5 miles northwest
- Fishers Lake5 miles southwest
- Three Rivers Imp.8 miles southwest
Stores that outfit Portage Lake, St. Joseph County anglers
- Keough Hacklesbait and tackle shop, Mendon, 3 miles
- Double L Bait & Marinebait and tackle shop, Vicksburg, 8 miles
- Boat City Marinemarina, Portage, 10 miles
- Docks Unlimitedmarina, Portage, 10 miles
- Rwr Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Portage, 11 miles
- Stankxbaitcobait and tackle shop, Portage, 11 miles
Where to sleep for a trip to Portage Lake, St. Joseph County
- Mendon4 miles
- Vicksburg5 miles
- Schoolcraft8 miles
Portage Lake, St. Joseph County county guides
- St. Joseph Countyseat: Centreville
Reels and a weigh-scale grip for Portage Lake, St. Joseph County
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The shore near Portage Lake, St. Joseph County through a lens
Photo: Paul Sableman from St. Louis, MO, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: starscream1211, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Gpwitteveen, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Rachel Kramer, CC BY 2.0
Asked and answered: fishing Portage Lake, St. Joseph County
Where in Michigan does Portage Lake, St. Joseph County lie?
St. Joseph County, Southern Lake Michigan Management Unit, about 4 miles from Mendon is where it sits.
What is the surface area of Portage Lake, St. Joseph County in acres?
EGLE measures 400 acres.
Where is the ramp at Portage Lake, St. Joseph County?
1 public launch, including Portage Lake Boat Access near Mendon.
Does Portage Lake, St. Joseph County hold bluegill and other panfish?
MDNR publishes no fish list for it.
What size limits cover Portage Lake, St. Joseph County?
Walleye (Lower Peninsula): 5; minimum 15 inches; season Last Sat. in April – March 15.
Does fishing Portage Lake, St. Joseph County call for a Michigan license?
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 many feet of visibility does Portage Lake, St. Joseph County have?
In 2023, about 5.8 feet.
Which Michigan bait counter is the shortest drive from Portage Lake, St. Joseph County?
Closest on our list: Keough Hackles at 3 miles.
Spend a morning casting Portage Lake, St. Joseph County
Buy the all-species license before you leave home.