Portage Lakes Fishing
A 804-acre Ohio lake in Summit County, 400 HP limit.
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Portage Lakes by the ODNR numbers
Inside Summit County, Portage Lakes covers 804 acres on the ODNR lake map. Its edge measures near 26.7 miles on the Division of Wildlife map. ODNR draws it as 3 outline pieces, and the acres here add them together. From the lake point, Portage Lakes is the nearest place at about 3 miles. It belongs to ODNR Wildlife District Three (Akron office).
Outboards follow a limit of 400 HP limit. Launching is possible at 4 public launches. ODNR has sunk 4 fish attractors in it. ODNR gives it 1 site-specific entry of its own.
ODNR Division of Wildlife lake outlines (acres and shoreline miles), horsepower and fish hot-spot layers, Census places, retrieved October 26, 2026.
Where ODNR sank cover in Portage Lakes
Cover at Portage Lakes includes 4 ODNR attractor sites, placed in 2004 and 2011, from 10 to 18 feet deep.
| Site | Type | Points | Depth | Year placed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 tree structures | Tree | 1 | 10 to 18 ft | 2011 |
| 90 tree structures | Tree | 1 | 10 to 18 ft | 2004 |
| East boundary of 190 tree structures | Tree | 1 | 10 to 18 ft | 2011 |
| West boundary of 190 tree structures | Tree | 1 | 10 to 18 ft | 2011 |
ODNR DOW Lake Fishing layer, fish attractors (type, year, depth as mapped), retrieved October 26, 2026.
Launch sites on the shore of Portage Lakes
- Portage Lakes State Park – Turkeyfootconcrete ramp, 4 lanes, 110 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, 400 HP limit; ODNR Division of Parks & Recreation
- Old State Park on Portage Lakesconcrete ramp, 3 lanes, 79 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, 400 HP limit; ODNR Division of Parks & Recreation
- Portage Lakes State Park – North Reservoirconcrete ramp, 2 lanes, 20 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, 400 HP limit; ODNR Division of Parks & Recreation
- Portage Lakes State Park – Long Lakegravel ramp, 1 lane, 12 trailer spaces, no launch fee, 400 HP limit; ODNR Division of Parks & Recreation
Backup ramps around Portage Lakes
- Portage Lakes State Park – C 1 on Nimisila LakeNimisila Lake, 1 mile south
- Portage Lakes State Park – SM2 on Nimisila LakeNimisila Lake, 2 miles south
- Portage Lakes State Park – CG on Nimisila LakeNimisila Lake, 2 miles south
- Portage Lakes State Park – C 6 on Nimisila LakeNimisila Lake, 3 miles south
- Lakemore Park – James B Dodds Lakefront Park on Springfield LakeSpringfield Lake, 6 miles northeast
- Springfield Lake – Springfield RampSpringfield Lake, 6 miles northeast
ODNR Parks and Watercraft boating facilities and DOW facility points, retrieved October 26, 2026.
Booklet rows for Portage Lakes
| Species | Daily limit and size | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Blue & Flathead Catfish (under 35 inches) | No daily limit | Open year-round |
| Blue & Flathead Catfish (35 inches or larger) | 1 of each (statewide); minimum 35 inches | Open year-round |
| Channel Catfish (under 28 inches) | No daily limit | Open year-round |
| Channel Catfish (28 inches or larger) | 1 (statewide); minimum 28 inches | Open year-round |
| Largemouth, Smallmouth, & Spotted Bass | 5 (singly or in combination); minimum 12 inches | Open year-round |
| Muskellunge | 1 | Open year-round |
| Striped, Hybrid-Striped, & White Bass | 30 (singly or in combination); minimum No more than 4 over 15 inches | Open year-round |
| Trout | 5 (singly or in combination) | Open year-round |
| Walleye, Sauger, & Saugeye | 6 (singly or in combination) | Open year-round |
| Yellow Perch | 30 | Open year-round |
For Portage Lakes, start from the statewide inland rows shown here.
Booklet rules written for Portage Lakes
| Water as printed | Species | Limit and size | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portage Lakes: East, North, Turkeyfoot, and West | Black & White Crappie | 30; minimum 9 inches | Open year-round |
Site-specific rules as printed in the 2026-27 Ohio Fishing Regulations (ODNR Division of Wildlife Publication 5085, effective March 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027) (booklet PDF), page numbers in the booklet.
Limits as printed in the 2026-27 Ohio Fishing Regulations (ODNR Division of Wildlife Publication 5085, effective March 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027) and the ODNR Lake Erie walleye and yellow perch daily limits sheet (May 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027); retrieved October 26, 2026.
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Organizer dates, launches and printed winners for Portage Lakes sit together on one page.
Nearby Ohio lakes measured against Portage Lakes
Nimisila Lake tops the nearby list for size at 743 acres.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Motor rule | Hot-spot species |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portage Lakes | 804 | 4 | 400 HP limit | 0 | |
| Nimisila Lake | 2 miles south | 743 | 4 | electric motors only | 0 |
| North Lake | 2 miles northwest | 164 | 0 | 0 | |
| Long Lake | 3 miles north | 224 | 0 | 0 | |
| Springfield Lake | 6 miles northeast | 291 | 2 | 250 HP limit | 0 |
| Silver Creek Lake | 8 miles west | 46 | 0 | 0 |
ODNR lake outlines, horsepower and hot-spot layers and the launch inventory, retrieved October 26, 2026.
Near Portage Lakes
Ohio reservoirs around Portage Lakes
- Nimisila Lake2 miles south
- North Lake2 miles northwest
- Long Lake3 miles north
- Springfield Lake6 miles northeast
- Silver Creek Lake8 miles west
Minnows, crawlers and line for Portage Lakes
- Ron Slater's Portage Lake Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Coventry Township, 2 miles
- Longlake Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Coventry Township, 2 miles
- Manda Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Coventry Township, 3 miles
- Land Bigfishbait and tackle shop, Akron, 3 miles
- Fishermen's Centralbait and tackle shop, Coventry Township, 3 miles
- Eddie's Live Baitbait and tackle shop, Green, 3 miles
Ohio charter and guide listings near Portage Lakes
- A-Hoy Sara-J Fishing Charterscharter, Lake Erie, Cleveland, (216) 346-2654
- Bass Fish Americacharter, Lake Erie, North Olmsted, (440) 471-7192
- Fat Boy Sportfishing Charterscharter, Lake Erie, Wellington, (440) 387-7676
- Fin-Ominal Charterscharter, Lake Erie, Cleveland, (440) 552-0992
- Elite Eyes Sportfishingfishing guide, New Franklin, (330) 962-5352
Home bases within reach of Portage Lakes
- Portage Lakes3 miles
- New Franklin3 miles
- Green3 miles
Ohio counties around Portage Lakes
- Summit Countyseat: Akron
Piscifun reels to stow for Portage Lakes
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Shorelines and reservoirs by Portage Lakes, photographed
Photo: Roseohioresident, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Phil and Jo Schiffbauer, CC BY 2.0
Photo: 5chw4r7z, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Roseohioresident, CC BY-SA 4.0
Questions to settle before heading for Portage Lakes
Where in Ohio is Portage Lakes?
ODNR maps it in Summit County, ODNR Wildlife District Three (Akron office), about 3 miles from Portage Lakes.
What surface area does ODNR give Portage Lakes?
Some 804 acres of water, with about 26.7 miles of shoreline.
Which ramp has the most trailer parking at Portage Lakes?
There are 4 public launches; Portage Lakes State Park – Turkeyfoot leads the list.
Which Ohio gamefish does the record tie to Portage Lakes?
ODNR publishes no species list for it.
Is Portage Lakes named in the Ohio site-specific table?
Largemouth, Smallmouth, & Spotted Bass: 5 (singly or in combination); minimum 12 inches; Open year-round. One or more lines in the booklet override that here, printed above.
Do I need an Ohio license at Portage Lakes?
Anglers 16 and older need an Ohio fishing license: $25.00 a year for residents, $76.96 for nonresidents and $10.00 for residents 65 and older.
Can I run a big outboard on Portage Lakes?
The horsepower layer shows 400 HP limit.
Who sells minnows on the road to Ohio's Portage Lakes?
Drive about 2 miles to Ron Slater's Portage Lake Bait & Tackle.
Where is the structure in Portage Lakes?
Yes: 4 mapped attractor points.
Give an Ohio weekend to Portage Lakes
Check the daily limit before a fish goes in the cooler.