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Fishing Portage Lake: what the data says
83-acre lake near Ontario. The lake tops out around 16 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Walleye fishing at Portage Lake
Spring walleye on Portage Lake hold shallow, usually 4 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 5 to 16 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 16 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 7 ft, rated prime for fall walleye. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Tie on a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 5 to 16 ft | dusk & dawn | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 5 to 16 ft | dusk & night | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 5 to 16 ft | dusk & dawn | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Yellow Perch fishing at Portage Lake
Start shallow in spring: yellow perch sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. By summer they slide out to 5 to 16 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 16 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 3 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 5 to 16 ft | dawn | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 5 to 16 ft | midday | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 5 to 16 ft | midday & dawn | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Northern Pike fishing at Portage Lake
Spring northern pike on Portage Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. They move out to 5 to 16 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 15 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 5 to 16 ft | dawn & dusk | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 5 to 16 ft | midday & dawn | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Rock Bass fishing at Portage Lake
Spring rock bass on Portage Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. By summer they slide out to 4 to 16 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 16 ft. Main-lake point is the standout, a point at roughly 8 ft, rated prime for summer rock bass. Plan around the evening in the warm months. A ned rig (small) or a marabou jig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 4 to 16 ft | dusk | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 5 to 16 ft | midday | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 5 to 16 ft | midday | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 14 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 8 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 8 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 7 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft
Common questions
How deep is Portage Lake?
Portage Lake is about 16 ft at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
What fish are in Portage Lake?
Anglers target walleye, northern pike, yellow perch, rock bass on Portage Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on Portage Lake?
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 7 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Portage Lake?
For walleye, the summer bite is best in the evening and early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Nearby waters
Hunt Lake · Birch Lake · Georgina Lake · Shillington Lake · Sisseney Lake · Chown L. 1
See how Portage Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best rock bass lakes in Ontario
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