Portage Lake Fishing in Timiskaming District, Ontario

• Overview

  Portage Lake lies in Timiskaming District, in Ontario. It stands 314 metres above sea level. It measures about 32 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. Around 6.7 km of bank, which is a long day on foot. The closest town, Englehart, is 58 km away. Then Kirkland Lake, 59 km, and Temiskaming Shores, 79 km. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Portage Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Reported across Timiskaming District: brook trout, northern pike, yellow perch, Iowa darter and walleye. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. On Portage Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 18°C; by January the average is down near -17°C. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Ice-out usually falls in late April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Averages suggest open water from about late April through to roughly mid November. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. It holds true on Portage Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Failing this one, try Sanderson Lake, 1.1 km away. Confirm before you fish Portage Lake.