Big Portage Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin · WBIC 1629500
This lake has fishing rules that differ from the standard ones for its area. Check the official rules before you fish. Official regulations
Size
638 acres
Max depth
40 ft
DNR lake type
Complex, Cool, clear water color
Water clarity
16 ft
Clear, measured Aug 2026
A cool-water lake type: the DNR groups it with lakes that stay cooler through summer. This describes the lake type in general, not this lake in particular.
Outline
Numbered dots are boat landings; tap one for directions. The list below has the same numbers. Drawn from the DNR's 24K hydrography (surveyed 1981), so the shape is approximate and a landing can sit a little off the shore. Open the DNR lake map.
Water clarity
16 ft Secchi depthClear
Last measured Aug 24, 2026. 293 readings on record, 1991 to 2026.
Typical summer clarity (June to September): 19 ft, clear, from 90 readings (2012 to 2026).
Secchi depth is how far down a white disk stays visible. A bigger number means clearer water. Clear means a Secchi depth of 10 feet or more, moderate 5 to 10 feet, low under 5 feet.
Wisconsin DNR water monitoring (volunteer and staff), via the Water Quality Portal; station Big Portage Lake - Deep Hole. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Water temperature
Last measured Aug 24, 2026, too long ago to show as the current temperature.
A typical year Modeled estimate
- Ice goes outabout Apr 28 (Apr 19 to May 4)
- Surface reaches 48°Fabout May 7 (May 4 to May 14)
- Surface reaches 64°Fabout Jun 8 (May 31 to Jun 10)
- June surface67°F, usually 64 to 68°F
- July surface72°F, usually 71 to 74°F
- August surface70°F, usually 69 to 72°F
Forms a warm top layer around Jun 17, lasting about 34 days.
A computer model of this lake's typical weather and water, built from 15 years, 2005 to 2019. Ranges show the middle half of years. The model was not calibrated against measured temperatures for this lake. It is an estimate, not a measurement.
Measured: Wisconsin DNR via the Water Quality Portal (checked Oct 23, 2026). Modeled: U.S. Geological Survey lake temperature data release (doi:10.5066/P9CA6XP8).
Today at the lake
Forecast: National Weather Service (no endorsement implied). Sunrise, sunset and moon phase are calculated. The moon phase can be a day off.
Boat landings
- 1Big Portage Lake AccessBoat ramp · Concrete surface · Township
Directions
Wisconsin DNR public boat access sites. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
More lakes in Vilas County
- Little Portage Lake1.4 miles away
- Osceola Lake1.6 miles away
- Williams Lake1.7 miles away
- Lake O' Pines1.8 miles away
- Pinkeye Lake1.8 miles away
- Kenu Lake2.0 miles away
Where this comes from
- Size, depth and lake typeWisconsin DNR lake classifications, checked Oct 23, 2026
- OutlineWisconsin DNR 24K hydrography, checked Oct 23, 2026
- Regulations linkWisconsin DNR fishing regulations (linked, not restated), checked Oct 23, 2026
- Boat landingsWisconsin DNR public boat access sites, checked Oct 23, 2026
- Water clarityWisconsin DNR water monitoring, via the Water Quality Portal, checked Oct 23, 2026
- Typical-year temperatureU.S. Geological Survey lake temperature model (modeled estimate), checked Oct 23, 2026
- VHS statusWisconsin DNR VHS status by watershed, checked Oct 24, 2026
- Depth map linkWisconsin DNR lake maps list, checked Oct 24, 2026
See data sources for what each source covers, and about for how the numbers are matched to lakes.
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