Little Portage Lake
Little Portage Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 6.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 11 ft. Surface area: 160 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as present on Little Portage Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 6.4 ft
- Typical in August
- 69°F
- Max depth
- 11 ft
- Area
- 160 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Little Portage Lake is a 160-acre mesotrophic lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 11 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 102 other monitored lakes in Vilas County, Little Portage Lake ranks #74 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-05-12. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Murky, only visible to about 6.4 ft. Phosphorus level: 20.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 49.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6.4 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 20.6 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 49 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Little Portage Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Little Portage Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Little Portage Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Little Portage Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 74°F) and coldest in May (about 58°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 23 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Little Portage Lake water temperature breakdown →
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as present on Little Portage Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Little Portage Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
WI DNR Lake Profile
Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. Monitored by volunteers since 1994. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 11 ft |
| Surface Area | 160 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Lake PleasantPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Little Portage Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.357 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.7 µg/L/yr | 6 |
County Ranking
Ranked #74 of 103 lakes in Vilas County
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Little Portage Lake
Where is Little Portage Lake?
- Little Portage Lake is a lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Little Portage Lake?
- Little Portage Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 6.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 11 ft. Surface area: 160 acres.
Is Little Portage Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Little Portage Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Little Portage Lake?
- Little Portage Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in August, from 23 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Little Portage Lake?
- Little Portage Lake has a maximum depth of 11 feet. The lake covers 160 acres.
What fish are in Little Portage Lake?
- Fish species found in Little Portage Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Little Portage Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Little Portage Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as present on Little Portage Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Little Portage Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Little Portage Lake?
- Little Portage Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Pleasant. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Little Portage Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
46 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2021–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX46 samples · 2021–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory