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    Northern OntarioFMZ 8

    Mattagami Lake – Gogama

    Hwy 661, Gogama, ON P0M 1W0

    Marker
    Leaflet © OpenStreetMap
    Seasonal availabilityDirections Official FMZ 8 rules

    About this water

    A remote walleye destination in the heart of the boreal forest. Gogama is a small community that offers big fish with minimal crowds.

    Large lake with moderate clarity. Rocky and sandy structure. Connected to the Mattagami River system.

    WalleyeNorthern PikeSmallmouth BassPerch

    FMZ 8 regulations — Northeast Ontario — Cochrane, Timmins & Kirkland Lake

    Northeast Ontario, with large river systems draining into the Arctic watershed and relatively small, shallow lakes. The Quebec border between Lake Temiskaming and James Bay forms its eastern boundary; it stretches north to the southern coast of James Bay and is bounded by FMZ 3 to the northeast, FMZ 7 to the west and FMZs 10, 11 and 12 to the south.

    • Walleye: open all year on most waters; S-4/C-2.
    • Northern pike: open all year; S-6/C-2.
    • Brook trout: check individual waters for season and gear restrictions.

    Zone check: FMZ 8 confirmed from this water's coordinates against the official Ontario zone boundaries (reviewed 2026-08-12).

    Summary only — always confirm current seasons and limits on the Ontario MNRF FMZ 8 page before your trip.

    Seasonal availability

    Open-season windows for the species found at Mattagami Lake – Gogama, taken from the FMZ 8 regulation summary. Green months are within a published open season — they are not a prediction of how well fish will bite.

    Best months to plan a tripany listed species open
    WalleyeOpen all year
    Northern pikeOpen all year

    No FMZ 8 season line published in our summary for: Smallmouth Bass, Perch. Check the official page before keeping these species.

    Summary only, and seasons change annually. Confirm dates on the Ontario MNRF FMZ 8 page before your trip.

    Fishing tips

    • Tannin-stained water = bright and loud lures win; think firetiger and chartreuse.
    • Post-spawn walleye stack in current seams below hydro dams.
    • Focus on the river mouths and narrows for walleye concentrations. Pike cruise the weedy bays — use spinnerbaits and work them fast.
    • Access: Free launch at Gogama public dock. Lodge launches available.

    Solunar Calendar— Mattagami Lake – Gogama

    🌔

    Waxing Gibbous

    93% illuminated · Age 12.2d

    Solunar rating93/100

    🌔 Tue, Aug 25

    93% · Rating 93
    minor8:51 PM – 9:51 PM
    major2:21 AM – 4:21 AM
    minor8:51 AM – 9:51 AM
    major2:21 PM – 4:21 PM

    🌔 Wed, Aug 26

    97% · Rating 98
    minor9:36 PM – 10:36 PM
    major3:06 AM – 5:06 AM
    minor9:36 AM – 10:36 AM
    major3:06 PM – 5:06 PM

    🌕 Thu, Aug 27

    100% · Rating 100
    minor10:19 PM – 11:19 PM
    major3:49 AM – 5:49 AM
    minor10:19 AM – 11:19 AM
    major3:49 PM – 5:49 PM

    Major windows (~2 h) cluster around moon transit and antitransit; minor windows (~1 h) around moonrise and moonset. Local approximations — verify against a printed almanac for planning.

    Gear setup

    Setup:
    Medium spinning for walleye; medium-heavy for pike
    Rod:
    7' medium spinning rod
    Reel:
    Size 2500 spinning
    Line:
    10 lb braid with 8 lb fluorocarbon leader
    Best bait:
    Minnows, Leeches, Worms
    Best lures:
    Jig & minnow, Lindy rig, Spinnerbait, Crankbait (crawfish)
    Directions

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