Lake Mattagami Walleye

A return trip to Green Wilderness Lodge was like a vacation with friends.

Nestled amongst the wilderness of Gogama, Ontario is Lake Mattagami, one of the walleye fishing lakes in Northern Ontario. Fishing for northern pike and whitefish is also very good, but walleye are the dominant species in this system.

Walleye average around two and a half pounds with high numbers available, and trophy walleye up to ten pounds caught just about every season. Don't worry, there are also much smaller sixteen-inch and seventeen-inch walleye, which are best for shore lunch.

anglers fishing boat

Northern pike are also very common; guests each year catch many pike over twenty pounds. The majority of northern pike caught in the lake are between twenty and thirty-five inches.

Lake Mattagami is also a rocky Canadian Shield Lake with many rocky points and shoals. Due to the high population of walleye and northern pike, the smallmouth bass have not been able to become a dominant species in the lake but the bronze backs that survived the gauntlet of pike teeth have grown to be big.

The lake has an extremely high population of whitefish. In the spring before the mayfly hatch, guests can experience non-stop whitefish action with the proper techniques. Whitefish are found in all different sizes up to eight pounds.

Our return trip to Green Wilderness Lodge was like a vacation with friends. We fished with the owners Russell & Linda Thibodeau enjoyed meals together and watched the sunsets from the main lodge's deck while sharing tall tales of fishing trips near and beyond.

The main lodge is primarily used as a kitchen and dining room for guests who have chosen the American Plan package. Delicious home-cooked meals are prepared and served piping hot to your table. They are a small family-owned lodge with a very relaxing and casual atmosphere. You are never rushed because portions are large and they know you need time to enjoy your meal. Guests with special dietary needs call ahead of arrival so they can be prepared.

lakeside cottages

The main lodge is also used for family parties and as a meeting room for when they have larger corporate groups in camp. Some guests just like to relax in the main lodge and play some shuffleboard.

green wilderness lodge main lodge and dock

Here is a sample of the mouth-watering meals prepared by the hosts.
Smoked Pork Loins, Steak, Chicken Cordon Blue, Lasagna with meat sauce, Spaghetti with meat sauce, Pork Chops and sometimes they have a fish fry, yes, we love it here for more than just the walleye fishing! Breakfasts are also a great way to start any fishing day and at Green Wilderness lodge it could be Bacon, eggs, home fries and toast, pancakes and sausages, with sides of your choice of fruits to dress up the pancakes.

We arrived just after the fly hatch and the walleyes had full bellies but we still managed to catch our fair share of beautiful golden-coloured fish by vertically jigging small lead head jigs in one-eighth and three-sixteen ounce in either bright pinks or chartreuse and orange with a juicy night crawler attached and fished right below the boat on rock points and subtle breaks along the shoreline edges. Green Wilderness Lodge is lucky to be on beautiful Mattagami Lake, which is just stuffed with delicious walleyes. They are one of those lucky lodges that can make the claim of catching walleye right off the dock.

angler walleye fishing

Lake Mattagami has the perfect structure for a high walleye population with many rocky points, drop-offs, islands and shoals. The river that runs into the lake provides the walleyes with perfect spawning conditions thus; the walleye population stays high.

The walleye in this lake average about 15 inches, but the large trophy walleye have been caught and released up to the fifteen-pound mark. If you love to catch and eat walleye, then Green Wilderness Lodge is where you want to consider spending your next angling vacation.

aerial anglers fishing boat

Generally, most of the best walleye fishing is close to shore. Guests catch them using jigs or trolling with small minnow baits. Twister-tailed baits are not as effective in this lake as in other lakes. Guests have better luck using a jig with a worm or a minnow, which they have a large supply of at the camp.

Consider the wilderness walleye adventures waiting for you on Lake Mattagami this year.

Contact the Lodge

www.greenwildernesslodge.com

Call Toll-Free: 1-888-466-2531 Local: (705) 494-6618

Video Teaser of the Lodge

About Karl Kalonka

It's possible Karl's love for fishing began as early as the age of five. His parents took the kids on weekend trips across Ontario fishing for panfish, catfish, and bass. "I started with a bobber and worm from the time I was five years old," says Karl. These days, he has the enviable task of doing what he loves for a living, travelling across Ontario fishing, filming and producing two outdoor series, Extreme Angler and Crappie Angler TV.

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