Spate · Mixed · Québec (Gaspésie / Matapédia Valley), CA

Matapédia

The Matapédia River running over a gravel bar with riffles, lined by autumn trees, near Causapscal, Quebec, Canada.
Tomorrow · Marginal — persistence required
Sculpin Streamer
Forecast · Tomorrow
Marginal — persistence required
A short window at best — fish the sure lies and move on.
40% projected
Today's fly
Sculpin Streamer
Sculpin Streamer
Conditions on the water · Tomorrow
Live gauge
Level
Rising
156.52 m
Lifting fast
Water temp10.4°C
ClarityVery coloured
Weather10°C
WindN 8 km/h
Pressure1025 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm
Rain · ahead14.3 mm

The nearest gauge doesn't record temperatures, so we've estimated it — defer to the river keeper's advice.

Water temperature for Atlantic Salmon
Ideal
10°C est.ideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Atlantic Salmon
When
Morning into early afternoon.
Where
Pool tails, steadier runs, and any water with pace.
Method
Fish a sensible line-and-fly combination for the height and pace of water.
Kit
13 ft #8/9 double-hander in spate, 10 ft #8 single in low water. Floating line plus a fast-sink tip. 12–15 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
Fair conditions based on river hydrology and migration patterns.
Likely species
Mayflies
Caddisflies
Hatch timeline · tomorrowPeak at 12pm

12pm(now) — Eastern Blue-Winged Olive

Stage: On emergersApproach: Emerger or dryActivity: 31%
Also:Black Midge23%
Peak emergence windowWeather boost5 food groups active

Peak activity at 12pm — Eastern Blue-Winged Olive (Eastern Blue-Winged Olive, Peak emergence window)

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

See the full sub-surface read with Pro.

Start free trial

14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.

Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

Hatch predictions

See what else is on the menu with Pro.

Start free trial

14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.

Evidence
Records-basedModerate confidence

Based on species-occurrence records, not local invertebrate surveys.

Through the year
0–3 scale · September highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Salmon runRun
1
2
2
1
Early Black StoneflyHatch
2
3
2
Eastern Golden StoneHatch
2
2
Slate Drake / IsonychiaHatch
2
3
3
3
3
2
Yellow SallyHatch
2
3
3
2

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Ranked for today
Atlantic Salmon fly box
Beats · 5 · 4 reaches

The Matapédia is managed by the CGRMP and runs as four sectors over a hundred-plus named pools — but the sector decides how you get on. Sectors 1 and 3 are public: buy the access right and fish the named pools, with no daily rod limit. Sector 2 / Glen Emma is a restricted quota sector — limited daily anglers by annual draw, with a guide and a canoe mandatory; it is not freely bookable. Sector 4 upstream is a non-quota, reduced-rate passage and learning water. As everywhere in Québec, the annual salmon licence and the local CGRMP access right are two separate purchases — hold both. A floating-line-only / motor-boat-restricted rule layer applies on a defined stretch and dates. Patapédia is a separate river and is not folded in here. Individual pool tables are a future manual extraction; sectors are described, pools are not enumerated.

Public sectors (1 & 3) · 2 beatsDay rods
Public Sector 1, Public Sector 3
The 2 beats
Public Sector 1Public
CGRMP
Lower public sector — a long run of named holding pools (Lawlor, Pont Mercier, Delaney, Gulch and more) fished by access right with no daily rod limit. Some pools within the sector, such as Haley 6A/6B, are released by a 48-hour draw on set days; the rest are open by right.
Public sector: non-contingent access, no rod cap, but a Québec salmon licence and a CGRMP access right are both required — separate purchases. Artificial fly only. A few named pools run on a 48-hour draw within the sector.
Public Sector 3Public
CGRMP
Upper public sector — a long string of named pools (Brown, Île du Chien, Omer, Salmon Hole, Matamajaw Home and many more) fished by access right with no daily rod limit. Open-by-right water, the easiest part of the Matapédia to plan around.
Public sector: no rod cap, but a Québec salmon licence and a CGRMP access right are both required (separate purchases). Artificial fly only.
Sector 2 / Glen EmmaBallot
The storied Glen Emma restricted sector — prime named pools (Jim's Rock, Mirror, Glover's Rock, Glen Emma, Kennedy and others) running roughly 15 May to 30 September.
Sector 4 (upstream)Public
Upstream passage and learning water — a broad non-quota, reduced-rate sector fished by access right, lower-pressure than the headline pools.
Floating-line-only stretchPublic
Not a bookable sector — a rule layer.
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Québec salmon licence required, with a mix of public and private beats under Restigouche-system style access rules
  • Catch-and-release for large salmon is standard.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Fishing better nearby · 5
Patapédia
40 km
74
Salmon
Upsalquitch
37 km
50
Salmon
Restigouche
50 km
50
Brook trout · Salmon
Kedgwick
25 km
30
Salmon
Little Main Restigouche
49 km
30
Salmon
Gallery · 2
  1. The Matapédia River running over a gravel bar with riffles, lined by autumn trees, near Causapscal, Quebec, Canada.
    Rivière Matapédia
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
The full read · show the working · for Atlantic Salmon · confidence 75%
How the river scores — hydrology factors
Water heightMedium Ideal0.0
Recent riseNone0.0
Falling after liftNot Applicable0.0
Water temperatureCool To Moderate0.0
Time in seasonOpening Period0.0
ClarityClearing0.0
Hydrology base0.0
Legal gate: Unknown Check Local Rules
Can you trust it?
Water temperatureair-to-water estimateestimated
Level / flowon-river gaugeobserved
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Salmon 1 June → 30 September
  • Brook trout 3rd Saturday of May → 30 September

    Québec brook trout (truite mouchetée) general season from the 3rd Saturday of May to September 30. These Gaspésie rivers are primarily Atlantic salmon waters regulated under ZEC (zone d'exploitation contrôlée) or FAPAQ reserve zones. Brook trout are secondary; present in upper tributaries, smaller feeders, and headwaters. A Québec fishing licence plus ZEC/reserve territory permit is required. Check the specific ZEC (e.g. ZEC de la Rivière Bonaventure, ZEC Casault) for current dates and brook trout limits.

Related guides
Atlantic Salmonsalmon tacticsEuro Nymphingsubsurface methods
Booking & contacts