Big Flatbrook No Kill section

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adirock
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Big Flatbrook No Kill section

Post by adirock » Sat Oct 19, 2019 7:22 pm

Fished the no-kill section of BIg Flatbrook twice this week - on Tuesday, Oct 15, saw a lot of trout, but water level was so low, the trout were causing wakes every time they moved. I've never seen it that low before. I didn't stay very long, fish were very skittish. Went back again Sat, Oct 19 - the rains definitely improved the water level, but still on the low side. Caught three on a midge, including a wild brookie. I had never caught a wild trout at Flatbrook before.

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cappy
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Re: Big Flatbrook No Kill section

Post by cappy » Sat Oct 19, 2019 7:35 pm

I fished it Friday, caught a few with nymphs. It's a shame how few wild fish swim that river. On paper it should be an excellent wild Brown Trout stream.

Did you catch them on top?
Until one has loved an animal a part of one's soul remains unawakened.
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adirock
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Re: Big Flatbrook No Kill section

Post by adirock » Sat Oct 19, 2019 7:56 pm

Yes, caught them on top - was not getting anything on nymphs

Dave B.
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Re: Big Flatbrook No Kill section

Post by Dave B. » Sun Oct 20, 2019 12:24 am

Curious, were any of the rainbows still attempting to spawn? When they were stocked a week ago Thu many of them immediately paired up and began clear spawning activity in the gravel shallows. This behavior lasted at least through last weekend, I was just curious if they had finally settled down.

adirock
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Re: Big Flatbrook No Kill section

Post by adirock » Sun Oct 20, 2019 7:54 am

Saw a little of that paring up yesterday, but not as much as earlier in the week

Jaybird
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Re: Big Flatbrook No Kill section

Post by Jaybird » Mon Oct 21, 2019 8:05 am

Yup the flatbrook out of our major rivers recedes the fastest after a heavy rain , and gets low quick . Totally agree Cappy look at the streams local to it , they all have a good head of wild browns , you would think that the Flatbrook would be the same . But at least it has those wild brookies.

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Rusty Spinner
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Re: Big Flatbrook No Kill section

Post by Rusty Spinner » Mon Oct 21, 2019 9:40 am

The Flatbrook's biggest issue is the warm lakes that spill into its better trout waters from lakes built during the Depression just to keep people working back then. If those dams were removed, coldwater habitat could be greatly improved and the stream sections that remain cold will be reconnected.
"A sinking fly is closer to Hell" - Unknown

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NJAngler
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Re: Big Flatbrook No Kill section

Post by NJAngler » Mon Oct 21, 2019 12:54 pm

Most of the tribs are no longer the fisheries they once were. Stony. Tuttles, Parker, Criss, Forked Brooks and a few unamed ones barely support trout now. Too many dry summers, loss of hemlocks and floods have hurt them. Cant blame wild browns in this watershed as very few can be found. Mergansers are to blame for some of this. I never used to see them. Now I seem em on even the smallest WTS. They can decimate a pop as they are skilled predators.

martalus
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Re: Big Flatbrook No Kill section

Post by martalus » Mon Oct 21, 2019 1:39 pm

That's sad to hear that those tribs are hurting. Have the last few years of decent rain helped? Unfortunately it seems that increasing dry spells along with stronger storms seems to be getting more common in lots of places.

Jaybird
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Re: Big Flatbrook No Kill section

Post by Jaybird » Mon Oct 21, 2019 3:38 pm

The amount of Hemlock loss is astonishing in some areas , it will take years for the canopy to heal and protect those small streams in that area from direct sun again .

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Rusty Spinner
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Re: Big Flatbrook No Kill section

Post by Rusty Spinner » Tue Oct 22, 2019 7:52 am

Jaybird wrote:
Mon Oct 21, 2019 3:38 pm
The amount of Hemlock loss is astonishing in some areas , it will take years for the canopy to heal and protect those small streams in that area from direct sun again .
Centuries, not just years. The hemlock wooly adelgid did a number on our healthy trees and add wind events and it's been tough on hemlocks in northern NJ for the last 25 plus years.
"A sinking fly is closer to Hell" - Unknown

Jaybird
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Re: Big Flatbrook No Kill section

Post by Jaybird » Tue Oct 22, 2019 8:54 am

Rusty Spinner wrote:
Tue Oct 22, 2019 7:52 am
Jaybird wrote:
Mon Oct 21, 2019 3:38 pm
The amount of Hemlock loss is astonishing in some areas , it will take years for the canopy to heal and protect those small streams in that area from direct sun again .
Centuries, not just years. The hemlock wooly adelgid did a number on our healthy trees and add wind events and it's been tough on hemlocks in northern NJ for the last 25 plus years.
Well unfortunately neither of us have centuries to see it ...... Lol

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NJAngler
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Re: Big Flatbrook No Kill section

Post by NJAngler » Tue Oct 22, 2019 9:53 pm

The hemlock needles fall to ground and acidify the soil which i turns limits plant growth. If you ever notice that in hemlock ravines, the understory is quite open with few plants. As trees fall, openings form which is where invasive plants like japanese barberry and stiltgrass can take root. This is now quite common along Upper VCB.

martalus
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Re: Big Flatbrook No Kill section

Post by martalus » Wed Oct 23, 2019 6:33 am

How are the brookies doing in in VCB? I used to catch brookies all the way down to the glen. Now its mostly browns there and mostly rainbows in the upper portion.

NJpatbee
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Re: Big Flatbrook No Kill section

Post by NJpatbee » Wed Oct 23, 2019 2:15 pm

I have been fishing that section of the Big Flatbrook for over 50 years and the wild brookies have been persistent about keeping a presence, even through drought years. The NJDFW has also electro fished portions of the Flatbrook and some wild brown trout were found in the past, a couple in the 18 inch range. I don't know if any recent electro fishing has been done since the one stretch became C&R. No doubt the upper feeder streams need some of its cover restored and in some cases, like Parker Brook, the stream is scattered in portions and outside of it original banks and needs some flow adjustments.

As for VCB I fished it several times last Spring and caught more and larger brook trout than I had in a decade, so I know they are there. I did some exploring after the past storms that wreaked havoc on the VCB hemlocks and stream bank but there are many areas where small hemlocks are sprouting up. I will never see it like it was but in 50 years time there is hope - nature can be tough.

Hopefully a good spawn this year for the Flatbrook watershed and our favorite WTS waters as long as the rain continues.

martalus
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Re: Big Flatbrook No Kill section

Post by martalus » Wed Oct 23, 2019 2:33 pm

That's great to hear, Pat a gives some good long term perspective along with some hope. In the short term, after a dry September and first week of October, steady rains seem to have returned to NJ down to VA just in time for spawning. And at least the month long dry spell was on the back of a very wet year or two.

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