Garden State Trout

can anyone let me know what the average CFS is for the big flat brook? i am camping at stokes this weekend sat-mon and had planned on fly fishing the big flatbrook. i have fished it in the past but its been few years. as of now(monday it says 254 cfs) but looks like more rain is coming this week. thanks in advance. i am hoping for a nice fishing/camping weekend. i made these reservations months ago but it seems every other day we get a good soaking.

I fished the Flat. to day and it was up a little. Started at 1:30 and quit at 4:00. Caught 6 and missed just as many. I only fished about 100 and 50 yds. Started at the bridge down from 206. Be careful when you go to park at the bridge. Pull way to your right to get into the parking area. I fished with a prince and a dropper of a 16 pheasant tail. Both with bead heads and also used a strike indicator in pink. Start at the bottom of the Island and work your way down just watch out for your back cast because the trees move just to catch your fly. I only lost 4 flies which is good for me. Fish the middle first and then lengthen your cast to fish the other side. If you have bead head you do not need any weights (split shot). Good Luck as I am fishing the Wanaque tomorrow. up by Awosting. Bill the mailman

Is there an island in the BFB? - "Start at the bottom of the Island and work your way down".

Hi, Yes there is an Island just at the bridge. The Island is about 25 to 30 feet long and it isn’t wide. I lost two flies in the fir tree across the stream. The water is very clear so use 5x or 6x tippet. Looks like rain Wed. and Thursday Have fun and remember it is catch and release for about 4 plus miles down stream from 206 bridge. Remember Rainbows like fast water so hit the rapids. Bill the mailman

cappy wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 15, 2024 8:15 pm

Is there an island in the BFB? - "Start at the bottom of the Island and work your way down".

Parts of the Flatbrook are an anastomose system which is a big fancy term for braided channels with "islands" between them. Common where there is heavy beaver activity combined with elevation changes where the gradient drops out. Sorry for the river geek.

kype wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 15, 2024 4:46 pm

can anyone let me know what the average CFS is for the big flat brook? i am camping at stokes this weekend sat-mon and had planned on fly fishing the big flatbrook. i have fished it in the past but its been few years. as of now(monday it says 254 cfs) but looks like more rain is coming this week. thanks in advance. i am hoping for a nice fishing/camping weekend. i made these reservations months ago but it seems every other day we get a good soaking.

I think you're going to be okay. The Flatbrook is a freestone and not huge, so it drops fast. I may run up myself later today to get some dry fly action in. Rain is coming, but sprinkles versus downpours. Remember too that as the leaves pop, the vegetation is pulling a lot of moisture from the soils. Not a tough job for them this spring so far

I think you will have decent weather and flows both by Saturday or even by Friday afternoon. Have fun!

How are the brookies doing on the upper Flatbrook?

Rusty Spinner wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 16, 2024 10:25 am

kype wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 15, 2024 4:46 pm

can anyone let me know what the average CFS is for the big flat brook? i am camping at stokes this weekend sat-mon and had planned on fly fishing the big flatbrook. i have fished it in the past but its been few years. as of now(monday it says 254 cfs) but looks like more rain is coming this week. thanks in advance. i am hoping for a nice fishing/camping weekend. i made these reservations months ago but it seems every other day we get a good soaking.

I think you're going to be okay. The Flatbrook is a freestone and not huge, so it drops fast. I may run up myself later today to get some dry fly action in. Rain is coming, but sprinkles versus downpours. Remember too that as the leaves pop, the vegetation is pulling a lot of moisture from the soils. Not a tough job for them this spring so far

I think you will have decent weather and flows both by Saturday or even by Friday afternoon. Have fun!

well thats good news. thanks for the info!

Hi Rusty, When I fished the Flat. no hatches but did see a few caddis flying around also saw two large stoneflies in the air and no clue what color they were. They were probably one inch long and clumsy flying…Went to the Wanaque today and did zip. Had one hit and missed him or her. Wanaque is still high and murky from Greenwood Lake. You could not see the bottom of the river and no hatches. Bill themailman

Thanks guys. I know what you're referring to, never thought of them as islands being so small, although technically they are.

Ahhh, the Wanaque. That was the stream I cut my fly fishing teeth on, unfortunately on the stretch that now lies beneath the Monksville Reservoir. The surrounding woods were filled with grouse too, and I never saw many other guys out there during either persuit. Now that I am far to the south, my rare treks up north are usually to the Flatbrook, which I know best. Retirement is months away, however, and exploration of other waters will soon follow!

How far south, I am near Toms River. My trips north are around the Musky/Pequest/S Raritan. Further north is an overnighter for me.

Hey 46er, How close are you to Toms River as I live in Manahawkin about two miles west of the hospital off of route 72. The only way I fish the Flatbrook or Wanaque is when I dogie sit for my daughters two dogs in Saddle River. Then it’s an easy ride to both streams and I really fish the Ramapo but with it being so high forget it now. Maybe in May but I generally go up to the Catskills. Bill Vance aka. Bill the mailman

Bill, I am on the south side of the river in Pine Beach, been here 36 years. Have you ever tried the Toms; aesthetically not what I consider a trout stream, but nice and close.

Hi 46er, I have never fished the Toms but have walked along it. It isn’t very wide with a lot of bushes along its bank and it was slow moving. I some times Take a ride up to the south branch and fish way down from the gorge or up to the Musky and fish the TCA. Have not fished either river this year so far as it looks high by the water gauges I see on the internet. Bill the mailman

PineyTrouter wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 16, 2024 7:08 pm

Ahhh, the Wanaque. That was the stream I cut my fly fishing teeth on, unfortunately on the stretch that now lies beneath the Monksville Reservoir. The surrounding woods were filled with grouse too, and I never saw many other guys out there during either persuit. Now that I am far to the south, my rare treks up north are usually to the Flatbrook, which I know best. Retirement is months away, however, and exploration of other waters will soon follow!

So YOU were the one who's empty shotgun shells I found while grouse and woodcock hunting there!!! I tell lots of people that I grew up nearby in that same town and used to bird hunt what is now the Monksville Reservoir and they are always surprised. And now I know I wasn't the only one.....

Vance wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 16, 2024 6:18 pm

Hi Rusty, When I fished the Flat. no hatches but did see a few caddis flying around also saw two large stoneflies in the air and no clue what color they were. They were probably one inch long and clumsy flying…Went to the Wanaque today and did zip. Had one hit and missed him or her. Wanaque is still high and murky from Greenwood Lake. You could not see the bottom of the river and no hatches. Bill themailman

The Flatbrook has Salmonflies which is a big, all black stonefly that hatches around now, the Dorsata which is likely what you saw. A kissing cousin to the salmonfly of the same size with orange markings on its otherwise dark body.

cappy wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 16, 2024 6:35 pm

Thanks guys. I know what you're referring to, never thought of them as islands being so small, although technically they are.

Get ready for more river geek: those are called medial bars. An island by any other name.

Vance wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 18, 2024 7:35 am

Hi 46er, I have never fished the Toms but have walked along it. It isn’t very wide with a lot of bushes along its bank and it was slow moving. I some times Take a ride up to the south branch and fish way down from the gorge or up to the Musky and fish the TCA. Have not fished either river this year so far as it looks high by the water gauges I see on the internet. Bill the mailman

It certainly isn't your typical trout stream, but it does hold some decent fish in certain sections, besides a 20 minute drive versus 2 hours is nice. Quite a lot of good spots for other than trout down here as well. I usually fish the Toms after the aluminum logs are gone, in the fall and winter.

The Flatbrook is running 183 cfs this morning which is slightly above norms for today's flows, but very fishable for certain.