Brown trout spawning:

[AndyS]

Brown Trout spawn in rivers and streams during the fall (October-November) and prefer cold spring-fed streams. Eggs are deposited in a redd and fry usually emerge in March. They are generally sexually mature at 3 years of age with an average length of 15 inches. Brown Trout are very piscivorous (fish eating), and long-lived which accounts for them reaching large sizes. They are highly regarded by anglers as a trophy trout. Typical coloring is olive-green to dark brown on the back with silvery sides and pale spotting. All colors intensify at spawning time.

For the wide variety of foods the Brown Trout will eat, it can be very difficult to catch. For one, many larger browns are primarily nocturnal feeders, and, for two, during prolific insect hatches, Browns can be extremely selective about what they'll eat.

[The Sinker Man]

Andy,
Do N.J. trout leave the larger lakes and rivers to spawn in the smaller tribs or rivers that enter them?..

[tautog]

Some lakes yes, like Spruce Run.

[Lard Almighty]

Originally Posted by tautog

Some lakes yes, like Spruce Run.

Ditto. My biggest NJ brown trout was caught from the Mulhockaway in late October.

[The Sinker Man]

So then if what you are saying is correct, then at certain times of the year there should be a large amount of breeding trout leaving certain lakes and or large rivers to run up stream to spawn. I don't mean the sea run browns...

[tautog]

Haven't seen a large amount in a while, but some on Delaware tribs, Spruce Run and some tribs off of main rivers. Not all are giants but most are bigger than the fish normally found in those streams.

[Lobster Tales]

Andy,

As usual, great info.