Brown-Baggin' It

Come fall, local rivers empty and everyone heads for the hills. You’ll surely see your share of hunter’s orange and camo—but what you won’t see are crowded boat ramps and lines of anglers along the banks. Fall may be the best time to pursue big creatures in the mountains, but it’s also a great time to head to the rivers in search of big brown trout—not as likely to bite as during the summer hatch, but at their largest as they beef up for the approaching winter. When the temps start to drop and the crowds on rivers thin, the big boys come out to play.