The best fishing for brown trout in most US and Canadian waters comes in fall. Browns gang up on the surviving baitfish of the year and gobble what they can catch now to prepare themselves for spawning and a cold winter.

Inlet streams seem the prime bets for big browns in early fall. The best time to fish is after dark - if this is legal. Otherwise, try browns at first light or at dusk.

Once the lake "turns over" as the surface waters cool and sink to stir everything up, you might get browns at any time, but early and late improves results.

Do realize that baitfish are small, but much more plentiful in the spring. By fall, the surviving baitfish are bigger and much more wary. So bigger seems better in flies, lures or baits. If you don’t mind long waits consider trolling a six to eight inch rainbow or brown trout finish plug in large lakes. Row or paddle if you can to improve your changes as lure speed varies on each stroke.

Casting plugs out into the current from points near river or stream inlets also produces. However, if you cast a large metal lure, such as a Kastmaster or Hopkins spoon, this maximizes distance so your lure spends more time in the water.

Fly flingers can go with big streamers - I’ve used Size 4, and the interesting multihook long streamers popular in New Zealand. Match the hue and length of your streamer to the baitfish in your water of choice and you’re set.

Browns do run up streams and, as fall water levels drop, tend to hole up in deep spots below bridges or submerged log jams. Browns do chase baits into shallows, so I often wade the middle of big riffles and cast up against both banks. In big rivers a canoe or inflatable offers a solid casting platform.

While big browns up to double digit figures are possible the rule that the bigger the fish, the longer the wait, still obtains. So you need to be persistent to score.