| Big browns are smart fish. And most of them are | | | | interest in the fish continuing the species in your |
| nocturnal, or very close to it. They have realized | | | | favorite stream, death of your catch is a very |
| that hunting at night is much safer than during the | | | | real problem. |
| day, and that at night, some of their prey can't | | | | One of the easiest ways to decrease the |
| see as well as they can. Consequently, you should | | | | chances of killing a big fish is by not using live bait. |
| be presenting your prey to a big brown at night, | | | | Letting a fish "have a bait" often results in certain |
| if you want any chance of getting him to consider | | | | death, as the fish works the bait down his throat. |
| your offering. | | | | Using lures or flies to catch a monster will |
| One of the easiest ways to catch a big brown at | | | | significantly reduce the chances of killing your |
| night is drifting a night crawler through a deep run. | | | | trophy. Fishing with small jointed floating rapalas, |
| Very few trout can resist the scent that a fat | | | | and crayfish crankbaits, is extremely productive in |
| crawler gives of, and they will usually inhale the | | | | small streams. Work these baits parallel to the |
| bait with reckless abandon. Unfortunately, this | | | | shore, where big browns will be cruising for any |
| savage strike often results in a dead trophy | | | | land going creatures that have slipped into the |
| brown. If you are eating the fish, this really isn't a | | | | water. Big trout also love to box bait fish into |
| problem. However, if you are practicing some | | | | banks at night, making them much easier to |
| catch and release, and you have a vested | | | | catch. |