You needn't go where everyone else is to catch fat brown trout in the 20-inch range. Each Rocky Mountain state has a few lesser-known waters that produce, big time! Photo by Chuck Robbins.

OK, I confess to a love of wild brown trout! I feel blessed to have sampled many of the best spots across the country. Within the Rocky Mountain States, the list reads like a Who's Who of great trout fisheries.

Brown trout addicts are well aware of the great opportunities at our famous rivers -- Big Hole, San Juan, Green, Oak Creek, Arkansas, Silver Creek, Truckee, North Platte, among others. Beyond those exists a wealth of lesser-known waters where the browns are often just as big, feisty and colorful, where the only thing lacking is the competition.

ARIZONA
Brown trout are not supposed to live in the desert, right? Arizona -- especially the mountains north and east of Phoenix, places like Apache, Coconino and Tonto national forests, Fort Apache and San Carlos Indian reservations -- offer a surprising amount of quality water for wild brown trout.

Oak Creek, near Sedona, is considered Blue Ribbon and deservedly well known. But in the Mogollon Rim White Mountains country, brown trout streams are abundant, scenic and productive, albeit hardly household names. The Canyon, Cibecue, Chevelon, Clear (east and west forks), Haigler, Horton and Tonto creeks, the Black, Blue, White, Little Colorado and East Verde rivers all hold nice wild browns.

Odds are good of hooking the increasingly rare Apache trout, a true native beauty on just about every angler's most-wanted-list.

These are small streams, often remote, with modest sized trout -- but there are surprises. Access varies from an easy drive to a difficult hike. For the best in quality fish (that is, wild as opposed to stockers), and quality fishing (as in solitude and wildlife), the rule of thumb is: The farther from the road, the better.

During heavy hatches, pools often reach proverbial boiling status. But the browns are seldom fussy. Tie on something close to the hatch in size and color, and you should be in business. Lacking a hatch, I like to plumb the best water with a hopper-dropper style rig, attractor dry with a generic nymph or wet fly off the back.

One last note: There are dozens of lakes within the region, and some hold huge browns. Chevelon Canyon Lake is one.

COLORADO
In a state brimming with trout addicts, there aren't too many secrets left. The key is to seek out the more remote, difficult-to-access sections.

A prime example is the Pinnacles Canyon section of the Conejos River below Platoro Reservoir. Simply put, the browns in the canyon are bigger on average than they are above or below, and the mob scene is non-existent. But getting there is an adventure in itself.

Another canyon worth the hard work it takes to get there is Box Canyon, also called Six Mile, on the upper Rio Grande below its namesake reservoir. It's a rugged two-mile hike from River Hill Campground, and that in itself is enough to keep many wade anglers at bay. Roaring Class III and IV rapids cut down on boat traffic. Fat and happy 18-inchers are common. After one look at all that beautiful holding water, you know the canyon has some truly hefty browns.

Hike the Colorado River Trail north from the highway and before you know it, you'll have the river mostly to yourself. It's hard to imagine you're fishing in Rocky Mountain National Park.

This is quality pocket water, full of hungry browns, rainbows and brooks up to 16 inches or so. September is prime time for hitting the blue-winged olive hatch, one of the upper river's best and most consistent.

All season long, the short tailwater section of the Williams Fork harbors gluttonous browns that average 12 to 16 inches. In the fall, as waters begin to cool and daylight shrinks, the bigger boys and girls begin to show up from summer haunts in the Colorado River. A 20-incher here is a distinct possibility.

IDAHO
The South Fork Snake is renowned for its native cutthroats, though in my book, it's a better brown trout fishery -- blasphemous, I know.

True, the cutts are native, big and fun. But the browns are even bigger and -- well, you know how I feel about that!

Trust me, in the South Fork there are browns ready, willing and able to gobble the biggest Double Bunnies or JJ Specials in your box. Hopper-dropper rigs fished tight against the banks also tend to charm the larger individuals. This is big water where float-fishing rules, and is often the only way to go. Browns dominate the lower half of the river, to the tune of about 80 percent residency.

The Little Wood River is a pretty desert stream. Its classic riffles and pools are home to heavy browns and rainbows, too. There are many miles of river to fish. Hike a ways from the access, and you should have it to yourself.