Yasmany Picorel Nieves

Languages: Spanish, English, Italian

Born in Guanabo, Cuba, a small coastal town east of Havana, Yasmany spent most of his childhood near the water—swimming, diving, sailing, and especially fishing. While most kids were playing baseball, he preferred to be on the beach, hoping to catch a bonefish, barracuda, or any fish that bit.

After university, Yasmany moved to Spain, where he found his “place in the world” in the mountains of León. Although far from the sea, the region boasts over 3,000 kilometers of rivers filled with wild trout and a rich tradition of fishing. He soon fell in love with fly fishing, perfecting his techniques, fly tying, and casting skills with the help of local masters. It wasn’t long before he started participating in fly fishing competitions, achieving notable success.

Yasmany won championships in the Spanish Lake Fishing League, set several scoring records, and advanced to the national level after excelling in the 2015 Spanish National Competition on the River Órbigo. In 2016, he won the individual gold medal in the Spanish Championship on the River Segre in Catalonia and ranked first in the national team. This led him to become captain of the Spanish Team, defending their world title in the 2017 World Championship in Slovakia, where they earned the bronze medal.

Yasmany has contributed to radio and TV shows, newspapers, and worked with various fishing brands and shops. After retiring from competition, he founded WILD TROUT and now teaches courses as a Certified Instructor with the FFI and a specialist in competition techniques. He also works as a guide and coach for national teams like Slovakia and Japan and occasionally serves as a boat captain.

However, his main passion is sharing unforgettable fishing experiences with his guests in his favorite rivers.

“I’m usually here in León with my guests at our WILD TROUT lodge; other times, I’m fishing for bonefish and tarpon in my native Cuba, chasing permit in the Florida Keys, or fishing the Mediterranean from my boat, ‘The Guanabo,’ where I take my fly-fishing friends for a change of scenery, enjoying mahi-mahi, bluefin tuna, or barracuda. That’s life to me. Fly fishing is something I enjoy in all its facets, especially learning, teaching, and sharing moments. In short, for me, fly fishing is much more than a sport. It’s a passion, a way of living in harmony with nature through respect and observation.”

Álvaro G. Santillán

Languages: Spanish, English

Álvaro is a renowned fly-fishing photographer, filmmaker, journalist, and guide. Born in northern Spain, he has been fly fishing since childhood. Specializing in sight-fishing for trout and Atlantic salmon, Álvaro travels throughout Spain and the world in search of the best fishing spots, having fished in over 20 countries.

Always with a rod and camera in hand, Álvaro draws inspiration from rivers, mountains, wildlife, and outdoor sports. His goal is to capture the essence of fly fishing and inspire others to reflect on their connection to nature, especially to our rivers and waters. As he says: “Fishing is more than just catching fish.”

Álvaro started competing in fly fishing at age 13 and quickly made a name for himself in Spain’s National Youth Competition League. In 2004, he founded Lineas Vivas, a platform dedicated to technical articles, photography, and guides, which propelled his professional career. A passionate fly caster, he earned the title of Fly Casting Master at age 15. He later studied Biological Sciences, graduating in 2012 from the University of the Basque Country.

In 2016, he founded Focus on the Fly and has been working as a content creator for Guideline since 2019. In 2021, he founded A Mosca Magazine, where he continues to serve as editor, writer, and photographer. He also works as a guide in Spain and internationally, including summers in Norway with the Norwegian Flyfishers Club, and is currently a guide at WILD TROUT.

Miguel Blanco

Languages: Spanish, English

Born in the heart of the Sierra de Gredos in central Spain, Miguel grew up surrounded by mountains, forests, and rivers, developing a deep connection to nature and wildlife from an early age. At a young age, his parents gifted him a fly-tying vise, along with tools and materials. Completely self-taught, he began creating his own flies, and with only his second creation, he caught a trout. From that moment, fly fishing became his way of life.

When it came time to choose a university, Miguel decided to study Biology in León, Spain’s “Mecca” of fly fishing. There, he discovered the region’s rivers, marking a turning point in his life. During this time, he devoted much of his time to fishing and exploring from remote mountain streams to more frequented rivers and large reservoir waters.

His passion for learning and fishing led him to travel both within and outside Spain, gaining a broad perspective on fly fishing. Over the past 10 years, he has become a true fly-fishing nomad, traveling rivers and international destinations. He has fished in France, Andorra, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Norway, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland, gaining valuable experience as a guide. On his travels, he has caught species such as Atlantic salmon, grayling, Arctic char, rainbow trout, marble trout, sea trout, huchen, and barbels. However, his true specialty is catching wild brown trout, especially the most selective ones.
Although he is an expert in dry fly fishing, Miguel enjoys all fly fishing techniques, always in pursuit of the perfect “drift.” As a result of his extensive fishing experience, he has contributed articles to specialized magazines in several countries and participated in fishing fairs. Currently, he is an ambassador for Guideline, a professional fly tier, and works as a guide at WILD TROUT.