When it comes to fly fishing, understanding the behavior of insects and how trout respond to their hatches can significantly increase your chances of landing fish. One of the most interesting groups of insects to pay attention to are stoneflies, midges, and their various stages of life. Each of these insects has its own unique life cycle and behavior that affects when and how trout will feed.

If there’s one thing I love, it’s swapping fish stories with anglers who live and breathe the sport. This time, we caught up with Pakito, a seasoned fly fisher from northern Spain who’s spent decades chasing big, selective brown trout. From his early days learning the ropes with dry flies to mastering European nymphing, Pakito has dialed in a system that consistently puts trophy fish in the net. He shared his top tips, his go-to strategies, and a few hard-earned lessons for anyone looking to hook into the brown trout of a lifetime.

Streamer fishing can be as simple or as complicated as you want to make it. You can grab your 9-foot 6-weight and a trusty woolly bugger, stroll out to the river, and catch fish. That’s one way to do it. Or you could get all fancy with a sink-tip line, your 1,000 $ spey rod, and all the latest streamers. But here’s the deal: I going to simplify streamer fishing down to something that even a newbie can handle. No need to get overwhelmed—let’s just catch some fish.