My passion for fly fishing began in 2018, casting lines in my local rivers and streams. I started out of curiosity, just to see what all the fuss was about. But looking back, it makes perfect sense, I’ve always felt a deep connection to the river. My brother and I learned to swim in the Brenno River, which winds through the Blenio Valley, the place I proudly call home.

Trout have always fascinated me. They are elusive, almost ghostly, rarely seen, and when they do appear, it's only for a fleeting moment before vanishing again. As a child, I saw them as mystical and ferocious, far more dangerous in my imagination than they actually were.

As I became more skilled at fly fishing, I started guiding friends and family, eager to share the magic of the sport. That’s when it clicked, I realized how much joy I found in teaching and introducing others to this world.

Determined to turn my passion into a profession, I went back to school and earned a degree in Tourism Management at SSSAT in Bellinzona. Along the way, I had the incredible opportunity to travel the world and work at a fly fishing lodge in Argentine Patagonia. There, I also guided clients and friends along a stretch of the legendary Chimehuin River, one of the most productive rivers in Patagonia.

After my experience abroad, I completed my studies with the clear goal to start guiding in Ticino. The fly-fishing world is small, and in Ticino, even smaller. Climate change, hydroelectric plants, and other factors have taken a toll on our native trout populations. In the 1950s and 60s, this region was world-renowned for its abundance of trout. The older generation still remembers the wealthy British anglers who traveled here to fish, Ticino was once a well-kept secret, a trout fishing paradise.

Today, the landscape looks a little different. But that’s the beauty of fly fishing, it’s not about the size of the fish, but the challenge of catching it.

Ticino has so much to offer beyond fly fishing. The traditional grotti (rustic local restaurants), the medieval villages scattered throughout endless valleys, and the people themselves make this region truly unique. There is a deep connection to nature here, both tamed and untamed. Fly fishing bridges these two worlds perfectly, allowing for a greater appreciation of not just the fish, but the place itself.