Anglers on the leading edge of ice-fishing have long been heeding advice from a hard-water renaissance man from Southern Minnesota, ICE FORCE Pro-Staffer, Joel Nelson.
With few fish-holding lakes in the Midwest’s Driftless Region, an Ice-Head like Nelson has to travel to get on a good bite. So he has plied tactics honed on local ponds, reservoirs and backwaters on far-away water-bodies throughout the Midwest and beyond.
“My parents gave me quite a bit of leash,” Nelson said, reminiscing about past ice adventures. “In the early 90’s, Minnesota’s governor shut down the state, due to 50-degree windchills. Naturally, the big ’gills bit like crazy that day.”
Over the next two decades, Nelson would criss-cross the north country, Great Plains, and mountainous west. From the big water of Chequamegon Bay, to the prairie ponds of the ice belt, to the streams of Yellowstone, he has filled an enviable creel with experience, reeling in bluegills to lakers, walleyes to stream trout.
A self-admitted “fish nerd,” Nelson holds advanced degrees in the natural sciences, including fisheries and digital mapping, allowing him to both think like a fish and find them. This unique insight helps him develop new patterns and unlock previously untapped bodies of water.
“I love finding my own bites and fishing away from the crowd, but I’m always willing to share what I learn, both on TV and online, with all who are willing to grab an ice bucket and listen,” Nelson said.
A pro-staffer with Otter Outdoors, Strikemaster Ice Augers, and Marcum Technologies for a decade before securing an integral role with ICE FORCE, Nelson has contributed to numerous publications and digital media. He appears regularly on In-Depth Outdoors TV on Fox Sports North, and on In-Depth Outdoors’ “Hooked-Up” and “On-Ice” online shows at http://www.IDOfishing.com. You can also find him on Facebook.
Hope you have a great season! 
