A Career Built on Maps, Data, Fishing Technology, and a Love for Fishing Technology
Joel Nelson’s story starts like many others in the natural resources field. After earning a degree in the discipline from Northland College—an institution on the brink of closure—he discovered his passion for GIS and fishing technology, a field that allows for layering complex environmental data to answer meaningful questions in fishing technology.
This newfound interest took him west to Yellowstone National Park, where he applied GIS skills to conservation efforts. Later, he landed a graduate assistantship at the University of Minnesota, which evolved into a 25-year career running a research lab in fishing technology.
But all the while, Joel had one foot in another world focused on fishing technology.
A Foot on Two Icebergs: Academia and the Fishing Technology Industry
While building a career in mapping and natural sciences, Joel maintained a steady presence in the fishing technology industry. Starting with internet forums and progressing to working booths at events like the St. Paul Ice Fishing Show, his involvement steadily grew. He wrote articles, contributed to video content, and stayed deeply engaged in the angling community—essentially moonlighting in the fishing world while still committed to academia.
Joel describes this dual-career life as standing on two icebergs—sometimes close together, other times far apart, requiring a balancing act that became harder to maintain. That’s where OnX Fish came into the picture—a perfect merger of his mapping expertise and angling passion in fishing technology.
OnX Fish: Fishing Technology Meets the Outdoors
Joel now works with OnX Fish, a spin-off of the widely-used OnX Hunt app. The new platform is tailor-made for anglers, designed to demystify the complexities of exploring new lakes and optimizing fishing efforts using real, scientific data through fishing technology.
If you’ve ever used tools like Minnesota’s DNR Lake Finder or dug through PDF reports for fish population data, OnX Fish will feel like a revolution in fishing technology.
The app helps users:
• Discover new lakes tailored to their species and size preferences.
• Understand fish abundance and predator-prey relationships.
• Access remote water bodies with confidence—whether it’s public boat launches or obscure backwoods trails.
This tool doesn’t just help you find a place to fish—it empowers you to plan like a biologist and fish like a local using fishing technology.
As Joel puts it, “OnX Fish is going to help you find those new lakes with what you want to catch from a species perspective, in the sizes you want to catch them.” It’s a game-changer for the adventurous, multi-species angler.
Expanding Access Beyond Minnesota Using Fishing Technology
While Minnesota has set the bar with its accessible DNR data, states like Wisconsin and Michigan have lagged in usability, even though valuable biological data exists in fishing technology. OnX Fish is bridging that gap by organizing buried information—often trapped in PDFs or forgotten on outdated websites—and presenting it in a user-friendly format.
Currently available in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan, the app is expanding rapidly. As Joel notes, “It’s already been eye-opening for Wisconsin and Michigan anglers.” And with the Dakotas on the horizon, the app will soon unlock vast stretches of underutilized waters.
Eliminating Decision Fatigue: From Too Many Lakes to the Right One with Fishing Technology
With so many lakes and rivers in the Upper Midwest, choosing where to fish can become overwhelming. That’s where OnX Fish shines. Rather than relying on potentially misleading online reports or stale fishing forums, the app leverages trustworthy, science-based data focused on fishing technology.
“You can go off reports… but some of it’s maybe not as believable,” Joel points out. “We kind of feel like fisheries science is an equalizer in fishing technology.”
Rather than being reactive, OnX Fish offers proactive insight into where target species live and thrive—letting anglers make smarter, faster decisions.
Inside OnX: A Tech Company at Heart Focused on Fishing Technology
While OnX might appear like a traditional outdoor brand, Joel describes it as more akin to Google than to Rapala. The company operates with a heavy emphasis on data analytics and user behavior in fishing technology. From tracking what features anglers click on to identifying seasonal search trends, OnX Fish is built to evolve constantly based on user demand.
Joel, ever the data nerd, thrives in this analytical environment. “They’ve given me so much to chew on,” he admits. “Sometimes it is like drinking out of a fire hose.”
Transitioning to Fishing Tactics: Early Summer River Strategies Using Fishing Technolog
After delving into the tech world, the conversation shifts to what Joel knows best—catching fish using fishing technology. Based in southeastern Minnesota, he’s no stranger to the mighty Mississippi and its adjacent waters. For lake anglers who find rivers intimidating, Joel offers this advice: “Try to spend three days at it… by the end of day two or certainly into day three, you feel way more comfortable.”
As early summer rolls in, Joel highlights classic river patterns:
• Walleye Post-Spawn Movement: Fish are active near rocky shorelines and close to the banks—no need to venture deep just yet.
• Flooded Willows: Recent rains mean willow-lined banks are submerged, creating baitfish hotspots and exceptional fishing opportunities.
• Shoreline Troll or Pitch: Whether trolling parallel to the bank or pitching into cover, anglers can exploit these high-percentage zones effectively using fishing technology.
He emphasizes that conditions like water temperature, clarity, and recent rainfall can create incredible, albeit temporary, opportunities for dynamic, shoreline-based fishing with fishing technology.
Flooded Willows and the Spring Panacea
In the early season, one of the most exciting patterns for river anglers is the presence of flooded willows. These submerged structures, often created by high spring runoff and rising water levels, act as magnets for a variety of species. Anglers working these zones can expect to hook into an impressive diversity of fish—channel catfish, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, walleyes, sauger, northern pike, and more. The common thread? All these predators are congregating to feed on baitfish that push shallow into the willows.
This early-season period offers an almost chaotic mix of opportunity using fishing technology. For anglers who thrive on unpredictability and fast action, targeting flooded cover in rivers can be one of the most productive and entertaining times of the year.
Why the Right Rod Matters—Even for Panfish with Fishing Technology
Many anglers assume high-end gear is only essential for species like bass or musky. But Joel passionately disagrees—panfish deserve the same respect when it comes to your equipment for fishing technology.
For instance, when casting ultra-light micro jigs for crappies or bluegills, you’re dealing with light line and finicky bites. A premium rod designed specifically for panfish can detect those subtle takes, load up efficiently with the weight of the bait, and even show you how the line is moving through current—factors that are all critical in executing your presentation perfectly with fishing technology.
Joel shared a compelling example from a trip on the Mississippi River: his companions were detecting bites he couldn’t, all because their rods offered better feedback and sensitivity in fishing technology. Simply put, the better the tool, the better the results.
Fish Fry Done Right: Joel’s Crowd-Pleasing Cookout
Of course, catching fish is only part of the experience. Cooking it—especially for friends and family—is where the memories are truly made. Joel’s approach to cooking fish mirrors his philosophy on fishing gear: simple, but executed with precision.
His preferred method? A classic outdoor fish fry using a turkey cooker with cast iron and peanut oil. He keeps it basic but consistent, ensuring the oil stays between 375–400°F, which is crucial to avoid greasy or overcooked fish. He also insists on small batches to maintain temperature and texture.
The Breading Breakdown
Joel’s go-to breading mix is a third-third-third ratio:
• 1/3 yellow cornmeal
• 1/3 flour (for coating and adhesion)
• 1/3 sourdough breadcrumbs (courtesy of his brother’s home baking)
For seasoning, Joel is all in on Old Bay—using about 2 tablespoons per cup of finished mix—and sometimes adds celery salt, black pepper, and paprika. His tip: make it slightly saltier than you think it should be. Frying tempers the flavor, and some seasoning naturally falls off in the oil. Taste-testing the dry mix helps dial it in, and a few trial pieces let you adjust on the fly.
“This isn’t the time to screw up. Fish is special.”
He’s right. Frying up that fresh catch is often the highlight of the outing, and with a little attention to detail, it can be a true culinary celebration.
Atmosphere and Extras
It’s not just about the fish. Joel emphasizes the experience—frying fish outdoors, surrounded by loved ones, perhaps with a ribbon-cut potato slicer hooked up to a power drill, cranking out state-fair style chips dusted in barbecue rub. Add in a homemade tartar sauce with dill, lemon zest, and chopped pickles, and you’ve got a fish fry to remember.
In Joel’s words, the event is about “environment and atmosphere.” The gear, the oil temp, the seasoning—all matter—but what really makes it special is doing it for people you care about.
Wrapping Up with Joel Nelson: Fish Fries, Favorite App Features, and Finding Hidden Gems
As the conversation wound down, Joel Nelson and the Angling Edge Buzz crew reminisced about simpler pleasures—like the classic Northwoods fish fry. Joel recalled the magic of a perfectly fried fillet shared with family and friends. It’s not something you do every day, but when you do, it’s a crowd-pleasing, nostalgic event that brings people together. These moments, steeped in tradition and community, are a cornerstone of Midwest angling culture.
A Tip for New Users: Master the Filter Function
Before signing off, Joel shared a must-use feature for anyone new to the OnX Fish app: the filter function. Once the app is downloaded and you’ve logged in (and hopefully used that 20% off promo code available on the website), start by selecting the “All” filter at the top of the screen.
This tool is key to helping anglers eliminate unproductive water and focus in on what really matters—fishable opportunities. Choose your target species, then select whether you’re chasing trophies, abundant numbers, or ideal keeper sizes. The map will then populate with color-coded pins indicating the best lakes for your criteria. It’s an incredibly efficient way to scout new locations without wasting time and fuel.
Joel’s Favorite Features: Data You Can See
With a background in fisheries as part of his natural resources degree, Joel gravitates toward the lake-by-lake population dynamics available within the app. The bar graph displays showing annual fish survey results make it simple—even for the average angler—to interpret how fish populations are trending over time.
For example, on a lake like Cass, you can actually see a year class of walleye growing up over time: starting as 9–11 inchers, then progressing into 12–14 and eventually 15–17 inch fish. This real-time data visualization allows anglers to predict boom cycles and target lakes when populations peak.
“You can predict hot bites before they’re hot,” Joel explained. It’s like seeing the fishery’s pulse and knowing exactly when and where to strike. And it’s a far cry from poring over spreadsheets full of raw data—this is visual, intuitive, and actionable information.
More Than Just a Map—It’s a Gateway
Beyond species and size breakdowns, users can tap into launch locations, lake access points, and driving directions, all in one place. The OnX Fish app isn’t just a planning tool—it becomes your on-the-water companion and dockside encyclopedia.
Joel even shared how his kids now love to scroll through the app on car rides, checking out what species are swimming in every lake they pass. “That one’s got bass in it, Dad!” It sparks curiosity, learning, and a deeper connection with the outdoors—something every angler hopes to pass down.
