Jeff Nelson is passionate about fishing. And not just any type of fishing. Jeff enjoys the challenge of tying his own flies and then using them to land bluegills, bass, wipers, strippers, muskies, crappies, and bass. Jeff started fishing in his teens. “For some reason that I can’t fully explain, it (fishing) just clicked with me. It was like I was born with a fishing rod in my hands.”

Jeff began tying flies when he was in his mid 30s. And once he learned the basics of fly tying there was no turning back. “I love the idea of making my own flies and the elegantly simple truth is that flies are easy to tie and are very effective at catching fish.”

Fly fishing is an art form. “The first challenge is tying a fly pattern that works. That is, it has to fool the fish into trying to eat the fly. The second challenge is presenting the fly in a way that triggers the strike.” Years of experience and practice have helped Jeff hone his skill.

Jeff does most of his fishing from a one-man kick boat at Pleasant Creek State Recreation Area. Jeff likes fishing from a kick-boat as it’s a very effective platform for fishing modest sized lakes and ponds. Because Jeff can control his boat with the fins on his feet, it frees his hands to fish.

Jeff’s favorite fly rod for warm water fishing is a 9 foot, 7-weight rod. He has caught several muskies that were in the 40 inch size class, weighing around 20 pounds. “It takes a good half hour to wear out and land a muskie of that size when you are using a fly rod and kick boat. The only way I can land a fish that size is to beach it on a sandy beach.”

For Jeff the thrill of fly fishing is “taking dominion over a wild creature.” Jeff like many fishermen, practices catch and release fishing. “Once we have the fish in our hands, or on the beach or boat, we have taken full dominion.” The vast majority of the fish that Jeff catches are released to fight again another day,

This Artisan project has focused on people who produce something of value in limited quantity with their hands. Jeff is a true artisan. Jeff creates flies that are simple, beautiful and effective. And as any true fisherman knows, the most beautiful fly is the one that catches fish!