As our team continues to grow, we will be taking the time to introduce our team members who you may see in photos, videos or out at in-person events! This week we have Jeremy Gilbertson, our GIS Specialist. Jeremy, otherwise known as “Gill” to his friends, grew up in Maple Grove, Minnesota, and spent most of his young life fishing all over Minnesota and parts of Ontario. As a passionate distance runner, hunter, and fisherman, Jeremy feels most at home on our wild lands and waters. He loves how we can use mapping to expose beginners to the outdoors, help others find new opportunities, and better show the need for appreciation and conservation of our special resources. He is always open to hear new ideas, so feel free to throw them at him!

Get To Know our GIS Specialist, Jeremy!

1. How/why did you start fishing/fly fishing?

I’ve been passionate about fishing for as long as I could remember. My Dad was a tournament fisherman and guide for several years, so I spent months on a time at fish camp up on Lake of the Woods and couldn’t get enough of it. It was always my dream to fly fish clear-water streams after seeing a few of my Dad’s fishing shows, but I knew I had to practice before then! I convinced my parents to buy me my first starter-kit rod at about 12 years old, and spent many summers using it to catch everything I could off our dock. Years later I’m still addicted, and do indeed love those clear streams.

2. What is your favorite fly?

It’s gotta be the Parachute Adams. There’s nothing you can’t catch with it if you try hard enough!

3. What is your favorite fishing memory?

Went out West on a trip with my college fly fishing club near Alcova, Wyoming. We hiked back into an undisclosed canyon on the North Platte, and had the most spectacular day of my life. The hatches were big, the fish were bigger, and the experience was one that will be hard to top.

4. What is a destination that you would really like to fish/travel to?

My next bucket list adventure is salmon on the fly, and I think New Zealand would be the perfect backdrop.

5. Favorite fishing trip snack?

Oreos, hands down.

6. How has TroutRoutes effected your personal fishing?

I think TroutRoutes really maximizes my time on the water. Before, when going to a new spot I’d have to go digging all over online and in books to plan out each stream’s reach, how to get there, where to park…etc, but now I can just pull up, tie on a fly and go!

7. What are you most excited about in your position as GIS Specialist for TR?

I’m really excited to have a career doing what I love! I’m a passionate fisherman and outdoorsman, and spend much of my free-time mapping my next trip, so this is really a dream come true, getting to help other anglers do the same.

8. What is your favorite tool/feature within the app?

For me it’s the guide mode. If I’m traveling to a new area on vacation time, it’s important for me to maximize my time in the most productive water. Guide mode lets me pick out the best streams, and even sections, to have the best chances at success.

9. How do you think that TroutRoutes can impact the sport of fly fishing as a whole?

I think TroutRoutes really maximizes my time on the water. Before, when going to a new spot I’d have to go digging all over online and in books to plan out each stream’s reach, how to get there, where to park…etc, but now I can just pull up, tie on a fly and go!

10. What conservation initiative(s) that TroutRoutes is involved in are you most passionate/excited about and why?

I love our partnership with Trout Unlimited. In my experience, TU does great work not only educating anglers in the importance of cold-water conservation, they put those ideas to action restoring hundreds of miles of trout water, opening access, and funding conservation initiatives. In tandem with TU, we will be able to share that message with more anglers, point people towards stream work that they’ve completed, and continue pushing that work forward.