Jeff Kelm earned the Bronze medal in TEAM USA Ice Fishing Trials last week and will represent the United States Of America in the upcoming Ice Fishing World Championship.
Jeff Kelm, from Wisconsin Rapids, WI. qualifying path started more than a year ago now in the winter (23/24) when the qualifying events were cut short due to lack of ice in a mild winter the process had to be cut short. So, the final Championship qualifier was pushed out to January of 2025.
Becoming an Olympic athlete requires dedication, determination and practice, practice and more practice. Fishing on 9” of ice, in five separate three-hour heats, the best of the best ice anglers in the United States converged onto the 323 acre, Tamarack Lake, in Lakeview Michigan to compete in the final qualifier of the 2025 US National Ice Fishing Championship (USNIFC) with one goal, to make the USA Ice Fishing Team. Kelm’s scores in that event earned him a 3rd place overall finish and the bronze medal. Placing him solidly on Team USA as each country is only allowed to send their top 6 anglers.
Kelm is no stranger to elite level competitive fishing. This will be the fourth time Kelm has earned a spot on Team USA Ice Fishing Team and has competed in three World Championships already, 2012 in Kazakhstan, 2013 in the United States, 2016 in Ukraine.
For the first time in 12 years the World Ice Fishing Championship (WIFC) will be back in the USA in 2025 and held in the Grand Rapids, MI area on Tamarack Lake in Lakeview, MI next month February 12-16. During the week of the event there will be three official practice days (Wednesday-Friday) and two competition days (Saturday and Sunday). This years championship consists of the best ice anglers from Sweden, Finland, Norway, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Lithuania, Mongolia, Kazakhstan and the United States of America. Some countries are unable to send teams this year due to ongoing conflict in their regions. Each 6-person team representing their home country will consist of 5 anglers and a reserve with one athlete from each country competing against all countries in one of five competition zones for two days.
Left to right – Nate Winters (Odensburg, WI), Zach George (Hastings, MI), Chad Schaub ((Gold Medal) Sand Lake, MI), Kevin Kowalski (Duluth, MN), Keith Kniffen ((Silver Medal) Easton Rapids, MI), Jeff Kelm ((Bonze Medal) Wisconsin Rapids, WI)
“This time means more to me than any of the previous opportunities, Kelm Stated. I have taken some much time away from the top levels of the ice world and to come back and have the success I had right away builds so much confidence going directly into the World Championship. I feel focused and prepared. Tragedy stuck our family during the 2013 World Championship and really took me off my game, 2016 Ukraine practice and competition were both cut short due to failing Ice conditions, So I am really looking forward to good ice, a healthy family, and standing on the podium at the end of the week!”
Kelm also makes his living in elite level competitive angling circles as the Federation Angler Groups Northern Operations Tournament Director. Kelm is the Tournament Director for multiple premier circuits and events such as the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Master Walleye Circuit, (MWC), The National Walleye Tour, (NWT), The National Team Championship, (NTC), the Sturgeon Bay Open Bass Tournament (SBOBT) and more.
