Dan_Nelson_fishing

Dan Nelson

Dan Nelson is the Managing Editor & fly fishing editor of Gear Institute.com. He is a veteran outdoor journalist based in the Pacific Northwest. Follow him on Instagram.

About Dan Nelson

Dan Nelson is the fly fishing editor of Gear Institute.com. He is a veteran outdoor journalist, and directs our fly fishing rod and reel testing.

Nelson began working as an outdoor industry journalist in 1991 as Publications Editor for Washington Trails Association, where he created Northwest Trails magazine of out of an old membership newsletter. During his tenor at WTA he would spend up to 159 nights per year in a tent while ‘conducting research’ in the wilderness — usually ending up near alpine lakes teeming with trout.

Over the past 27 years, Nelson has written for Men’s Journal, Backpacker, Outside, National Geographic Adventure, USA Today, CNN, The Seattle Times, Outdoor Retailer, Elevation Outdoors, and other publications, including his own online journal, AdventuresNW.net. He has attended 46Outdoor Retailer shows, authored  17 guidebooks, and launched a number of popular guidebook series with the Mountaineers Books, including the Best Hikes with Dogs series. He began working with the Gear Institute as a fly fishing rod and reel test director in 2012.