One of the most popular recreational forms of fishing in Scandinavia, Russia and Germany is Ice Fishing, a sport also practiced in Canada and the United States, not only during winter, but also all year round in Alaska.

However the most popular place to enjoy this activity is in the Great Lakes.

Considered originally from Scandinavia, it was brought to America by Swedish, Norwegian and Finnish settlers arriving to Minnesota, a state where people from Nordic families is totally engaged in this sport.

Last February, teams from 12 countries met on a lake in Wisconsin to fish for the World Ice Fishing Championship. The Russian team won gold, followed by Finland, Lithuania, and the U.S. We were there, looking for insights into what makes these guys so special. Even more important, we wanted to glean practical advice from those anglers, who are capable of catching lots of fish quickly without the use of technology. So just in time for ice season, here are the habits, skills, and mindset tips that will have you icefishing like a champ.

Don’t Stop Moving
This isn’t a new idea–Dave Genz, the father of modern icefishing, has been preaching it for 40 years. But moving until you find biting fish, then moving again as soon as the bite slows, is the most universally ignored advice on the ice.

In practice and during competition, the American team was a study in mobility. They marched across potential fish-holding areas methodically, using a timer to make certain they never stayed in one spot for more than 10 minutes. Over the course of several days the team worked meticulously to identify productive zones.