Smelt fishing season is underway at a lake in Hokkaido, northern Japan. It’s not so much a case of striking while the iron is hot, but hoisting net before the water freezes over.
Lake Onuma lies at the foot of Mount Komagatake. A fishing boat was seen setting sail before dawn on Thursday.
Those on board raised nets that were set in advance. The minnows in the first catch measured about eight centimeters long.
One fisher said he can’t tell if this will be a bumper year but he’ll do his best.
The commercial fishing season runs through early December.
Anglers can enjoy smelt fishing by digging holes in the lake’s thick ice when winter is in full swing.
AloJapan.com