Anglers have flocked to a frozen lake in Hokkaido, northern Japan, for smelt fishing.
The fishing season kicked off at Lake Abashiri on Monday. The ice has reached a thickness of about 30 centimeters amid intense cold.
Anglers drilled holes about 15 centimeters in diameter into the ice surface. They dropped lines with bait through the holes, and pulled up small fish one after another.
A sixth-grade elementary schoolboy from nearby Ozora Town said he hooked four smelt at the same time. He said he hopes to catch more than 200.
A high school boy from Kanagawa Prefecture, near Tokyo, said it was his first time smelt fishing, and he didn’t expect to catch fish immediately after he dropped his line.
This year’s smelt-fishing season on Lake Abashiri can be enjoyed until February 11. The period has been shortened due to concerns about decreasing smelt stocks.
An official of the local tourism association, Taguchi Toru, said he hopes many people will visit and enjoy the fishing even though this year’s season is about half as long as previous years.
AloJapan.com