One of the most popular winter fishing activities is ice fishing for smelt. Fishing by drilling a hole in a frozen lake is an experience only possible in the cold winter! But can beginners actually catch anything? Wouldn't it just be cold if you don't catch anything? Many people probably have these kinds of thoughts!

So, I decided to try ice fishing for smelt at Lake Akan, one of Hokkaido's most famous smelt fishing spots, and I'll share the whole experience with you. I'm sure you'll want to go ice fishing for smelt after reading this!

For more information on smelt fishing near Sapporo, please see the article linked below.
Winter season is here! We recommend easy ice fishing for smelt near Sapporo!

1. About the fishing spot this time, Lake Akan in winter

Lake Akan is located in eastern Hokkaido. Although it occupies a somewhat unremarkable position as the fifth largest lake in Hokkaido, it is a popular tourist destination representing eastern Hokkaido, thanks to its habitat of marimo (a type of algae designated as a natural monument) and the numerous hot spring inns lining its perimeter.

And when winter arrives, Lake Akan is completely covered in ice, turning it into a pristine white wonderland. Taking advantage of the frozen surface, visitors can enjoy ice festivals, ice skating, snowmobiling, and more, attracting many tourists even in winter. Among the winter activities, ice fishing for smelt is particularly popular.

(You can also enjoy ice fishing tents, ice skating, and snowmobiling.)

At Lake Akan, even if you're not a serious angler, you can easily enjoy smelt fishing by simply "staying at a hot spring inn, eating a delicious meal, and trying your hand at smelt fishing!"

2. Smelt fishing is an easy and enjoyable activity!

The reason I decided to try ice fishing for smelt this time is actually because I had a little free time during a break from work.
When I spoke to a local nature guide, he said, "When the fish are biting, you can catch more than you can eat in just an hour!"
I was leaving Hokkaido today and only had exactly one hour left in Akan, so I decided to try fishing for 30 minutes and eating tempura for the remaining 30 minutes!

By the way, this is what I was wearing at the time. The key points are as follows. (Note that I wasn't wearing the snowshoes in the photo while fishing.)
The author here is a middle-aged man enjoying fishing all by himself.

A warm hat and scarf are essential.

- I'm wearing four layers of clothing under my coat, including a long-sleeved Heattech Extra shirt. If you dress warmly enough, you don't need a down jacket.

I'm wearing Heattech Extra tights under my long pants. I don't feel cold at all. Thank you, Uniqlo!

Wear thick trekking socks.

Shoes with non-slip soles are acceptable.

Wear gloves that are fairly thick.

Basically, just dress warmly and minimize any exposed skin, and you'll be fine!

3. This is what the smelt fishing spots at Lake Akan are like.

If you heard "smelt fishing on a lake" and imagined, "Walking all the way to the middle of the lake in the cold sounds tough," you're completely wrong.

The smelt fishing spot is just a short walk from the center of the hot spring town, right into the lake! Plus, if you have a car, you can drive right up to the ice parking area on the lake!
The inn is just beyond the ice parking lot.
Even though it's on ice, there's snow on top, so it's not that slippery.

4. Smelt fishing is suitable for beginners.

You don't need to prepare a lot of equipment for smelt fishing at Lake Akan! Just go to the reception desk on the lake.
All you have to do is borrow a fishing rod, bait, and a chair, and then head to the tent that's already set up. Even though it was my first time, I didn't get lost at all!
The price is 1,500 yen per person (includes a tempura voucher to use after fishing).
I'll borrow it from my uncle.

It's not a popular spot, but there are fishermen inside the tents.

5. Prepare for fishing.

This is what the inside of the tent looks like. Up to three people can fish there, but it gets a little cramped when it's full. When you choose a tent, an attendant will remove any new ice that has formed in the hole.

This is how you scoop up the ice.

We also have a larger 8-person version for families and groups.

Once inside the tent, I unfolded a chair and zipped up the tent entrance from the inside. This created a windless environment inside the tent, and I didn't feel cold at all! It was -12°C that day, but I didn't even need gloves inside the tent.

The fishing rod already has hooks attached, so I put the bait I received at the reception—red maggots—onto the four hooks...
The food is inside this bag...

It has a slightly squishy texture, so those who dislike insects might not like it.

Having a wet wipe is really convenient for wiping your hands after getting these bugs on them! Unfortunately, I didn't have any, so I rubbed some nearby snow to wash my hands...

By the way, from checking in to finishing the feeding, it only takes about 6-7 minutes. Preparation is easy!

6. Let's start ice fishing for smelt!

Now, once you've attached the bait to the rod, all you have to do is let it sink. This is what's called "bottom fishing," meaning you let the rig sink all the way to the bottom, so just let the rig hang down until the reel stops turning. Once it hits the bottom, turn the reel a little, and then just raise and lower the rod. That's all there is to it, so even beginners and children can do it.

Then, after about three minutes, I thought I saw a slight movement, so I lifted the bait, but there was still no fish on it and the bait was still there.

"It's still not working," I thought, as I cast my line again...

This time, I felt a distinct twitch in my hand! After repeating this for about two minutes, I pulled it up and... there were three smelt!

A truly moving moment. I whispered to myself, "I got it!!"

Now that you've caught one, you have to remove the smelt from the hook, but because the smelt themselves are small, they come off the hook quite easily.

The fish that were caught were left on the snow. They might hop around on the snow, but they wouldn't go into any holes, so it was safe.

Also, even after catching a fish, the bait remained on the hook, so I didn't have to go through the unpleasant process of re-baiting; I just put it back into the hole as is (in the end, I only changed the bait on each hook once in 30 minutes).

You can catch them one after another.

I also caught some large smelt (about 15 cm)!

You can catch fish even with four in a row!

In the end, I managed to catch 20 of them in about 30 minutes from the start!

7. Smelt made into tempura!

I've caught 20 already. That's enough for one person to eat as tempura, so I'm calling it a day for smelt fishing.

There's no need to clean up; you just return the fishing rod to the reception desk, so it's easy!

Then, the fish you catch are taken to a restaurant on the lakeshore, about 200 meters from the reception area.

After handing over the ticket I received at the reception and the smelt I caught, they were made into tempura in about 10 minutes!

Delicious! (^^)/

The freshly caught smelt from Lake Akan, where the water is so clean that even marimo (a type of algae) can grow, are bound to be delicious.
Furthermore, compared to smelt from so-called brackish lakes (lakes mixed with seawater), these smelt have softer bones and no unpleasant odor.

Larger female smelt have eggs too! So delicious♪

And that was exactly one hour later. To have enjoyed all of this for only 1,500 yen is a bargain! I'm very satisfied, both in terms of fun and my stomach!

8. Other smelt fishing spots in Hokkaido!

Besides Lake Akan, there are other spots in Hokkaido where you can enjoy ice fishing for smelt. Availability of rental rods varies by location, so those who want to fish without bringing their own equipment should check beforehand.

Lake Abashiri
http://www.abakanko.jp/news/event/wakasagi.html
(Abashiri City Tourism Association website)

・Nukahira Lake
http://www.kamishihoro.jp/page/00000158
(Kamishihoro Town Tourism Association website)

・Horokayanto
http://www.town.taiki.hokkaido.jp/soshiki/nourinsuisan/suisan/wakasagi.html

(Taiki Town website)

・Shumarinaiko Lake
http://www.horokanai-kankou.com/outdoor.php?id=1351578848236848
(Horokanai Town Tourism Association website)

Sakuraoka Lake
http://www.kembuchi-kankou.com/event/
(Kenbuchi Town Tourism Association website)

・Shinotsuko Lake
http://www.vill.shinshinotsu.hokkaido.jp/hotnews/detail/00000059.html
(Shinshinotsu Village website)

Nishiki-Oonuma
http://www.city.tomakomai.hokkaido.jp/shizen/koen/koenshisetsu/wakasagituri.html
(Tomakomai City website)

Lake Poroto
http://www.mushanavi.com/mpage/?NO=9413
(Mushanavi webpage)

・Onuma Park
http://www.onuma-guide.com/shop/20060320011822/
(Marugoto Onuma webpage)

~~Information on smelt fishing at Lake Akan~~
Iceland Akan
http://www.koudai-akan.net/iceland/wakasagi.html
• 1 set ¥1,500 (includes fishing equipment and fishing license fee)
• Opening hours: 8:00 AM until sunset
• Business Hours: From January 9th to March 31st (2016)
　*While this is usually possible from the beginning of January, this year (2016) it started on January 9th due to the late freezing.
• Phone number: 0154-67-2057 (Hirodai Co., Ltd.)

So, what did you think of ice fishing for smelt in Hokkaido? This time, we introduced spots where you can enjoy ice fishing without bringing any equipment, but we also recommend buying all the necessary gear and enjoying smelt fishing throughout the winter season.

In addition to smelt fishing, Lake Akan offers plenty of ways to enjoy the cold winter, including the "Akan Ice Festival," a night event featuring fireworks, an early morning walk on the ice where you might see frost flowers, and open-air baths overlooking the frozen lake!

If you're interested, be sure to visit Lake Akan in eastern Hokkaido while it's still winter!

~~Click here for tourist information about Lake Akan~~
Akan Tourism Association　http://ja.kushiro-lakeakan.com

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~~Related articles you might also want to read~~
・[Winter Stunning Scenery] Lake Akan - Frost Flowers | Ice flowers blooming in a paradise in the sky!
・Even if it's your first time at Lake Akan, you can relax with this! Lake Akan Tourist Guide!
・[Winter Lake Akan] Akan Crystal Road: A world of its own where frost-covered trees stretch for 50 kilometers.
Winter season is here! We recommend easy ice fishing for smelt near Sapporo!
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