One of the representative winter leisure activities in Hokkaido is "ice fishing for smelt."

Ice fishing for smelt, where you drill a hole in a frozen lake and drop in your fishing rod, is a popular and easily accessible tourist activity that everyone from children to adults can enjoy!

While you can experience ice fishing for smelt in various locations throughout Hokkaido, this time we'll introduce ice fishing for smelt at Junsai Marsh in Onuma Quasi-National Park in southern Hokkaido, which is perfect for creating lasting memories during your trip to Hakodate!

This report details the experience of my family, who are complete beginners at ice fishing for smelt, during our visit.

Table of contents
1. Smelt fishing at Onuma Quasi-National Park
2. Let's try ice fishing for smelt!
3. I was so excited about catching my first smelt.
4. When it gets cold, enjoy ice fishing for smelt in a cozy greenhouse.
5. Deep-fry the smelt you caught right there.
Summary

Image source: Minami Hokkaido Photo Library

Located in Nanae Town, Hokkaido, about 20 minutes by train and 40 minutes by car from Hakodate, Onuma Quasi-National Park is one of the leading tourist spots in southern Hokkaido. The park, which encompasses three lakes and Mount Komagatake, offers activities such as sightseeing boat tours and canoeing in the summer, but most of the lakes freeze over during the winter.

Image source: Minami Hokkaido Photo Library

Ice fishing for smelt is enjoyed on the frozen surface of the lake. There are several fishing spots in Onuma Park, but this time we went to Junsai Marsh, which is recommended for beginners because staff are always on hand and you can fish inside a greenhouse even on cold days.

After passing through the Onuma Tunnel in Nanae Town on National Route 5, you'll see Junsai Marsh on your left. If you continue driving, you'll see a sign for smelt fishing and a dedicated parking lot on your left. Descending the snowy stairs from the parking lot, you'll be greeted by a lake completely covered in snow.

The snow-covered lake is frozen over to a thickness of more than 20 centimeters, so it's safe for our children to run around and jump as much as they want. We checked in at the lodge and rented fishing rods, bait, and chairs. The fishing fee is 600 yen for adults, 300 yen for elementary and junior high school students, and free for toddlers. In addition, there is a 500 yen rental fee for a complete set of fishing equipment.

As complete beginners at smelt fishing, our family immediately headed outside to receive a lesson on how to fish from the staff. There are many fishing holes in the lake's surface, so first, let's find a fishing spot we like.

After scooping up the thin ice from the hole with a ladle, place the rod on top and bait it. The rod has about four hooks, and you hook small insects called "shiro-sashi" onto them. Apparently, if you make a small cut in the bait with scissors at this time, the scent of the bait will attract the smelt and make it easier to catch them.

Incidentally, fishing hooks have a barb, a mechanism designed to prevent the caught fish from escaping. If you accidentally hook a child or yourself, removing it can be very painful, so please be very careful.

Once you've attached the bait, it's time to lower your rod into the hole and start fishing. Adjust the length of the line and wait for a bite. According to the staff, the golden time is from 8 to 10 in the morning, when the smelt are in the upper part of the lake, so you can catch a lot without having to extend your line too much.

Unfortunately, we started fishing at exactly 10:00 AM. Apparently, from this time onwards, the smelt dive into the deeper parts of the lake, so we needed to cast our fishing lines quite far down.

I waited for a while with my rod in the water, but there were no bites. I asked a staff member, and he said it's best to change the bait every 15 minutes or so. So I changed the bait and tried again.

About five minutes after changing the bait, I felt a slight tug on the rod. When I reeled it in, there was a single smelt.

The children, who had started to get bored, were thrilled to see smelt for the first time. They gently placed the smelt they caught into a bucket. We were hoping to catch a lot more, but after about 30 minutes, we only managed to catch one more small smelt, and that was the end of it for our area.

It was a sunny day, but after an hour on the ice, you inevitably get cold. So we moved to the fishing area inside the greenhouse to warm up and enjoy some smelt fishing. The fishing area inside the greenhouse is said to be warm but with few bites. Looking around, it was true that no one seemed to be catching anything.

However, for beginners like our family with young children, just being able to experience the feeling of ice fishing for smelt was enough. The children seemed to enjoy themselves, freely raising and lowering their fishing rods.

Image source: Photo Library

You can have the smelt you catch yourself deep-fried and eaten inside the greenhouse.

The usage fee is 1000 yen per session, which includes the cost of materials such as a stove, pots, and cooking oil.
As lunchtime approached, the greenhouse was filled with the delicious aroma of fried chicken.

In the end, my family only caught two smelt, so we released them, but for those of you who caught a lot, please try eating them freshly fried!
The smelt you catch yourself will surely taste exceptional. It's also perfect for teaching children about food!

As you can see, even beginners like us were able to easily experience ice fishing for smelt on Junsai Marsh without bringing any equipment!
However, since it's on ice, taking precautions against the cold is absolutely essential.
The lodge provides jackets and boots for rent, but we recommend wearing warm clothing such as ski wear if possible.

Although we unfortunately didn't have a huge catch this time, just being able to enjoy ice fishing for smelt with nature as our backdrop was incredibly fun.
The children loved it, so I highly recommend this special winter-only experience as a way to create lasting travel memories, regardless of the outcome.

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