Hokkaido Ice Fishing for Chika Surf Smelt; Special Winter Experience at Frozen Notsuke Bay

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:19 JST, February 29, 2024

People stand on the frozen surface of Notsuke Bay in eastern Hokkaido to catch chika, or surf smelts, through holes they drilled in the ice. Colorful tents of anglers are seen on the frozen bay with Mt. Shari in the background at this time of the year. Chika, which belong to the Osmeridae family, grow up to 20 centimeters. The fish is best served fried, either with bread crumbs or as tempura. Part of the bay freezes during winter, making chika fishing on the ice a seasonal event.