Wakasagi is the Japanese word for fresh water
smelt fish. There are many places that offer you the
opportunity go Wakasagi Smelt Fishing in Japan.
Wakasagi Smelt Fishing is a popular
winter pass time
where people drill holes through the thick layers of ice
in
order to catch the tiny fish. On some lakes and rivers,
there are tents set up with holes already drilled and
equipped with the materials needed to deep fry your
fish. These tiny fish can be enjoyed lightly battered
with
tempura or grilled. When you are eating the smelt fish
it
is recommended that you cook and eat them whole. It
is
common to have them as a bar snack. The bones of
the
small fish are soft enough to eat.
Depending on where you go for Wakasagi fishing
they
can have all the equipment available for you to rent.
For
example at Lake Akan in Hokkaido has multiple tents
set up with the holes already made inside. In addition
they have added heaters inside the tent to keep you
warm. After you are done catching Wakasagi you can
take them to a separate area where you can have
them
cooked on the spot. There other times in the year
when
the water is not frozen that you can still go fishing for
smelt. Usually it would be a possible option while
riding
a cruise boat. One place where you can do this is in
Lake Nojiri in Nagano prefecture.
Please see below for tours that include
Wakasagi Smelt Fishing: