"Wow, mom, I got one."
An elementary school student who had cast a fishing rod over the ice suddenly sprang to their feet. What came up through the hole in the ice was a smelt the size of a palm. The child learned the joy of the winter "bite" by immediately turning the fish they caught into tempura and eating it.
The 2025 Yangpyeong smelt and trout festival will be held at Sumi Village in Yangpyeong County, Gyeonggi Province, through Mar. 2 next year. The event offers a variety of rural and nature experiences in winter. It is a good outing for families with children or couples on weekends. You can catch fish and try making foods such as steamed buns, dalgona, and pizza.
The core of the festival, as its name suggests, is hands-on activities with "smelt" and "trout." Smelt are a representative winter ice-fishing species and a small fish that live only in clear water. The flesh is tender with little fishy smell, making it well suited for tempura.
Trout are a cold-water species in the salmon family that grow only in cold, clean water. Because they fight hard, the bare-hand catching experience itself can be a game. The flesh is firm and can be enjoyed grilled, as sashimi, or as tempura.
Outdoors, there is an ice-fishing experience where you lower a fishing rod into holes drilled in the ice to catch smelt. Necessary gear such as rods, bait, chairs, and cushions is provided on site. Trying ice fishing yourself is a winter scene not easily found in the city.
If you are worried about the cold wind, you can choose indoor activities. You can catch smelt with a dip net inside a large dome or catch trout with your bare hands in a shallow tank. Basic gear such as dip nets, waterproof pants, and boots is provided on site, but because you may get wet, it is best to bring a change of clothes and a towel.
Sumi Village has become established as a venue for the smelt and trout festival for geographical and environmental reasons. Heukcheon, the stream that runs near the village, has clear water and low temperatures, creating a favorable environment for cold-water species since long ago. Combining agriculture with hands-on and tourism programs, Sumi Village has developed a representative winter experience festival based on these natural conditions.
The fish-catching experience is available from as low as 10,000 won per person with an online reservation, and you can enjoy the smelt or trout you catch as tempura on the spot. On-site payment is about twice as expensive as the reservation price, so booking in advance is advantageous.
There are also food-making activities. You can choose one of steamed buns, dalgona, or strawberry syrup and make it yourself. There is also an experience to make a pizza for two to four people. You can take part in the entire process from dough to toppings to baking, making it a hands-on learning activity for children.
There is a program to tour the Sumi Village area on a quad bike. Even without a driver's license or driving experience, you can participate by riding on a quad bike driven by a guide. A sledding slope has also been set up near the venue. If you buy a package, you can use it for free.
Yangpyeong County Chief Jeon Jin-seon said, "We hope the Yangpyeong smelt and trout festival will become a special memory for visitors to Yangpyeong in winter," adding, "We expect it will help Sumi Village establish itself as Yangpyeong's representative hands-on tourist destination."
☞Getting there
Destination: Sumi Village Visitor Center / Heukcheon area, Bongsang 2-ri, Danwol-myeon, Yangpyeong County (55-2 Gobdani-gil)
Waypoint: Saengsaeng Strawberry Farm, 1469 Pension / 40 Darine-gil, Danwol-myeon, Yangpyeong County
Note: The organizer instructs you to enter the destination along with the waypoint in your navigation system.