It may have been closer to slush fishing than ice fishing, but Greater Sudbury families still flocked to the Lake Laurentian Conservation Area for the fifth annual Friends and Family Ice Fishing Day.
About 100 ice anglers of all ages trudged out onto the soft, but still-frozen surface of Lake Laurentian on Sunday to celebrate Ontario Family Fishing Weekend.
Activities included learning proper catch-and-release techniques and making your own ice fishing rod from a stick. Ice augers, gear and bait were provided free of charge. No licenses were required for the event.
The Nature Chalet served as warming station but few seemed to need it with temperatures up to 6 C enjoyed throughout the afternoon.
Paul Sajatovic, a volunteer with Friends of Lake Laurentian Conservation Area and a former staff member with the city's conservation authority, said the event was a great opportunity for residents to come out to the conservation area and learn more about it's importance.
"Having this size of a conservation area within a major urban area is a real treasure," said Sajatovic. "It's important to get people out here at any time of the year so they can understand how important a conservation area is and it's important to preserve the green space for future generations to maintain a vibrant city."
