A dragon boat exhibition race is held on the opening day of the Changling Lake Winter Fishing Festival in Daoli district, Harbin, capital of Northeast China’s Heilongjiang province, on Dec 28, 2014. [Photo by Liu Yang/Asianewsphoto]

The first Changling Lake Winter Fishing Festival kicked off in Daoli district, Harbin, capital of Northeast China’s Heilongjiang province, on Dec 28, offering fishing lovers and tourists a brand new experience.

A total of 800 poles with flags peculiar to the Manchu ethnic group stood at the surface of the frozen lake, and a tent was pitched on either side of the rostrum, recreating realistic scenes of fishing and hunting by the ethnic minority.

After a starting pistol was fired, 60 players worked hard to propel their dragon boat on ice toward the destination. In the fishing region, more than 30 fishers and a tractor pulled out of the water a 500-meter trawl that caught nearly 5,000 kg of fish, with the first being a 14 kg spotted silver carp.

A shovelcar dumps fish into a net fixed in Changling Lake, Harbin, capital of Northeast China’s Heilongjiang province, on Dec 28, 2014. [Photo by Liu Yang/Asianewsphoto]

Meanwhile, 100 participants of Heilongjiang province’s first winter fishing competition threw their fishing line to compete for the title of the province’s top 10 winter anglers.

There were also activities such as skiing, snow football and tug-of-war during the event. A play ground was established for pupils and middle school students to play snow football or have sleigh rides.