Hundreds of Winnipeggers came together Saturday for an annual festival aiming to get people hooked on ice fishing.

The event held at the city’s FortWhyte Alive gives families interested in the time-tested winter hobby an opportunity to try it out, with equipment and supplies provided free of charge.

“The hope is that you know, people are going to … buy a fishing licence and go and buy some equipment and take part in this great Manitoba activity,” said Chris Benson, manager of hunter education and programs for the Manitoba Wildlife Federation.

“It’s a chance to slow down and maybe take some time off from work and thinking about life and all those types of things, and just kind of relax.”

Benson said the festival — which is partly sponsored by the province — draws between 800 and 1,200 people to the wildlife preserve every year.

“Lots of kids. Lots of families,” Benson said. “So hopefully a few fish will come through the ice today.”

The fish might have been hiding under a thick layer of ice, but Elsie Heggerud said she knew where to find them.

“In the water,” the five-year-old said.

Elsie was taking part of the event with her brother, Beckett. The girl said she hadn’t had any luck as of Saturday morning, and that Becket — who had already reeled one in — would probably catch more fish than her at the end of the day.

But it’s all in good fun.

“I didn’t try fishing yet so this is my first time,” she said. “It’s good.”

Beckett, who’s also five, had bigger fish to fry.

“I’m trying to catch a big fish,” he said. “I really want to catch a shark.”

Volunteers were out on the ice helping newcomers to the hobby catch their first fish, with educational seminars being held throughout the day Saturday.

Anthony Phung, who’s been fishing since he was a child, said it wasn’t until he heard about the festival that he decided to give ice fishing a fair try.

“Our dad used to tell us all the stories back in the ’80s and ’90s about how awful it was. I was like, there’s no way it’s that bad,” Phung said.

“Feels like fishing, right? I’m just on a bucket here. It’s not that cold. I mean … it’s a little windy. But nothing a Winnipegger can’t handle.”

Eric Fei, age nine, said he was also no newcomer to fishing, having gone to a camp where he fished salmon for a week.

He said his favourite part of the hobby was the “waiting,” regardless of whether he ends up catching fish or not.

It gives me “peace and calm in my heart,” he said.