Ice Fishing Winter Show brings new trends and entertainment

The Arrowhead Ice Fishing Winter Show has kicked off at the DECC.

Not only are there boats, ice houses, and new poles to check out, but sea lions too.

The Sea Lion Splash features three rescued sea lions who are performing multiple times a day.

"We do 2-4 shows a day here every day. They’re educational, they’re entertaining," Trainer Jimmy Earheart said. "We’re going to try and educate you without even knowing."

Earheart’s message was simple: Cut down on single-use plastics.

"Because it ends up in the ocean. And it’s really harmful for them. They’ll eat it, they play with it. And once they eat it, it’ll kill them. So it’s really rough on a sea lion," he said.

On the ice fishing front, Troy Peterson a.k.a. Mr. Bluegill said a trend he’s seeing is ice camping.

"If you look around, you’ve got all these big campers, these ice houses, these wheel houses," he said. "And they’re expensive. And with everything that’s going on in the world, we’re seeing a lot more families get involved in ice fishing."

He suggests getting a big, 6-7 person ice shelter, lining the ice floor with foam, laying down mats and camping on the ice.

It runs Friday-Sunday. Tickets cost $10 for adults, $5 for kids and teens, and is free for children under 5.