The Take a Kid Fishing event pulled thousands of young anglers to The Groynes on Sunday - all hoping to reel in a big one.
Free rods and bait were provided. Volunteers were also on hand to help the anglers set up their rigs and untangle their lines.
Only people aged 18 and under were allowed to cast their lines out for the day, as the free event aimed to help young people discover the joy of fishing.
A special licence allowed them to have a go at catching one of 800 rainbow trout, which were released into the Christchurch lakes on Thursday.
The event and demonstrations were run by members of the Kids Fishing Charitable Trust.
An executive chef was also there to show anyone lucky enough to catch a fish how to fillet and cook it.
Organisers say about 350 trout were caught on the day, with several really big fish still managing to get away.
- By Geoff Sloan, made with the support of NZ On Air