It was a seafood lover's dream. From mahimahi to 'ahi, ono to ulua, the Hawaii Fishing and Seafood Festival served up more fish dishes than could be consumed in one afternoon.

And while most who attended yesterday's event were professional or recreational fishers, seafood lovers or just ocean enthusiasts, it also attracted its share of families looking for a good time on a blistering afternoon.

Coleen Moderow waited patiently in line at the Japanese gyotaku fish printing booth with her two daughters. Moderow saw the festival as an opportunity to expose her children to things she grew up around.

"I come from a family of fisherman," said Moderow, as her 4-year-old daughter, Alohi, inched closer to the table of fish in an assortment of colors.

"I grew up around fishing, so I think it's important for them to learn about that," said Moderow, whose husband was performing with a Hawaiian band at the event.

Daughter Alohi slowly covered an 8-inch fish in purple paint and then mashed a blank white sheet of paper on to its scaly surface.

"I want to do the orange one," said 6-year-old Kawehi as she watched her sister. When asked if orange was her favorite color, she politely nodded. But she doesn't like fish, she said.

Yesterday's seafood festival took place at Pier 38, home of Honolulu's commercial fishing village and the location of the largest fish auction house in the state. Dozens of vendors sold everything from fishing vessel navigational gear to boat corrosion agents to spear guns to rods and, of course, seafood. Workshops were offered in akule fly tying, lure rigging, marine knot tying, skin diving and handling rigs. There were even demonstrations of spin casting for the kids, long casting and fly casting.

Andy and Valerie Hirai of Nu'uanu brought their 6-year-old son to the event, but he seemed more interested in the games for the kids than all the fishing demonstrations.

Andy Hirai does recreational short casting and sometimes takes his son out with him, he said.

"He doesn't really get into it; he'd rather jump in the water and go swimming," Hirai said.

Henry Sonsona watched as his three children played in the "ice fishing" display set up near the U.S. Coast Guard. The children shoveled through mounds of ice in life rafts, looking for toy rubber fish.

"They just started getting into fishing," Sonsona said. "They love it."

Wayson Chong, Sonsona's friend, also watched as his 9-year-old son played in the melting ice.

He said his son likes to fish at an area near Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden.

"It's all new to us," he said.

Sonsona said their favorite spot to shoreline fish is on the beach in Hawai'i Kai.

"It started when everyone got fishing poles for Christmas," he said. "Of course, they're all broken now."

Reach Loren Moreno at lmoreno@honoluluadvertiser.com.