White Baiting – Wairoa Style

[JennyLeez]

Come early August each year in Wairoa and I presume in many parts of New Zealand, white baiters prepare their stands. Basically they are marking their spots along the Wairoa River, the Wairoa River Mouth and streams. This also extends out to Frasertown and along the banks of the Upper Wairoa River and also Nuhaka. Anywhere streams are found.

Jetty’s are fixed or built, nets are mended and old friends come together again as they do each year.
The 15th of August marks the opening of the Whitebait Season each year and this year as with every, the banks were lined very early morning with the keen white baiters hoping to have his or her first ‘feed’ for the season. A packed lunch is taken along with a thermos of hot tea.  That early morning as the sun rises along the river and where the river mouth reaches the sea can be truly beautiful. 

Snaring these tiny creators is done by using an extremely large net but not quite as big as commercial fisherman use. Photo attached.

Day in and Day out the Wairoa people head to their spot. The town people can be heard to say ‘Have you had a feed of whitebait yet’.  Many catch and travel to Napier and sell. 20 litres of white bait can fetch over $1000.00c. So when the word goes out, ‘The white bait are running’ there is a mad dash down to the river and streams.

But for the man in street, we catch to share, to pay back favours and above all to eat. Cooked in an egg fritter they are yummy

I decided to write this when I read David’s post in the shoutbox. David we grew up on whitebait over here on the coast along with all sea food. We catch and we share. I am in variably paid with a crayfish and of course meat off the land.

This is the difference with rural verses urban. We live off the land to a much greater extent; we can as it is at our door steps. It is also social and one of the many things that knits a small community together.
I would not change this for anything.



That upside down bucket is not a good sign. This is actually a photo of a visitor to our forum that I happen to have



@Phil, they just need to be cooked right

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