‘Not just a feed we’ll be sharing’

Whitebaiters on Te Mata Au-Clutha River acknowledged that although the high flow from heavy rain gave galaxiids an uphill battle, the catch was still worth coming out for.

Fourteen teams were set up at the Clutha’s Kaitangata mouth last Thursday on the incoming tide around lunchtime.

"Come back on Saturday, you’ll see a net set up about every 5m," one feed catcher said, his eyes set on the breakers heaving ankle-to-chest-deep swells into the estuary.

Further upriver, Tokomairiro mouth resident Maree Arthur had a sock-net set up in calmer waters near the township.

"I like to catch a feed for the residents," the healthcare assistant at Balclutha’s Holmdene rest-home said.

"When I’ve caught a couple of kilos, we’ll have a special cook-up and there’ll be enough for everyone.

"I’ve been whitebaiting since I was little kid and it’s not just a feed we’ll be sharing.

"A lot of them are from around here so I can tell a story about my day on the river to people who completely relate to it, and they’ll tell their stories of the old days like when the whitebait was so thick you could just feed it to the chickens and put it on the garden, and maybe the good spots they used to come to in the same area."

Clutha’s mighty Mata Au has hosted some of New Zealand’s most expert whitebaiters for centuries, but newcomers to catching the unique New Zealand delicacy can check the Department of Conservation website for rules and important advice on the whitebait season, which runs from September 1 to October 30.