What is the best time to go Whitebaiting?
Spring tides are favoured for the best catches of ‘bait. While the season can be slow in August and September, October and November are my favourite months for whitebaiting. The combination of increasing water temperatures and spring tide, perhaps after a little rain, create the ideal conditions for ‘baiting.
What type of fish is whitebait NZ?
migratory galaxiids
Inanga (Galaxias maculatus) are the most common native fish species caught as whitebait. The other species that make up the whitebait catch are banded kokopu, giant kokopu, kōaro and shortjaw kokopu. These species are all migratory galaxiids.
What do NZ whitebait grow into?
inanga
Through spring and summer, the little whitebait grow into adult fish known as inanga. Inanga are slender fish, with a small head and transparent fins. They are a pale creamy colour, mottled or spotted greenish-olive on their back and sides.
Is whitebait native to New Zealand?
Although galaxiid species are found in many places in the Southern Hemisphere, the banded, giant, and shortjaw kōkopu only exist in New Zealand.
How far do whitebait go up the river?
It was always thought that whitebait only travelled upstream during daylight hours. Whitebait can travel up to 18 km over 36 hours, and their maximum migration speed is about 1.5 km per hour.”
Where can I catch whitebait in NZ?
In the North Island, the main whitebaiting areas are located south of Auckland, namely on the rivers between Taranaki and Wellington, the Waikato River, and also in the Bay of Plenty. However, whitebait is also caught in the northern part of the island, around Parengarenga Harbour.
What is the price of whitebait in NZ?
Wholesale prices for West Coast whitebait range between $60 to $70 a kilo but retail prices vary.
What do whitebait taste like?
Whitebait detractors say that Whitebait doesn’t actually have any flavour, and that even eggs will overwhelm their taste.
Why do whitebait swim up river?
Cindy’s studies have revealed that whitebait spend time in the tidal zone of a river before penetrating further upstream. It’s thought they feed in the estuary to gain strength before braving the river’s strong current. Another finding was that more fish moved downstream than was originally suspected.
Can you eat whitebait raw?
Individual whitebait are tender and edible, and are considered a delicacy in New Zealand. The entire fish is eaten – including head, fins, bones, and bowels. Some species make better eating than others, and the particular species that are marketed as “whitebait” vary in different parts of the world.
What is the Maori name for whitebait?
Inanga
Whitebait – Inanga/ (Inaka for Ngāi Tahu) Māori tribes vary in what they call Inanga. Some refer the name Inanga to adults of freshwater species. Others more commonly refer to the juvenile fish of different species.
Can you whitebait under a bridge?
No person shall fish for whitebait within 20 m of any tide gate, floodgate, confluence or culvert, or fish from any bridge, or from any vessel. Nothing in these regulations permits any person fishing for whitebait to interfere with, alter or modify the natural bed or banks of any river, stream, estuary or channel.
Can you catch whitebait at night?
“Contrary to popular opinion, we’ve discovered that under clear sky conditions, fish are actively migrating at night. It was always thought that whitebait only travelled upstream during daylight hours. Whitebait can travel up to 18 km over 36 hours, and their maximum migration speed is about 1.5 km per hour.”
How much is a kg of whitebait?
Wholesale prices for West Coast whitebait range between $60 and $70 a kilo but retail prices vary.
How much is a kg of whitebait worth?
Is it legal to sell whitebait?
The guts is that whitebait is excluded from requiring a registered risk management programme certification and can be sold legally without meeting the standard food safety requirements. This is because it has been determined a low-risk product when balanced against the compliance costs and consumption level.
Are there bones in whitebait?
YES, BONES, HEAD… The whitebait concept – very small fish cooked and eaten whole including head, fins, bones and innards – is recognised all over the world but is applied to different species reflecting what is or was available locally.
Are whitebait good for you?
They are packed with magnificent health benefits due to their rich source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and muscle building protein. With reference to Wikipedia, Whitebait is a collective term for the immature fry of fish.
What are whitebait babies of?
Whitebait (also known as matamata to Waikato-Tainui) is a collective term used to describe the juvenile form of five galaxiid fish species.
How much is a kilo of whitebait?