The freshwater rivers in New Zealand are a wash with tastie treats. Trout the size of salmon live in abundant numbers. The river mouth is a local tip if you are in search of the BIG ONE.
Warning: a fishing permit is required if fishing in New Zealand.
The Whitebait season runs from April til October, this is a buisy time for many local fishermen (whitebaiters). Many make their yearly wage from the season, fetching upto $120 NZ a kilo for the tiny translucent (baby) fish.
Locals own or lease shacks (often a 3m by 3m fibro box) along river banks. So proud are some, of their role as whitebaiters in the community, shacks have been handed down from generation to generation.
The job of the fisherman is to drop a runway (a wooden L shaped frame lined by a net) into the river, sometimes waiting hours for a good haul. The runway works by trapping the tiny fish as they pool in hundreds and thousands as they get gushed up river systems, making fishing on the incoming tide optimal. Often a fisherman may spend upto 8hrs alone in a shack waiting for a full net, emptying the catch and redropping the runway.
New Zealand whitebait is sold as a delicacy all around the world, simple preparation is the key :
Some people like to flour and deep fry the tiny fish serving with aioli and lemon.
Locals in Hasst prefer to whisk up egg, add the fish and pan fry, calling it a whitebait fritter.
I however think the best result comes from a 1 minute fry in a hot pan with a little salt, a squeeze of lemon juice to finish and served on a plate with some fresh rocquette leaves and mayonaise. DELlCIOUS!
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