WHITEBAIT are commonly deepfried in a light coating of flour or cornflour to add crunch. Seasoned and served with a squeeze of lemon juice they don’t require much more attention. The ‘Whitebait Fritter’, a crisp, omelette-like creation of whitebait bound with egg and fried, is extremely popular in New Zealand.
What is a white bait fish?
Whitebait is a collective term for the immature fry of fish, typically between 25 and 50 millimetres (1 and 2 in) long. Such young fish often travel together in schools along the coast, and move into estuaries and sometimes up rivers where they can be easily caught with fine meshed fishing nets.
What fish eats white bait?
Nearer the coast many fishes, such as kahawai and flounder, eat the whitebait. In the estuaries, gulls, shags, and terns feed on them, and in the rivers they are taken by kingfishers and herons. Eels, salmon, and big trout eat the adult whitebait too. The whitebait catch fluctuates wildly from year to year.
What can you catch with white bait?
All these species are collectively regarded as whitebait. Sometimes white-baiters also catch in their nets: yellow-eyed mullet, trout, eels, and small kahawai. These bigger fish should be released unharmed, though the yellow-eyed mullet make good bait if you are going surfcasting.
How do you eat white bait?
Whitebait are eaten whole with the head, tail guts and the lot still intact – most often fried, the tiny, delicate nature of the fish make them a highly sought-after dish. Whitebait has been a hugely popular in the UK.
How many species of Whitebaits are there?
Whitebait are the juveniles of six species of fish. Five of these are migratory galaxiids: inanga, banded kōkopu, giant kōkopu, kōaro and shortjaw kōkopu. The sixth species is common smelt.
What time can you start Whitebaiting?
5 am to 8 pm
Fishing is only allowed during the season and from: 5 am to 8 pm, or.
How do you clean white bait?
Whitebait doesn’t need cleaning at all (from scales or guts), just a simple rinsing. Rinse the whitebait well under cold running water and drain in a colander. Pat dry with paper towels. In a large baking dish, add 2-3 cups of flour and tip in the fish.
What does white bait taste like?
Whitebait detractors say that Whitebait doesn’t actually have any flavour, and that even eggs will overwhelm their taste. Consequently, they are usually rolled in flour and fried.
Is white bait 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.
