“WHITEBAIT”

Clutha whitebait elusive

By HELENA DE REUS - Otago Daily Times | Tuesday, 02 October 2012

Whitebaiter John Witchall, of Ettrick, tries his luck at the Clutha River mouth yesterday. — Photo: Craig Baxter.

AT 78, John Witchall knows his fair share about whitebaiting.

Each year, the Ettrick man spends the season at the Clutha River mouth near Kaitangata, in South Otago.

The whitebait were few and far between yesterday, but that did not keep him away from the water.

And for good reason — he has a way to go before he matches his biggest catch, more than 100kg, at the mouth several years ago.

As he works his net, Mr Witchall exchanges banter with another "old timer", Balclutha man Toby Sellwood (66).

"All those other buggers should be at work — Toby and I are retired and we should be catching everything," he said, laughing.

Whitebaiters line up on the bank. — Photo: Craig Baxter.

Whitebaiters are tight-lipped about an alleged 38kg catch at the river mouth late last week.

The man believed to be the successful whitebaiter said he caught only 28kg, and the big catches were to be had on the other side of the river mouth.

Another whitebaiter, Craig, who declined to give his surname, said he and a friend caught 120kg of whitebait in 20 minutes in the surf two years ago.

Whitebaiters stayed at their favourite spots, resisting the temptation to try their luck on the other side.

"There will be a fight if we go over there, and a fight if they come over here. We keep to our own spots," Craig said.

The whitebait season, which opened on August 15, runs until November 30, except for the West Coast (September 01 to November 14). With daylight saving, fishing is now restricted to 6am-9pm.

http://www.odt.co.nz/regions/south-otago/228442/clutha-whitebait-elusive