Whitebait is the name we give to four different kinds of very small native fish. The most common whitebait is called inanga in Maori. It is only about 5 or 6 cm long so you need quite a lot to make a meal. However, it is hard to catch and expensive to buy. You can only catch whitebait for 3 or 4 months of the year because some kinds are endangered. September 1st is the beginning of the season for people living on the West Coast of the South Island. The season finishes in the middle of November.
This is the time that whitebait return to the rivers to lay their eggs after six months in the sea. People catch them in the mouth of the river. People who fish for whitebait are called whitebaiters. There are many rules. Whitebaiters use nets which they put in the river but they have to stay close by. Sometimes they catch nothing. If they catch a cupful of whitebait, they feel lucky. This is why whitebait are so expensive to buy.
If someone gives you some whitebait, you can make whitebait fritters. You use eggs and a little flour, add the whitebait and cook this like a pancake or omelette. Squeeze some lemon juice on the fritter when it is cooked. The little whitebait will turn white when you cook them. You eat the whole fish including the head.