Whitebait the only winners for now | Wairarapa News | Local News in Wairarapa

Whitebaiting in Wairarapa has got away to a slow start, for an excellent reason.

Although the season opened five days ago, the weather has conspired to make sure not much bait will be made into patties this week.

Southerly squalls and intermittent heavy rain throughout the wider region has made life difficult for the handful of whitebaiters who have so far ventured out in search of the delicacy.

At Lake Ferry, Wairarapa's most popular whitebaiting spot, a biting-cold southerly coming in horizontally kept whitebaiters off the lake shore for most of the time on the opening four days, although one set-net fisherman reported catching the grand total of nine whitebait on Wednesday before giving in to the conditions and retreating to the warmth of his cottage.

Despite the disappointing weather, which also led to Lake Onoke being brim-full and dirty, the outlook is starting to appear a lot brighter.

The mouth to the sea is open and no lack of whitebaiters is waiting to get going, nets at the ready.

Further round the Wairarapa coast, at spots such as Whareama, the season has, likewise, started slowly with no catches of any magnitude being reported.

The whitebait season runs until November 30 and is policed by Department of Conservation rangers.

Although a licence to fish is not required - unlike the pursuit of freshwater fish such as trout and perch - rules are strictly enforced and fishermen have an obligation to acquaint themselves with the regulations or risk prosecution.