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Kōrero: Whitebait and whitebaiting

Whitebait fritters

Whitebait fritters

Whitebait is usually eaten as fritters or patties made with eggs. More whitebait and less egg is the preferred mix as the egg mainly serves to bind the mixture. Dollops are then fried in a pan. The fritters are often eaten between slices of buttered bread.

Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi

Private collection

by Carl Walrond

This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.

Ngā whakaahua me ngā rauemi katoa o tēnei kōrero

Me pēnei te tohu i te whārang

Carl Walrond, Whitebait and whitebaiting – Whitebaiting culture and regulations, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/mi/photograph/11711/whitebait-fritters (accessed 4 June 2026).

He kōrero nā Carl Walrond, i tāngia i te 1 March 2009.

Comments

matthew farrell
09 November 2011
omg they look sooooo good! just wondering if anyone can help. I’m new to the white baiting game do you have to cut the heads off, my mother is a bit against the whole eating the heads thing can someone fill me in thanks. :-)
Jan England
15 June 2011
What a great site. Thank you. My husband is one of the passionate catchers of whitebiat on the Wanganui River in Hari Hari. I personally like to add a couple of tablespoons of self raising flour, it changes the taste to more of a fritter thann an omlette. Enjoy with lemon juice. Jan (Christchurch)