Patties, possies and 5am starts

Peter O'Connor checks his net on the Waimakariri River yesterday on the first day of the whitebait season. Picture / Simon Baker

Peter O'Connor can tell from day one it is going to be a good whitebaiting season.

"Everyone is picking up a pattie. It's not bad for opening day," the 30-year whitebaiting veteran says as he surveys Canterbury's Waimakariri River from his "possie".

"It's better than it has been for the last couple of years."

Peter Griffiths, who has been dipping his nets in the river for "nigh on 40 years", is having even better luck upriver. "It's the best opening I have known. You're usually lucky if you get a few dozen. I'm going to get a few patties out of it."

The whitebaiting season officially began for most of New Zealand yesterday and fishers were out in force around the country. While the Cantabrians were happy with their catch, Auckland retailers were out of luck because tides were not suitable for commercial operators.

Mr O'Connor was out at 5.40am in crisp clear conditions at the mouth of the river to get his spot for a "feeler day".

Others had been camping out for up to a week to get theirs.

Mr O'Connor has been braving the early starts for 30 years.

"It's the fresh air. You can be your own boss," he explains.

"If the weather is good, I'm out. You can have these luxuries when you are over 60. When the whitebait are pretty good I'm here from daylight until dark."

Mr Griffiths says whitebait can drive people mad. "It's like gold. That's why they call it gold-bait. It's a delicacy. I give it to my family and friends. I've never sold it."

He says it can sometimes get testy between whitebaiters guarding their territories. "When you get as old as me you don't want to be pushing and fighting ...

"They are fighting for possies. There is a gentlemen's agreement that you have space in between."