"Perseverance," veteran Dunedin whitebaiter Andy Coburn said with a grin this week.
"There's plenty of whitebait coming up the river. You've just got to be here on the day. It's a great feeling when you get a good lift. You can get around 500g on a good day.
Mr Coburn has been chasing the elusive little fish on the Taieri River at Henley since the 1950s.
"I've been whitebaiting here since I was a primary school lad, more than 60 years ago," he said.
"Forty years ago, there wasn't a soul down here. Now, there's a real community of whitebaiters. Lots of retired guys go whitebaiting now. It's a great way to spend your time.
"I always bring my caravan down the day before opening day. It's very relaxing sitting on the riverbank looking at the whitebait. You get lots of native birds around, like tuis, wood pigeons and kingfishers. And I enjoy swapping yarns with other whitebaiters and catching whitebait for my family."
Mr Coburn also shared his special recipe for whitebait.
"Mix four eggs with a tablespoon of flour and give it a good stir up. Add a wee bit of milk if you need it and then add your whitebait. It comes out like a cake. Beautiful."
The whitebait season runs until November 30.
