Neil Morris’ whitebaiting season got off to a brisk start on Tuesday — but not the kind of “brisk” he was hoping for.

With heavy snow on the nearby Maungatua range, a bone-chilling wind and a broken heater in his campervan, things were certainly brisk.

What he was hoping for was a fast and copious run of whitebait on the opening day of the season.

But alas, that never happened.

“I only got 12. Not 12kg — just 12 whitebait, and one perch.

“There’s definitely room for improvement.”

The 73-year-old said he went to the same spot on the Taieri River at Henley most years, but this was one of the colder days he had spent there.

He had hoped to sit in his campervan with a heater on, to keep his digits nice and toasty, but when he switched it on, he was disappointed to find the heater refused to go.

“I’ve had a bit of trouble with my heater.

“I’ll tell you, there was some cursing about that.

“It was bloody cold. It only said 3˚C on the temperature gauge.

“I rang my wife and said I might be coming back home.”

But he persevered and stayed for a few hours longer.

“The thing is, you never know — the next haul might be the big one.

“Last year I did quite well. I came down and got about 10kg over the season.

“So it’s a good spot. It’s well worth it. That’s why I come.”

As for Tuesday, despite the “brisk slow start” to the season, he was pleased to have “survived” long enough to catch a couple of patties worth of whitebait for his dinner. 

Although the whitebait season may be off to a cold and wet start, Brian Scully and Cheryl Miller are staying warm in their hut, enjoying a toastie pie, a cup of tea, and a day out on the river regardless of results. Photo: Gerrit Doppenberg

On the Titiroa Stream in southeast Southland, Invercargill whitebaiters Brian Scully and Cheryl Miller spent most of the first day of the season inside, occasionally checking the net and enjoying a toastie pie cooked over the fire.

Mr Scully said he intended to spend every morning of the season on the stream getting his fill, and said last year was a great one.

“If I could catch as much as I did last season, I’d be very happy. More than happy,” he said.

Their catch by noon Tuesday? Ten whitebait, but they remained optimistic.

“You can’t expect it to be good every day,”

Ms Miller said the hut was warm, the nets were out and, despite the weather, it was a good day.

“We’re quite happy here. If you’re fishing out on the riverbank it’s always a good day.”

It has been hard going for Brian Scully as rough conditions on the first day of whitebaiting have the buckets empty, albeit for the ten whitebait caught since daybreak. Photo: Gerrit Doppenberg.

john.lewis@odt.co.nz