Whitebaiters who hit the water yesterday for the opening of the new season are hoping the catch will be much better than last year's poor haul.
Despite the high hopes, the late high tide meant only small schools of the prized white fish made their way up the East branch of the Clutha River into the nets of patiently waiting Kaitangata locals.
Vivienne Maguire could be found at her usual spot near the crescent turn of the river.
It is a spot she has visited for about 24 of the 34 years she has spent on the river.
Peace and tranquillity were the main reasons she went out whitebaiting, combined with the desire to catch ''enough for a patty'', she said.
''The bait tastes pretty good, too.''
Last year's season meant fewer whitebait were caught by South Otago fishers than usual.
But Ms Maguire was not bothered. She still managed to catch enough for a few feeds and to share with friends and other locals.
The incoming tide was not due until 3pm yesterday so many whitebaiters did not drop their nets until the late afternoon.
Ms Maguire, however, liked to make something of the first day of the season and had been out since 8.30am.
She already had a small bucket load, enough for a meal, when the Otago Daily Times caught up with her.
Closer to the river mouth, Aaron Murdoch was waiting for the tide to turn before he dropped a net, while neighbouring whitebaiter Gayle Kennedy had caught a small amount from the morning.
When asked what it was about whitebaiting he enjoyed the most, Mr Murdoch only had to point out the crisp scenery surrounding him.
''Just look around.''
The coast hit a high of a balmy 8degC under a clear blue and sun-filled sky.
Mr Murdoch had been whitebaiting all his life, as had Ms Kennedy and son Michael Kennedy.
At a meeting held by the Department of Conservation in Balclutha on Monday night, Doc compliance officer Ciaran Campbell reminded whitebaiters the four whitebait species were all threatened or at risk due to declining numbers in their natural habitat.
He hoped more whitebaiters would take part in a survey of the area by filling out catchment diaries to record the effort, hours and days spent fishing and how much was caught.
It would help monitor the whitebait and identify patterns in their migration into freshwater catchments.
Whitebaiting is permitted between 5am and 8pm at present and between 6am and 9pm once daylight saving is observed.
The season ends on November 30 but West Coast whitebaiters are limited to a season between September 1 and November 14.
