WHITEBAIT “HARVEST”

Greymouth Evening Star, 4 November 1946, Page 2

WHITEBAIT “HARVEST”

LARGE CATCHES MADE IN GREY RIVER BIGGEST RUN FOR YEARS The Grey river yesterday yielded an extraordinarily large quantity of whitebait to the nets of local residents —men, women, and children—jwho lined the banks when the news of the start of the long-overdue run commenced to spread. One of the biggest catches' reported was of 250 pints netted by one man on the Cobden side of the river, but catches exceeding 200 pints were not rare. The scenes on the river-banks were reminiscent of those of 20 or more years ago when unlimited catches were common. It is thought that yesterday’s run of whitebait was the biggest for more than a decade. On only a few occasions since the season opened in August have whitebait been caught in any appreciable quantities in the Grey river this year. The catches were as a rule particularly poor during the past month or six weeks, but with the weather warmer on Saturday several residents were rewarded with moderate catches, several kerosene tins being filled by fishermen on the Cobden side. Trek to River Banks. The big run, however, commenced late on Saturday night, and earlymorning fishermen yesterday had soon filled all available containers and returned home for more. The news soon spread and the trek to the river banks began. By noon hundreds; of people lined both banks, while many row-boats anchored along the training wall in the middle of the riven- accommodated more netters. When the run was at its peak, shortly before noon, nets dipped into the river became practically overloaded. Huge bites made in the apparently undiminishing shoals as they made their way upstream still left plenty for later netters. There were few vantage spots left on either side of the river during the afternoon, and in some places only a few yards separated the various parties. Rare scenes were witnessed towards the end of the afternoon when those who had not sold their catches were homeward bound with the results of their “dragging.” It was not uncommon to see kerosene tins filled to the brim together with bulging sugar-sacks as the fruits of one man s efforts. One Cobden resident had to call on the aid of his wheelbarrow to enable him to take home his tins and sacks of bait. Supplies Given Away. Buyers were active throughout the day, at first paying 2/- a pint (£3 a kerosene tin), but towards the end of the afternoon many people were glad to get rid of their surplus stocks for 1/- a pint. Many householders seeking to buy a pint or so for tea last evening had in many cases their receptacles filled to the brim for the price of one pint. Yesterday’s run did not recur today but catches of up to two tins were reported from Blaketown this morning, though the fishermen had to “drag” thoroughly for these moderate catches.