Whitebaiters at the mouth of the Okirito River. Behind them is the Okarito Lagoon. Very few people live in this ruggedly beautiful and isolated part of New Zealand.

Note how different methods are used to catch whitebait depending on the river and bank conditions. The pole nets used here offer the most flexability and can be used just about anywhere. Usually the whitebaiters walk along with their nets at a slow steady pace. When they reach the end of the line they remove their net and walk back to the far end to start again. This processis only interumpted, hopefully, by having to stop at the bucket to empty the contents of their nets. At some busy spots, particularly the mouth of the Hokitika River, an ordly que forms of whitebaiters waiting to take their turn to make a "drag." At the mouth of the Hokitika River, which is next to the town of the same name, the river bank can be deserted on the receeding tide. Then whitebaiters seem to suddenly appear from everywhere with their pole nets just before the first push of the new tide when the fishing will be at its best.