I have talked to a few people who said they were targeting them, one of the them was standing on the rocks at Kaikoura casting into the kelp and weed. Saw a massive one once while diving for crayfish at Ward, thought about stabbing it with my knife but decided not to.
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Whitebait Season starts 1 September 2026 and ends 30 October (inclusive). Chatham Islands: 1 December to the last day of February (inclusive)