Thread: Adult whitebait/galaxids?

Whitebaiting is something I don't have much experience of. Does anyone eat the adult fish? In Aussie, they treat the adult fish as European whitebait which is whole small fish coated in egg wash, flour etc and deep fried. I'm aware there are concerns about sustainability, just curious.

I have had them this way once at an Italian restaurant many years ago, gotta say it was pretty tasty too. I'm not big on Whitebait just don't see what the fuss is all about but this would be by far my most enjoyable whitebait experience.
gimme Paua's, crays, prawns and crab any day over whitebait.......preparing for inevitable flaming in 3....2....1....

I had some whitebait fritters in an upmarket Auckland restaurant once and was completely unmoved by the experience, but each to their own.

Originally Posted by MB

I had some whitebait fritters in an upmarket Auckland restaurant once and was completely unmoved by the experience, but each to their own.

it's not so much that they taste bad in fact quite the oppisite in my experience.....they jsut don't taste at all and pretty much take on the taste of whatever they are cooked with/in. I'm sure there are others that rave about them and maybe I'm missing something but each to their own.
I'd rather a fillet of Cod

I like a whitebait fritter or sandwich but IMHO they’re over rated.

Now smoked trumpeter? Mmmm!

Originally Posted by dannyb

it's not so much that they taste bad in fact quite the oppisite in my experience.....they jsut don't taste at all and pretty much take on the taste of whatever they are cooked with/in. I'm sure there are others that rave about them and maybe I'm missing something but each to their own.
I'd rather a fillet of Cod

Have to agree with you again. It tasted of egg yolk.

I think the adults (banded kokopu, giant kokopu, etc) might be protected.

Originally Posted by Cigar

I think the adults (banded kokopu, giant kokopu, etc) might be protected.

But it’s okay to eat their offspring.... it’s never made a lot of sense to me


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Originally Posted by Cigar

I think the adults (banded kokopu, giant kokopu, etc) might be protected.

Originally Posted by HOO

But it’s okay to eat their offspring.... it’s never made a lot of sense to me

Giant kokopu and several other freshwater indigenous fish are threatened, but have no formal protection. Same situation with longfin eels. Lots of our wildlife regulations make no sense to anyone.

Its much worse than that, White Bait the young of several indigenous, potentially threatened fish can be harvested & sold commercially, even more surprising no quota or license, that's the bit that amazes me !

As a child I used to fly fish (put a live fly on hook) for Giant Kokopu or some type of Galaxiidae, it was great fun but was told off for doing it as protected Fish ??

I like it. Need to make your patties with just the egg white, don't use the yoke, ie beat egg whites like you would for a pav fold in whitebait then cook in butter. yum.

Originally Posted by Cigar

I think the adults (banded kokopu, giant kokopu, etc) might be protected.

Apparently no one told our cat ...


But the local council bought in all sorts of experts to testify that these fish did not inhabit streams in our area when they wanted to approve a development.

Originally Posted by MB

I had some whitebait fritters in an upmarket Auckland restaurant once and was completely unmoved by the experience, but each to their own.

It was probably that chinese crap. Old man bought up some whitebait he caught in the Waimak recently, it was beautiful.