Hokitika and South Westland rivers enjoyed the best of the West Coast whitebait season, which closes on Monday. Elsewhere, many whitebaiters have already called it a day and Buller’s poor season has been called "a tragedy for the town". Peter Campion, a long-time Hokitika whitebaiter, said while the weather had been against them, the Hokitika River had fished well. South Westland had a far better season. The West Coast season opens on September 1, two weeks later than the rest of New Zealand and closes two weeks earlier.

Source: Otago Daily Times November 11, 2016 17:17 UTC