First catch goes to mum
For the past 50 years, stunning sunsets and being by the ocean have been the ultimate catch for Colin McConnochie.
The retired Timaru man has been a regular sight at Smithfield Beach for the past five decades, whitebaiting there every day during the season and netting fish he doesn’t like to eat.
McConnochie was at the beach yesterday morning and said it was just a normal start to the day for him between August 15 and November 30 – whitebait fishing season.
‘‘I go out every day except if there’s a cold southerly,’’ McConnochie said. McConnochie said he had been hooked on whitebaiting as a young man. ‘‘I grew up in Timaru and lived out Marchwiel way. After school we used to go whitebaiting and I’ve just kept going.’’
He said while he had fished at the Opihi River, he was always drawn back to Smithfield Beach. ‘‘It’s nice and handy for me.’’ He had experienced varying degrees of success so far this season, he said. ‘‘I’ve managed to give my neighbour and mother a feed of whitebait but there doesn’t seem to be a lot around at the moment. Hopefully, when the weather improves there will be more.’’
The other whitebait he does catch will be distributed among neighbours and friends, in exchange for baking.
‘‘I don’t eat it and the wife doesn’t bother with it either. Mum always gets the first feed.’’
Catching the whitebait and being beside the ocean were the reasons he got up at 5am most mornings during the season to cast his net, he said.
‘‘Every morning the skies are always different and sometimes when boats are coming in to the port, when they’re against the sun it looks quite striking.’’