Whole Fried Whitebait

Tiny fish known as whitebait, ranging in size from about 3 to 4 inches (7.5 to 10 cm), are eaten whole, heads, skin, bones, and yes, even their guts. Whitebait is not a species of fish but a catch-all name for very young fish—usually herring, sprats, smelts, or shad. Their bones are so soft that once cooked, they can be eaten whole. Whitebait have a short season, but they are always available frozen.