Sprat vs. Whitebait

Any of various small, herring-like, marine fish in the genus Sprattus, in the family Clupeidae.

A small European herring (Clupea sprattus) closely allied to the common herring and the pilchard; - called also garvie. The name is also applied to small herring of different kinds.

small fatty European fish; usually smoked or canned like sardines

small herring processed like a sardine

Sprat is the common name applied to a group of forage fish belonging to the genus Sprattus in the family Clupeidae. The term also is applied to a number of other small sprat-like forage fish (Clupeoides, Clupeonella, Corica, Ehirava, Hyperlophus, Microthrissa, Nannothrissa, Platanichthys, Ramnogaster, Rhinosardinia, and Stolothrissa).

The young of various species of fish, especially herrings, sprats or smelts, served deep fried as a starter or snack.

The young of several species of herrings, especially of the common herring, esteemed a great delicacy by epicures in England.

minnows or other small fresh- or salt-water fish (especially herring); usually cooked whole

the edible young of especially herrings and sprats and smelts

the small silvery-white young of herrings, sprats, and similar marine fish, eaten in numbers as food.

Whitebait is a collective term for the immature fry of fish, typically between 1 and 2 inches (25 and 50 mm) long. Such young fish often travel together in schools along the coast, and move into estuaries and sometimes up rivers where they can be easily caught with fine meshed fishing nets.