Meeting a Kayak Fishing Legend

This past weekend I went to the Richmond Fishing Expo.  I went to seek advice about kayak touring and local knowledge about my 2018 route from “Kayak” Kevin Whitley.  He is a legend among kayak anglers. I have occasionally emailed him in the years since I conceived of my trip and he has always been responsive, and, as it turns out, he's great to talk to in person. 

Talking with Kayak Kevin Whitley at the Richmond Fishing Expo

Kevin is a serious veteran when it comes to long-distance kayak touring. Fifteen years ago, he did a 500-miler from north Florida to his home in Norfolk. Two years later he paddled 1800 miles solo from Pensacola to Norfolk. In 2008, he toured around the entire Chesapeake Bay and has made many other long-distance kayak trips.

Kayak Kevin with a 52 pound Chesapeake Bay striped bass.

He’s also crazy good at fishing, especially in the Chesapeake Bay. In 2006 he became the first-ever ’yak angler to earn the Virginia Saltwater Expert Angler Award, an honor earned by fishermen who register six different species of trophy fish in a single year. He repeated that feat in 2007. In 2011, he became the first-ever kayak fisherman to achieve Virginia Saltwater Master Angler status—25 trophy citations in five different species—a remarkable achievement for any angler.

Kevin gave me some good tips about places to camp this summer and places to avoid camping. I also got good advice from Kevin and Will Ragulsky about what lures to use in the stretch of water I will be paddling as well as what rod and reel set-ups would be best. Thanks fellas, much appreciated!

In the spirit of Bill Bryson obsessing about dangers posed by bears in his classic book, A Walk in the Woods, I asked Kevin if he had ever felt threatened by sharks or other wildlife while touring. The conversation went something like this…

KK: There was a time in South Carolina when I had just pulled my feet back in the kayak after taking a rest in the shade of a bridge (“that’s the only shade you’ll find for long stretches”) when my paddle hit something solid and leathery. I looked back and saw the open mouth of a large Bull shark tasting the hull of my kayak. Luckily, the shark did not clamp down, but simply rolled away and swam off. Note: Kevin is definitely a bad-ass but he admitted to shaking so that much he worried the vibration would attract more sharks.

TT: Damn, Kevin, that sounds scary. Have you ever felt threatened by any other wildlife?

KK: Gators will bump your kayak a fair amount but they don’t attack it. There was the time (in Georgia?) when an alligator crept up near my tent at 2 AM and started making aggressive bellowing noises. I got out of the tent with my gun and my flashlight and put my arms up in the air to try to make myself look bigger. I made a lot of noise and eventually, the gator left. If you ever are in trouble with a gator on land, move sideways a lot. They can’t turn very fast. If you run straight, they will catch you. Oh, and don’t stand near the waterline with your back to the water, they look for that and may lunge.

TT: Good, good. Got it. Note to self: Run sideways and don’t turn my back to the water. Um, did you say “gun”? You take a gun on tour?

KK: Only when I am in the South.

TT: For the alligators?

KK: It was actually for the feral hogs. There are tons of them on the islands off Georgia and South Carolina and they can be mean and aggressive. Oh, and if a hog or gator ever gets after you at night, get out of your tent as fast as you can. You’re stuck in there.

TT: Got it. Get out of the tent if attacked by a hog or gator. Noted. Thanks for the stories and advice, this has been very comforting.

Luckily I will not be getting that far south this year. And although I played this up (a-la Bill Bryson) largely to freak out my Mom and wife (Hi Mom! Hi Chris!), I will do some real research on these critters and how to avoid trouble with them before I get into their areas.

It was great meeting Kayak Kevin and others at the Expo. If the stars align, he may come out and paddle with me for a day or two this year as I go through his home waters. If you fish in the Chesapeake Bay, you should buy one or all of his DVDs on the topic. You will learn a lot and they are fun to watch.