Off the hook: After 6 years, kayaker is Master Angler

There are quite a few pros and cons when it comes to fishing from a kayak.

On the pro side, kayakers are able to get into some really skinny water that is too shallow for most boats. They can work their way into tight spaces such as the pilings of area bridges. And they get the benefit of a little workout while not spending a dime on fuel.

They are limited, though, to how much equipment they can take and what species they can target because of their range.

That's why it took "Kayak" Kevin Whitley quite a while to become the first kayak-dedicated fisherman to earn Master Angler status from the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament.

Anglers earn levels in the Master program by registering 25 award-qualifying fish with no more than one species per year. There must be at least five different species in the total.

Because Whitley was only able to target a few species from his kayak, it took him a little more than six years to earn Level I in the state-sponsored awards program.

"This was significantly harder than I thought it would be," said Whitley, 40, of Norfolk.

Whitley got the notion of working toward the honor after catching his first award-winning fish from a kayak in 2006.

"That's when I really started working on paper chasing," Whitley said of the term anglers use when they seek award-winning fish that earn them a certificate or plaque known as a citation. "I started trying to be the first kayaker to get Expert Angler."

Fishermen and women earn Expert status by registering six different species for awards in a one-year period.

Whitley achieved his goal in 2007 by registering a flounder, red drum, spot, speckled trout, tautog and sheepshead.

He earned Expert status again the following year.

And he recently caught and released a 24-inch sheepshead to get him to the needed 25 to become a Master Angler.

"I started wondering a long time ago if a kayak angler could get this or not," said Whitley, who works at Oceans East 2 Tackle. "I attribute this as much to where I live as anything else. Our fishery really allows kayakers to target quite a few species in such close range.

"Our area is really kayak-friendly."

Whitley mostly targets his three favorite species - red drum, sheepshead and striped bass. But he said he won't hesitate to go after other species when the bite is hot.

Whitley also said he probably won't join in on a current fad where anglers put their kayaks on a "mother ship" and go offshore for bigger species such as dolphin, tuna and billfish.

"First of all, I can't afford the trips," he said with a laugh. "I'd really like to go offshore sometime, but...

"And, you know... I don't know if I want to fight a fish for two hours sitting in a kayak."

Whitley is happy with his new status, but he knows it won't be long before others join him - especially with the growing popularity of fishing from a kayak.

"It's really getting big. And more and more people are doing it," said Whitley, who has been fishing from the deck of his little plastic boat for about 10 years. "You get a little workout, and you can really get into places where bigger boats can't. That can be a real advantage.

"The effort to get in and out of the water is so much easier. And gas is getting pretty pricey, and I don't have to buy any gas."

Sounds like the pros of kayak angling have masterfully beat out the cons.

Lee Tolliver, (757) 222-5844, lee.tolliver@pilotonline.com