Chatter KAYAK KEVIN:


COLD BUT HAPPY. PHOTO: KAYAK KEVIN WHITLEY


EDITOR’S ANGLE


BABY, IT’S COLD OUTSIDE


SO, GO ON, GET KAYAK FISHING T


hey say opposites attract. I believe it. My best kayak-fishing buddy, Kevin Whitley, and I are completely different. He listens to death metal,


I like jazz. He eats Pop-Tarts and Smarties and I like organic greens and whole wheat pitas. Kevin’s long hair and tattoos are the yin to my clean-cut, white-washed yang. I met Kevin the year I started fishing out of a kayak. We fished through


the summer, catching red drum, cobia, big flounder, trout, small striper and more while sweating, swatting flies and slathering on sunblock. As summer turned to fall, and the water temperature dropped, I was


looking forward to the crisp wind and brisk water that would bring big striped bass, blackfish and trophy speckled trout within paddle-range. Kevin was not. I suffered the oppressive heat and humidity of summer in the Old Do-


minion, while Kevin basked in the sun and sweated profusely. As winter approached, I was anxious to bundle up in a heavy sweatshirt and thermal underwear at the same time Kevin lamented frostbite and nasal congestion. It was our first year kayak fishing, so we were building the plane while


flying it. We experimented with different combinations of clothes, switch- ing out rain jackets, waders, gloves, flannel, wool and fleece until we settled on a system that was both warm and safe. I went for light and comfort- able, starting with a base layer of UnderArmour Cold Gear and SmartWool Mountain socks, adding light fleece pants, a fleece shirt and ending with a


8 …KAYAK ANGLER WINTER 2013


heavy UnderArmor Cold Gear sweatshirt and a pair of neoprene waders. Most outings, I would forego gloves and let my fingers burn, then go numb. Kevin started with the same layer system, but added a pair of rain pants


and a rain jacket to cut the wind and trap the heat. He also pulled a fleece balaclava over his face, a watch cap over his head and protected his hands with a pair of wool-lined mittens on top of a pair of fingerless wool gloves. He looked like the Stay-Puft marshmallow man. We took special precautions for winter fishing, loading our PFDs with a VHF radio, signal light and whistle for a quick rescue. I even tested my system by jumping in the water and reentering my kayak—wet and cold but alive. The ultimate test came late in December when boaters reported big


striped bass hiding in the pilings of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. To reach the spot, we would have to launch before dawn, paddle miles and then sit for hours waiting for a bite. Long story short, we found a place to launch, made the paddle and Kevin


pulled a fat 30-pound striper from the cold, grey water. Even 12 layers of clothes couldn’t hide the joy and satisfaction on his wind-blown and frost-bitten face. Since then, we’ve paddled through each winter, catching huge striper,


trophy speckled trout and fat blackfish. And we’re not alone, more anglers are joining us in the cold. In this inaugural Winter issue of Kayak Angler, Rob Choi teaches us to


fish a warm-water discharge (page 44), Tim Perkins gives tips for fishing muddy water (page 33) and Morgan Promnitz instructs us how to keep ice from cracking scuppers and rod holders (page 43). I would argue that winter is the best time to go kayak fishing. Kevin


would disagree. This winter, try kayak fishing where you live, and find the yin to your yang. Striped bass, tautog, bluefin tuna and sea bass lure Kayak Angler editor


Ric Burnley onto Chesapeake Bay and the mid-Atlantic through the winter. His blood is warm, but his fingers and toes never seem to thaw out.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68