05/13/2026
Woohoo Fish Power. Best kayak embassador in the industry!
Would you tackle a thousand mile kayak fishing trip?
When “Kayak” Kevin Whitley set off on a six-month, 1,000-mile kayak tour of the east coast, he had the support of major sponsors and the attention of the world. The 46-year-old Ocean Kayak pro staff has already completed a half-dozen long-distance paddle trips, and built a voracious following on social media. But this tour would throw him in a tailspin. He would conquer swamps, open ocean and mangrove forests, only to be knocked down and forced to quit by his own body. Whitley’s story proves that life is a war, not a series of battles:
"Since my last circuit of the Chesapeake Bay in 2010, I had been itching to get on tour again. While I was serving on the design council for Ocean Kayak’s new Trident, I got the idea to test the boat on a long-distance paddle fishing trip. I paddled from Florida to Virginia in 2003 and Pensacola to Norfolk in 2005, so I knew these waters would be a perfect test for the boat. After getting support from Ocean Kayak and YakAttack, I was set to go. Before I left, I spent the winter conditioning with long paddling trips and yoga. I started the tour 20 pounds lighter than I had started my other tours. On my last crossing of the Chesapeake Bay in 2010, I almost sank my kayak by overloading it with water and gear. I figured losing weight would allow me to carry supplies for two more days. That decision came back to bite me in the end.
I paid $5 and launched at the public ramp north of Key Largo. The wind started blowing my first day on the water. I planned to spend a few weeks fishing the Keys, but I knew the steady east wind would make it impossible to paddle back to Florida Bay. So, I turned west and headed towards Flamingo.
I spent six days crossing Florida Bay, paddling up to 20 miles each day. I was covering open water, sometimes shooting for small islands that I couldn’t see on the horizon. I don’t use a GPS for navigation, so I relied on my compass and map to stay on course.
It took a while to dial in the fishing action. I did see snook, snapper and even bonefish swim past me. I broke off a big jack crevalle and spotted a 30-inch snook. The water was clear until I reached the western side of Florida Bay, where it was muddy with dead grass. It didn’t look healthy.
Wind was gusting to 45 mph blowing all the water out of the bay. Even at high tide, there was hardly any water to paddle. I spent four days at the Flamingo campground, eating junk food from the small camp store and hanging out with tourists. One good thing, the wind kept the mosquitos down."
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✍️/📷: "Kayak" Kevin Whitley
