The Anna Maria Island Sun Newspaper

Vol. 15 No. 47 - September 23, 2015

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Fifteen-year-old angler makes waves

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Above, Whitfield teaches a boy to throw a cast net at the Chick fil-A
Family Fun Night. At right, Whitfield shows some of her fishing trophies.

 

 

CORTEZ – Chasten Whitfield entered her first fishing tournament in seventh grade because the kids made fun of her for being the only girl that fished.

But Chasten, now15 and a student at Manatee High School, had the last laugh.

“It was the Fire Charity Tournament at the Bradenton Yacht Club, and I got first place in the ladies division,” she recalled. “I fished with mom and dad and got a snook, a redfish and a flounder. Then I was on three TV shows and was in the paper.”

The next summer, she fished the same tournament with two other girls and again received first place in the ladies division. Next came the Kiddie Pole Classic, a fun tournament started by a friend of her father where participants fish with kiddie poles, and also several local tournaments.

“After I appeared on ‘Florida Insider Fishing Report’ in Miami, I shot through the roof,” she said. “‘Florida Sportsman’ magazine contacted me, and I began getting sponsor deals.”

Sponsors include Penn, Hardy Fly Fishing, Mustad Hooks, Under Armor, Bull Bay Rods and Ocean Tamer.

This year came two big tournament wins. Whitfield and her team – Emma Moneuse, Olivia Galvan, Aaliyah Rudrud and Sami Costello – won first place in the ladies division at the prestigious Sam Crosswaite Fishing Tournament in May and first in the ladies division and third in the juniors division at the Fire Charity Tournament in June.

Giving back

Earlier this year, she and her 4 A Cause fishing team participated in Family Fun Night sponsored by Chick fil-A in Bradenton, where they taught kids the basics of fishing.

“It's an amazing feeling when you ask a little girl if she can throw a cast net and she says no. Then I always ask, ‘Would you like to try?’” Whitfield said. “The answer is always a big smile and a yes. To watch the kids, especially girls’ self esteem, when they leave after throwing a cast net is unexplainable.”

In August, she taught a Kids’ Fishing Camp at Bayfront Park and the Anna Maria City Pier for the AMI Community Center summer campers. The class attracted 20 enthusiastic kids.

In addition to traveling the state with “Florida Sportsman” teaching kids how to throw cast nets, she teaches at local tackle stores such as West Marine and Discount Tackle and at expos, the next one in Tampa on Sept. 12 and 13.

Kiddie Pole Classic

Her next tournament is the Kiddie Pole Classic set for Saturday, Sept. 27, by the boat ramp on the Causeway. Check in is at 7:30 a.m. and shotgun start is at 8 with only character fishing rods allowed. The entry fee is $25, and all ages are invited.

“I’m taking a group of autistic children fishing on my dad’s boat for this tournament,” she said.

Whitfield, who donates all her prize money to charity, will be donating this money to Face Autism, a local autism resource group. Another group that receives donations from her is Prospect Riding Group, which provides horse therapy for disabled children.

Of her life as a 15-year-old professional angler, Whitfield said, “It’s crazy, it’s fun but it’s time consuming, and it’s hard work. I try to plan a fishing event every other weekend with my family. We have fished together since I was little.”

Whitfield said she has a Plan A and a Plan B for the future, Plan A is to continue fishing and have her own television show to encourage kids to fish. Plan B is to become a marine biologist.

“Anything to do with the water,” she said.


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