https://www.flwfishing.com/tips/2018-01-04-search-continues-day-two-canceled.

 

Okeechobee is a great lake but oh so dangerous too. Both are experienced anglers.  Pro William (Bill) Kisiah of Slidell, La., and co-angler Nik Kayler of Apopka, Fla. Bill was found at 11PM and in hospital. Boat found at Pahokee. Nik is still missing. 

 

 

Saw the report this morning. My buddy is fishing as co-angler too. Let's hope they find him safe.

praying for him and his family

Man I just don't understand why people don't take these big shallow lakes more seriously! I've had really close calls on Istokpoga and the Big O. One of which made my partner literally cry. Prayers for him and his loved ones. 

What the heck happened? I'm not familiar with Okeechobee besides what I see on tv and read about. Are there sand bars scattered around that are hazards? Obviously it wasn't two boats colliding, what else is there to eject them?

Wind and white caps. ^^^

2 minutes ago, DINK WHISPERER said:

Wind and white caps. ^^^

I did some reading on another site and it sounds like the wind picked up and it got pretty rough. Water temp. Was in the mid 50's. 

http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/sports/outdoors/flw-halts-costa-tourney-to-search-for-lost-angler-at/article_7a28fbe1-3c3b-5274-a6da-fccf076dff17.html

Shows the boat they were in.

41 minutes ago, DINK WHISPERER said:

Wind and white caps. ^^^

 

This info comes from a search report I saw. They put in at the north side of the lake, and were running south toward the SE (windward) side of the lake. Winds were from the NW at approx 25mph. 

 

There are various channels across the lakes lined by rocks that have caused issues for those unfamiliar with these spots. 

 

Just praying they find the co-angler. 

I read on another site the Coast Guard have called off their portion of the search. Looks like the search has changed gears. Prayers for his family. 

This is only second hand from someone I know fishing the same event. They are found, no word on the condition of co angler and the boater was delirious. That's all I've heard

likely due to hypothermia if they were in the water all night 

I hope everything turns out all right

Latest reports I heard 10 minute ago FLW cancelled the remaining days to focus on the search.

Correct, days 2 and 3 canceled. The boater and boat washed up on shore last night around 930pm.  Boater is in the hospital.  They are still searching for the coangler. 

Hey guys, while this is very tragic indeed, I will not be sucked into speculation and Internet rumors posted on Facebook.

 

That facts as we know it so far:

https://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_123/flw-okeechobee-missing-angler-1518.html

 

Awful situation.

 

My bass club is very sensitive to any angler who is not at the weigh-in at the appointed time.

 

We start to call him on his cell phone as soon as we realize he is not there and he has not told anyone he would not be weighing-in and going home.

 

Prayers are with everyone involved. Hope the guy made it to the shore and is in some grass keeping warm.

 

Lets all hope for some good news.

7 hours ago, 12poundbass said:

What the heck happened? I'm not familiar with Okeechobee besides what I see on tv and read about. Are there sand bars scattered around that are hazards? Obviously it wasn't two boats colliding, what else is there to eject them?

12, I have friends who are excellent boaters and bass fishermen who have fished the Historic James River hundreds of times and they got stuck on a mudflat. Friends could not pull them off so they stayed there and waited for high tide to free the boat.

 

So being familiar with a body of water does not mean you know of any changes on the body of water's bottom.

 

Also, when we had a drought in Virginia about ten years ago, the guys in my bass club went to Lake Chesdin and walked around to see what was on the bottom. 

 

You can imagine their surprise when they found a large area of tree stumps that we had no idea they were there and we fly over them all the time in our boats.

 

We lost an excellent bass fisherman and family guy on Lake Gaston when his Ranger got flipped over as he left a creek and went into the main lake.  His boater was saved by a law enforcement officer who was near by but the boater did not survive. He knew Lake Gaston like you know the back of your hand.

 

Bodies of water are live animals, always changing, always dangerous.

 

 

Terrible news Lets hope and pray the co-angler is ok.

Came fairly close to this myself a couple times so this really hits home.

Just now, N Florida Mike said:

Terrible news Lets hope and pray the co-angler is ok.

Came fairly close to this myself a couple times so this really hits home.

Yep.  I hit a mudflat on the Chickahominy River that I had no idea was there.

 

Lucky for me I powered off it and did not damage the motor or hull.

We hit a series of ocean- like waves going across lake George once that actually cracked my boat badly on one side. I thought the crack would continue on under the boat , but thankfully, it didn't. Otherwise ,we'd have been in serious trouble. 

If I remember correctly the owner of Culprit baits drowned after his boat capsized . I remember how Bad I felt when that happened. 

I'm still hoping they find him alive somewhere as well.

prayer and thoughts to the families and searchers, be safe to all whom help.

That is so terrible. 

I do not know the details of the disaster this past Friday but it is heart breaking and it has happened before on this lake. Many of us on this forum love to fish the big O - many dream of it - at 30 miles wide it is a shallow inland sea - it can get dangerous in a heart beat - if you go there be a weather watcher and know something of handling a boat in rough water and of course wear a good life jacket - You can get disoriented easier than on most lakes.

I feel if you fish big water you should consider a boat handling course it is easy to be so into the moment when fishing that one can forget boating basics.

Don't stay away from the lake just respect it and know you and your boats limitations.