Fishing tourney in Florida canceled as angler goes missing

Nik Kayler (Clewiston Police Department)

A fishing tournament in Florida was called off Thursday as officials were combing the area for a missing angler after his partner was rescued from Lake Okeechobee, according to CBS Sports.

The Okeechobee Costa Series was initially delayed after a boat never checked in following the tournament's first day of competition. That boat belonged to Bill Kisiah and Nik Kayler. Kisiah has been found, alive, but the search for Kayler is still ongoing. Fishing League Worldwide's website said the tourney was canceled "in order to concentrate all efforts on the ongoing search for co-angler Nik Kayler."

FLW said air search and recovery operations were being conducted under the guidance of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and local authorities. FLW is assisting the search operations.

CBS Sports said the boat had apparently been in an accident when it was found. The Clewiston Police Department Facebook page said Friday that "the boat was recovered in Pahokee around 1130 hours last night at a boat ramp with Bill Kisiah. It was then learned that the boat capsized."

As of Friday morning, Kisiah was in Belle Glade Hospital in serious condition with hypothermia.

The website said Kisiah is a nine-year veteran boater of FLW Series competition, while Kayler had fished in 61 previous FLW events as a co-angler.