THE LATEST NEWS
FLW Statement on Recovery of Nik Kayler
FLW is extremely saddened to announce that the body of co-angler Nik Kayler, 38, of Apopka, Florida, has been recovered from Lake Okeechobee.
Kayler’s body was recovered from the lake near Clewiston, Florida, Wednesday morning by a commercial vessel.
Numerous agencies, including the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), United States Coast Guard, St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office, Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office and Okeechobee Sheriff’s Office were involved in the search which began Thursday evening.
“Our prayers are with Nik’s family during this time of unimaginable tragedy,” said FLW President of Operations Kathy Fennel. “The loss of his life touches the entire fishing community.”
Further updates will be released as they become available from local authorities investigating the accident.
A GoFundMe campaign has been established benefiting Nik’s wife, Kelly, and daughter, Caralee. To make a contribution, please visit GoFundMe.com/Nik-Kayler.
Roumbanis Joins Russel Marine Products
Jan 10, 2018 (El Dorado, KS ) – RMP, producer innovative products for the
marine industry announces today the addition of Bassmaster Elite Series Pro Fred Roumbanis to its national pro staff. Roumbanis is an veteran Elite Series Angler from Russellville, AR. Roumbanis has qualified for 4 trips to the Bassmaster Classic, won 4 major titles along with numerous top 30 finishes
“RMP is excited to work closely with Fred Roumbanis, says RMP Owner Justin Russell. “Developing products to meet the needs of anglers that rely on them to perform at their best is what we do best. Fred’s performance on the Bassmaster circuit and his credibility will help us continue to bring cutting edge products to the market. His passion for the sport is obvious and RMP looks forward to supporting his success in 2018.”
“Russell Marine Products, LLC was founded in 2013 and it dedicated to bringing Innovative products to the Marine Industry. They have released several products starting in 2014 and look forward to working with their pro-staff members to bring several more products to the market for 2018. Roumbanis will provide RMP an angler to highlight their current lineup, and explore new ideas built around his style of fishing.
I am excited to be a part of the Russell Marine Products National Team” said Roumbanis. “I have always respected the brand and its high-quality products so it made the decision to partner with them easy.
To find out more about Roumbanis, he can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/FredBoomBoomRoumbanis/ or on his website: http://fredroumbanis.com/
About Russell Marine: Products: We strive for customer satisfaction along with sharing the knowledge we have when it comes to your boating accessory needs. One of our primary goals is producing and carrying quality products in our web store. We want you to know that our products have a satisfaction guarantee and we will be happy to take care of anything you need from replacement parts, technical assistance, knowledge of the product or anything else that we can assist you with.
Competition Canceled At Costa FLW Series on Lake Okeechobee as Search for Angler Continues
COMPETITION CANCELED AT COSTA FLW SERIES ON LAKE OKEECHOBEE AS SEARCH FOR ANGLER CONTINUES
Advisory for Friday, January 5, 2018
WHAT: In order to concentrate all efforts on the ongoing search for co-angler Nik Kayler, Fishing League Worldwide (FLW) officials have decided to cancel the remaining competition day at the Costa FLW Series tournament on Lake Okeechobee.
WHERE: Costa FLW Series at Lake Okeechobee C. Scott Driver Park 10100 W. Highway 78 Okeechobee, Fla.
NOTES: FLW confirmed Thursday night that a boat with two anglers that was competing in the Costa FLW Series event on Lake Okeechobee did not check in at the designated weigh-in location Thursday at C. Scott Driver Park in Okeechobee, Florida.
The boat belonged to pro Bill Kisiah of Slidell, Louisiana. Also in the boat was co-angler Nik Kayler of Apopka, Florida. Kisiah was found alive Thursday night around 11 p.m. local time. Kayler has not yet been located and the search remains ongoing.
Kisiah is a nine-year veteran boater of FLW Series competition, while Kayler had fished in 61 previous FLW events as a co-angler.
At this time, air search and recovery operations are still being conducted under the guidance of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and local authorities. FLW is assisting the search operations.
Final tournament standings will be determined by Day One of competition.
FLW will continue to release information as it becomes available. Updated information will also be posted on the FLW website, FLWFishing.com.
About FLW
FLW is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, providing anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money in 2018 across five tournament circuits. Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, with offices in Minneapolis, FLW and their partners conduct 286 bass-fishing tournaments annually around the world, including the United States, Canada, China, Italy, South Korea, Mexico, Portugal, and South Africa. FLW tournament fishing can be seen on the Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show, broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, while FLW Bass Fishing magazine delivers cutting-edge tips from top pros. For more information visit FLWFishing.com and follow FLW at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat.
Search Continues, Day Two of Competition Canceled at Costa FLW Series on Lake Okeechobee
To assist with the ongoing search efforts for co-angler Nik Kayler, Fishing League Worldwide (FLW) has canceled Friday’s day two of competition.
WHERE: Costa FLW Series at Lake Okeechobee
C. Scott Driver Park 10100 W. Highway 78 Okeechobee, Fla.
NOTES: FLW confirmed Thursday night that a boat with two anglers that was competing in the Costa FLW Series event on Lake Okeechobee did not check in at the designated weigh-in location Thursday at C. Scott Driver Park in Okeechobee, Florida.
The boat belonged to pro Bill Kisiah of Slidell, Louisiana. Also in the boat was co-angler Nik Kayler of Apopka, Florida. Kisiah was found alive Thursday night around 11 p.m. local time. Kayler has not yet been located and the search remains ongoing.
Kisiah is a nine-year veteran boater of FLW Series competition, while Kayler had fished in 61 previous FLW events as a co-angler.
At this time, air search and rescue operations are being conducted under the guidance of the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Department, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the U.S. Coast Guard. FLW is assisting the search operations.
Tournament competition is expected to resume Saturday, with the full field competing. The tournament winner will be determined based on a two-day weight total.
FLW will continue to release information as it becomes available. Updated information will also be posted on the FLW website, FLWFishing.com.
The boater Bill Kisiah has been located, alive. The search is continuing for co-angler Nik Kaylor. Additional news will be posted as it is available.
Original Statement:
Fishing League Worldwide (FLW) regrets to confirm that a boat with two anglers that was competing today in the Costa FLW Series event on Lake Okeechobee did not check in at the designated weigh-in location at C. Scott Driver Park in Okeechobee, Florida, and has not yet been located.
The boat belonged to pro Bill Kisiah of Slidell, Louisiana, and co-angler Nik Kaylor of Apopka, Florida. The boat that the anglers were competing is a dark-colored Ranger Z521 with a red Evinrude G2 outboard. It is believed that the boaters had planned to travel to the South Bay area from the north end of the lake.
Kisiah is a nine-year veteran boater of FLW Series competition, while Kaylor had fished in 61 previous FLW events as a co-angler.
At this time, search and rescue operations are being conducted under the guidance of the Okeechobee Police Department, with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the U.S. Coast Guard assisting. Cell phone providers have been contacted and the search is continuing from the air. FLW is cooperating fully and assisting the investigation in every possible way.
FLW will release further information as soon as it becomes available. Updated information will also be posted on the FLW website, www.flwfishing.com.
Fishing the Reins Tungsten Sliding Football Head
Bassmaster Elite Series pro and Reins pro staff member David Walker designed a versatile piece of terminal tackle called the Reins Tungsten Sliding Football Head. The football-shaped weight allows anglers to try a new spin on a popular finesse rig, have an alternative to a football jig and utilize a Carolina-rig with more sensitivity. This one single head can do it all.
The Reins Tungsten Sliding Football can be fished multiple ways.
What Is It?
The tungsten head was designed by Walker to fill a gap in the terminal tackle on the market. “This was something that has been overlooked by companies and really fills a niche for something that will help with several techniques,” he begins.
The three keys to the design, according to Walker, are the fact that it is made of tungsten, has an insert and comes with a durable finish. “Tungsten, as we all know, is so much smaller and more sensitive and that really helps feel the bottom. You get that feedback from the weight so you can tell if the bottom is soft, rock, a roadbed or whatever it is,” he says. “You can really tell what is going on down there and that is where you will usually get a bite when the weight hits something along the bottom.”
The finish and added insert are two other keys to the weight. “All of the Reins products have an impeccable finish, it holds up unbelievably,” says the Tennesse pro. “The insert is another key because your line is always at risk of getting knicked and cut if you are using tungsten without an insert.”
The weight is available in both black and green pumpkin and ¼ oz., 3/8 oz., ½ oz., ¾ oz. and 1 oz.
A Finesse Approach: Shaky Head Style
Walker will use a 1/4 oz. version when he is looking for a shaky head alternative.
The ¼ oz. head is what Walker will use when he is looking for a finesse rig like a shaky head. The sliding design of the head allows for the bait to have a unique action and any type of plastic will work.
Walker will also rig up a magnum sized shaky head with a larger weight and bigger worm for fishing offshore ledges. “You can use a much bigger hook than most shaky head jigheads and still get that same look,” he says.
Football Jig Replacement
The football head jig has legions of followers across the country. The design is great for fishing offshore, but it has some major drawbacks according to Walker. “Since the hook is molded into the weight, there is a big problem with fish jumping and throwing the hook,” he begins. “The other cool thing about this head is that you can use whatever brand of hook you like, any size you want and can use a variety of different plastics.”
Walker will fish the 3/8 oz. and ½ oz. rig most often when he is looking for a football jig replacement and likes how he can easily swap out different styles and colors of soft plastics. “Any type of soft plastic can be rigged like this. Worms, craws, lizards, or anything else are great with this head and it really allows you to customize your presentation,” he says.
There are times when Walker will fish the Reins Tungsten Sliding Football head with no skirt and just the soft plastic, but if he wants the look of a jig he will just simply add a punch skirt between the weight and hook. “You get the same look as a football head but it is much more weedless since the soft plastic is Texas-rigged,” he adds.
Fishing the rig, Walker finds himself dragging the bait most of the time. “I fish it with a worm or craw and just slowly drag it along the bottom,” he says. “You will also see that you get a lot fewer snags than a standard Texas-rig.”
Carolina-Rigging
The Sliding Football head can be fished many ways, but Walker says that on a Carolina-rig it is perfect. He likes the fact that the weight is made of tungsten to get a better feel and was built to handle a bead perfectly. “There is a concave section that holds the bead perfectly and doesn’t break it. I have never broken a single glass bead and with regular tungsten weights that is always a problem,” he shares. “Before this weight was available I used plastic beads and with the glass, it has a much louder clicking noise that you can’t get from plastic.”
Another key to the effectiveness of the weight is the shape and line tie. “The line passes through the weight at an offset and that gives your bait a great action. The football shape is much better for feel than a bullet or egg shape when you are Carolina-rigging,” he says. “You get a much better grip and feel with this shape and the tungsten helps you feel everything.”
The Reins Tungsten Sliding Football head offers a way to adjust your soft plastic for the condition and modify hook styles and sizes on the fly. This versatility is what Walker aimed for when designing it. There are many benefits to a football head design and the fact that is made of tungsten allows him to get a better feel of the bottom no matter how he attaches the weight.