FLW Outdoors announced sobering news last night: Delta Western Stren competitor Kyle Clement, 25, of Anderson, Calif., is missing after a boating incident Saturday on the San Joaquin River. A longtime Stren co-angler, Clement fished his first FLW event from the front of the boat last month at the Clear Lake Western Stren. Clement had previously won at Clear Lake twice as a co-angler (2007, 2005).
The U.S. Coast Guard issued a report that said Clement's father alerted the Coast Guard at about 7 p.m. Saturday night. According to the report, Clement fell overboard and did not resurface. He was not wearing a lifejacket. The search was suspended at 9 a.m. Sunday morning.
The full FLW Outdoors statement appears below.
FLW Outdoors Announcement
Delta Western Stren competitor Kyle Clement, 25, of Anderson, Calif., is missing after a boating incident Saturday on the San Joaquin River. Clement's father, Patrick, was with him in the boat at the time of the incident. Both Kyle and Patrick were registered for the Stren Series Western Division tournament starting Wednesday on the California Delta.
According to a Coast Guard report, Kyle entered the water near the Stockton deep-water shipping channel. The Coast Guard was notified of the incident just before 7 p.m. and launched a search by air and water that continued until 9 a.m. Sunday, at which time the search was suspended.
"Patrick and Kyle have been a part of the FLW Outdoors fishing family for several years," said FLW Outdoors president and CEO Charlie Evans. "The thoughts and prayers of everyone at our organization are with the Clement family."
