Tournaments

2021 KONA FISHING

Lazy Marlin Hunt

Tournament Dates

Fri, April 9, 2021
Sat, April 10, 2021
Sun, April 11, 2021

The 2021 Lazy Marlin Hunt in Kona Hawaii.Call Captain Jeff Fay at (808) 425-9228 for more information about booking this fishing tournament.

Rock & Reel Hawaiian Open Fishing Tournament Kona 2021

Tournament Dates

Sat, June 12, 2021
Sun, June 13, 2021

Hosted by the Hawaii Big Game Fishing Club, the Rock & Reel Fishing Tournament in Kona Hawaii promises fun and excitement for the whole family. This fishing tournament, held annually in June, offers cash and prizes and promotes Tag & Release. For more information, visit the Hawaii Big Game Fishing Website at .
Call Captain Jeff Fay at (808) 425-9228 for more information about booking this fishing tournament.

Kona Kickoff

Tournament Dates

Sat, June 26, 2021
Sun, June 27, 2021

The first event in the 2021 Hawaii Marlin Tournament Series, the Kona Kickoff will be held June 26-27, 2021 and is a Four Flags fishing tournament with cash prizes paid for the largest marlin, ahi, ono and mahimahi with 40% of the base purse paid for the largest marlin and 20% of the purse paid for each of the largest ahi, ono and mahimahi. Win even more prize money by entering the options daily prize categories. For more information and registration information, visit the Kona Tournaments website .
Call Captain Jeff Fay at (808) 425-9228 for more information about booking this fishing tournament.

Firecracker Open

Tournament Dates

Sat, July 3, 2021
Sun, July 4, 2021

The 2021 Kona Marlin Tournament Series – Firecracker Open will be held July 3-4, 2021. This two day fishing tournament awards the base purse to the highest point scoring team for the biggest marlin and biggest ahi of the tournament. Optional daily prize categories for the largest marlin and largest ahi each day are also available. For more information and registration forms, visit the Firecracker Open, Kona Marlin Tournament page located .

Call Captain Jeff Fay at (808) 425-9228 for more information about booking this fishing tournament.

Blue Marlin World Cup

Tournament Dates

Sun, July 4, 2021

The 2021 Blue Marlin World Cup is a one day, one species fishing tournament that is conducted worldwide each July 4th. Each Year, anglers all over the world, compete during a one day, 8-hour fishing tournament in a winner take all event for the largest marlin. 2021 will mark the 34rd annual event and dozens of teams from around the world compete for hundreds of thousands of dollars in prize money and bragging rights. For more information, registration forms and complete tournament rules, visit the Blue Marlin World Cup Website at

Call Captain Jeff Fay at (808) 425-9228 for more information about booking this fishing tournament.

Kona Throw Down

Tournament Dates

Tue, July 6, 2021
Wed, July 7, 2021
Thu, July 8, 2021

The 2021 Kona Throwdown Tournament is a winner take all event for the Largest Marlin of the Tournament, and will be held this year July 6, 7 & 8, 2021. Optional daily categories for the largest marlin each day. For more information and registration forms, visit the Kona Marlin Tournament Series Kona Throwdown page
Call Captain Jeff Fay at (808) 425-9228 for more information about booking this fishing tournament.

Skins Marlin Derby

Tournament Dates

Fri, July 9, 2021
Sat, July 10, 2021
Sun, July 11, 2021

The 2021 Skins Marlin Derby is fashioned after the popular golf event and will be held at Honokohau Harbor in Kona Hawaii on July 9, 10 & 11, 2021. The base purse of the tournament is available each day to the largest marlin over 500 pounds. If nobody catches a marlin over 500 pounds, the purse rolls to the next day. The Skins Marlin Derby has traditionally paid out large purses and remains one of the most unique fishing tournament in Kona to this day. For more information and registration forms, visit the Kona Marlin Tournament Series Skins marlin Derby Page .
Call Captain Jeff Fay at (808) 425-9228 for more information about booking this fishing tournament.

Hawaii Lure Makers Challenge

Tournament Dates

Fri, July 16, 2021
Sat, July 17, 2021
Sun, July 18, 2021

The 2020 Hawaii Lure Makers Challenge will be held July 16, 17 & 18, 2021 and began as the September Challenge in 2010. This popular Kona marlin tournament was conceived and designed form the ground up with input from the top skippers of 2010. With a 400 pound minimum weight, teams compete for the top prize of 70% of the base purse payout. For more information and registration forms, visit the Kona Marlin Tournament Series September Lure Maker’s Challenge page .

Call Captain Jeff Fay at (808) 425-9228 for more information about booking this fishing tournament.

Big Island Marlin Tournament

Tournament Dates

Fri, August 13, 2021
Sat, August 14, 2021
Sun, August 15, 2021

The Big Island Marlin Tournament was founded in Kona in 1986. This event, the first of its kind to pay a cash purse for tag-and-release, will be held Aug 13, 14 & 15, 2021 and was the first Big Game Sportfishing Tournament of its kind in Hawaii. The top three largest marlin of the tournament are paid from the base purse, and optional daily purses pay the most points and largest marlin each day of the tournament. For more information and registration forms, visit the Kona Marlin Tournament Series Big Island Marlin Tournament page .
Call Captain Jeff Fay at (808) 425-9228 for more information about booking this fishing tournament.

It’s a Wrap Tournament 2020

Tournament Dates

Fri, September 10, 2021
Sat, September 11, 2021
Sun, September 12, 2021

The annual “It’s a Wrap” Tournament will be held Sept. 10, 11 & 12, 2021 at Honokohau Harbor on the Big Island of Hawaii in Kona. This event will follow the Hawaii Marlin Tournament Series points scoring system. This Bonus tournament allows all teams in the running to compete for additional points. For more information and registration forms, visit the Kona Marlin Tournament Series Website .
Call Captain Jeff Fay at (808) 425-9228 for more information about booking this fishing tournament.

Tag and Release Tournament – TART 2020

Tournament Dates

Mon, September 13, 2021
Tue, September 14, 2021
Wed, September 15, 2021
Thu, September 16, 2021
Fri, September 17, 2021

The Pacific Blue Marlin Tag & Release Tournament (TART), will be held in Kona, September 13-17, 2021 and promotes billfish conservation through a tag and release tournament format while educating viewers about the biology, science and habits of blue marlin and other billfish species. The tournament format features five boats, five captains and five anglers competing over a five day span—boat to boat, captain versus captain and angler versus angler. Contestants earn points from tagging and releasing Pacific Blue Marlin.

Marlin Fishing Tournaments in Kona Hawaii for 2021

Complete List of Kona Fishing Tournaments in 2021

Each year, Kona Hawaii plays host to over a dozen sportfishing tournaments where anglers from around the world meet and compete for millions of dollars in cash and prizes. Known as one of the premier blue marlin fisheries anywhere in the world, the productive fishing grounds that lie just a short 5 to10-minute run outside the harbor are an ideal venue and popular draw for big game anglers seeking the excitement of high stakes sportfishing competitions.

Kona just also happens to be home to over 100 charter boats and some of the most accomplished Captains and sportfishing crews anywhere in the world. The short runs to the fishing grounds and ample supply of sportfishing charters make the cost of chartering a boat with a professional captain and crew one of the most reasonable around. While Blue Marlin are caught in Kona year-round, the peak season of June through September is tournament season here in Kona. In addition to the popular Hawaii Marlin Tournament Series which, produces nine events each year where anglers compete for over $2 Million in prize money, the Prestigious Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament draws teams of anglers from around the world who return to Kona Hawaii each year to fish for bragging rights and the love of the sport.

Kona is also a very popular destination for the Blue Marlin World Cup Tournament that is fished on July 4th each year around the world. In this event, anglers’ fish in any location of their choosing, and the event is a winner-take-all format with over $1 million in prize money awarded to the team that weighs the largest marlin over 500 pounds. Since 1985, Kona Hawaii has produced a winner of the Blue Marlin World Cup 10 out of 33 years a qualifying fish has been entered.

In addition to the competitive fishing tournaments that happen each year in Kona, there are a number of other events that are very popular with locals for boats under 20 feet, and fun tournaments like Huggo’s Wahine Fishing Tournament which is dedicated to women angler teams. So if you want to compete against the best sportfishing teams in the world for cash and prizes, or just enjoy the spirit of friendly competition and have some fun, Tournament Season in Kona has something for everyone.