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Kona Tournament Series Schedule

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2017 Kona Tournament Series Schedule:

June 10 & 11, 2017

Kewalo Harbor Big Fish Chase

 

June 24 & 25, 2017

Kona Kick Off

The Tournament that kicks it all off. Local Style. Largest flag fish of each category splits purse.

 

July 1 & 2, 2017

Firecracker Open

Kona’s signature Big Game tournament. Marlin and Ahi points are scored for base purse.

 

July 4, 2017

World Cup Blue Marlin Championship Tournament

No other big game tournament allows teams to fish anywhere in the world for 8 hours in their time zones. The World Cup is for 1 day only, for 1 species only and with 1 winner only. There is no second place in the World Cup.

 

July 4, 5 & 6, 2017

The Kona Throw Down

Winner Take All for the Biggest Marlin of the Tournament from the Base Entry Fee. Two Biggest Marlin Winner Take All Categories.

 

July 7, 8 & 9, 2017

Skins Marlin Derby

Patterned after the golf format. Daily purse is available for the largest marlin over 500 lbs.

 

 July 14, 15 & 16, 2017

The Hawaii Lure Makers Challenge

PRESENTED BY BLACK BART LURES

The Hawaii Lure Makers Challenge fishes exactly like the September Challenge did, we have simply added a category for teams sponsored by lure makers to compete against each other to prove which is the most productive lure brand.

 

August 23 – 27, 2017

Big Island Marlin Tournament

Kona’s first high stakes, big game tournament to pay cash for tag and release AND big marlin. Founded in 1987.

 

Sept. 9 – 17, 2017

Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament  

Built on prestige, trophies and strict International Game Fish Association (IGFA) rules for world records, teams from around the world gather to fish the world-famous waters off the Kona Coast and a chance of capturing the HIBT’s prestigious Governor’s trophy.

 

Sept. 20 – 24, 2017

It’s a Wrap Tournament

This tournament will follow the HMT Series Points scoring system, so that all teams in the running can Wrap the season competing for all possible points.

2019 Kona Fishing Tournaments

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2015 Tournament Ad

To those of you that are interested in fishing some of the Kona Fishing Tournaments in 2019, we are wide open for bookings this year and we have availability. With an El Nino developing we expect an awesome year.  We have seen some big fish at the scales and the big ahi tuna are starting early.

Below is the Tournament Schedule for 2019. Contact us to discuss and we can go from there.

 

 

2019 Kona Fishing Tournaments

Kona Kick Off
June 22nd & June 23rd, 2019

Firecracker Open
June 29th & June 30th, 2019

The Kona Throw Down
July 2nd, 3rd & 4th, 2019

Skins Marlin Derby
July 5th, 6th & 7th, 2019

The Hawaii Lure Makers Challenge
July 12th, 13th & 14th, 2019

Big Island Marlin Tournament
August 16th, 17th & 18th, 2019

 

Please feel free to contact us about availability and information about these events.

 

2014 Kona Hawaii Billfish Tournaments

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Charter Desk New Year’s Day Tournament  –   January 1st

  • The Charter Desk is hosting their annual New Year’s Day Tournament!

Dirty Dozen

  • First Saturday of Every Month.

Rock and Reel Tournament  –  June 13th, 14th & 15th

  •  The Hawaii Big Game Fishing Club invites you to come join the fun and excitement of our 12th Annual Rock ‘n Reel Hawaiian Open!

Kona Kick Off  –  June 28th  & 29th

  • The Tournament that kicks it all off. Local Style. Largest flag fish of each category splits purse.

29th Annual Blue Marlin World Cup Tournament  –  July 4th

  • The “World Cup” is truly the only worldwide tournament of its kind. Each July 4, teams fish for 8 hours in their time zone to see who can catch the largest blue marlin over 500 pounds. Winner takes all. There is no second place.  The World Cup supports game fishing though its support of the IGFA and The Billfish Foundation.  http://www.bluemarlinworldcup.com/

Firecracker Open  –  July 5th, 6th & 7th

  • Kona’s signature “Big Game” Tournament that scores ahi and marlin points for the base purse. Optional categories for the largest marlin and ahi of each day and of the two day tournament.

Marlin Magic Lure Tournament  –  July 8th & 9th

Skins Marlin Derby  –  July 11th, 12th, 13th, & 14th

  • The most unique Big Marlin competition in the world! Patterned after the golf format, the base purse is available each fishing day to the largest marlin weighing 500 lbs or more. If no one catches a marlin of that size, the day’s purse rolls over and is added to the next day’s purse.

Throw Down   –  July 15th, 16th, 17th

  • The Single Largest Marlin of the Tournament will be Winner Take All the purse from the Base Entry division. Entry fee to be posted soon.

54th Annual Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament  –   July 26th – August 2nd 

  • Five days of tournament fishing July 26th – August 2nd. Anglers and teams are invited to apply early as full tournament participation is anticipated. Log onto http://www.hibtfishing.com/ for details.

 Big Island Marlin Tournament  –   August 8th, 9th & 10th 

  • The event that started it all off in 1986. The BIMT was the very first high stakes, big game tournament in Hawaii to pay a cash purse for tag and release. The base entry pays the top three largest marlin. Optionals pay most points and largest marlin per day.

Veterans Helping Veterans  –  August 29th, 30th & 31st

September Challenge  –   September 12th, 13th  & 14th

  • Designed with input from the top skippers of 2010, minimum size fish is 400 lbs and 1st Place takes 70% of the base purse.

Feel free to contact me about availability and information about these events.  

Record Ahi for Gary Nardi Aboard the Fire Hatt

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Gary Nardi's 235 Pound Yellowfin tunaRecord Ahi for Gary Nardi Aboard the Fire Hatt.  Gary Nardi and his Father In-Law, Bill Chase from Northern CA have been fishing the Kona Hawaii Tournaments for years going back to the 70’s.  Having been aboard many boats over the years, we were delighted to have them as team mates for the World Cup Marlin Tournament and the Fire Cracker Open this year.  They brought along a nice collection of old stand by proven lures from their arsenal to pull.   The World Cup left us with out a Marlin.  We had one nice strike and the fish did not stick….  This did not phase our team.  Gary and Bill returned two days later with the same enthusiasim and the game was on!  With lures set, including a favorite chrome jet of theirs on the stinger.  (A friend of theirs caught an 1100 pound Marlin on one just like it, so they have complete faith in it.)  Sure enough,  our first bite of the day…on the stinger, on their chrome jet!  Gary fights the fish to the boat and knowing the feel of the fish, he knows it is probably an Ahi.  A beautiful 111 pound Yellowfin Tuna is boated and we are on the board for day one.  With spirits high, we are now on day two of the Tournament.  We set our pattern and wait.  We had an early bite that did not stick.  Then just after 3:00pm the long rigger line is bit. We are Hooked Up!  The fish took an old Joe Yee Mini Plunger.  Line is screaming off and Gary once again is in the chair.  It is a much heavier fish than the day before and in just a short 20 minute fight the fish is to the boat.  With Adam at leader and Linda at gaff, we have boated what is clearly a tournament contender and a new boat record for Yellowfin Tuna.  The Ahi weighs in at 235 pounds taking the Dailies for day two in the Ahi division.  The biggest Ahi of the tournament was caught by Team Maui Jim weighing in at 236.5 pounds.  So close!

Featured in the photo representing AFTCO as one of their Pro Teams is Captain Chuck Wilson, First Mate Adam Ludwig and Second Mate Linda Wilson along with team mates Gary Nardi and Bill Chase.