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The second tournament of the 2025 Hawaii Marlin Tournament Series, the Kona Kick Off, held June 27-29, set the tone for Kona’s summer tournament season with a weekend of world-class competition and island-style celebration.
The action began on Friday, June 27th, with a lively kickoff party hosted at the Hawaii Big Game Fishing Club. Tournament participants from the 31 registered boats and members of the Kona big-game fishing community came together for a night of camaraderie and anticipation, officially marking the start of the summer tournament season.
On the water, Five Star, the 53-foot Spencer captained by Carlton Taniyama, dominated early in the release category and never looked back. The team jumped out to a commanding lead on the first day with three blue marlin releases, ultimately finishing with four blues and one striped marlin for a total of 710 points. Because no marlin were weighed, the Five Star‘s win in the release division earned them the largest payout of $71,522.
Finishing in a second with 330 points from two blue marlin releases was Last Chance, a 40-foot Gamefisherman captained by Tracey Epstein. Second Offense, a 43-foot Allied with veteran skipper Kevin Hibbard at the helm, finished in third place by time, also with 330 points.
In the gamefish divisions, Snafu, a 50-foot G&S captained by Bryan Toney, made headlines on the first day with a standout 143-pound ahi to win the tuna category and a $4,650 payout. Kona Dream, a 38-foot Buddy Davis captained by David Borges, took top honors in the wahoo division with a 31-pound fish that earned them $4,650.
In total, the tournament paid out $113,075 across the various categories. No qualifying marlin were weighed during the tournament and payout dollars for those categories were refunded.
With the Kona Kick Off now in the books, attention shifts to the rest of the 2025 Hawaii Marlin Tournament Series, which promises even more drama, big fish and serious stakes:
- Firecracker Open – July 3–5
- Kona Throw Down – July 6–9
- Skins Marlin Derby – July 10–13
- Hawaii Lure Maker’s Challenge – July 17–20
- Big Island Marlin Tournament – August 21–24
- It’s a Wrap Tournament – September 18–21
