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The 2026 Walker’s Cay Blue Marlin Invitational once again brought one of the sport’s most celebrated destinations into the tournament spotlight, with a 54-boat fleet gathering in the northern Bahamas from May 20-23 for a combined purse of $1.26 million.
The fleet faced challenging fishing throughout the event but still put together a solid overall tally, releasing a total of 143 billfish during the tournament, including 63 blue marlin, 44 white marlin and 36 sailfish.
When the final points were tallied, Kickin’ Tires stood at the top with 3,600 points (six blue marlin) to win the overall title and $283,500. It was a strong performance in a tournament where each bite carried extra weight, and Kickin’ Tires made the most of its opportunities.
Juben finished second overall with 3,250 points and earned $170,100, staying within striking distance deep into the event. Grand Slam rounded out the top three with 2,800 points and $129,600, while Knot On Call finished fourth with 2,100 points and Safe Passage completed the top five with 2,000 points.
The gamefish divisions added another layer to the week. Forloh Life claimed heaviest mahi with a 49.8-pound fish, Texan weighed the heaviest tuna at a massive 116 pounds, and Sweetums took heaviest wahoo with a 25-pounder.
And outside of the fishing, there was plenty of other action on island. Most notably, Team Torta came away with a major win in the famed hermit crab race, winning an insane $90,000 payout.
No blue marlin were weighed during the event, meaning the blue marlin jackpot will roll forward and push 2027’s big fish jackpot to more than $500,000. For Walker’s Cay, the Invitational remains part of the continuing return of one of the Bahamas’ most iconic fishing destinations.
