Legendary blues performer and marlin fishing enthusiast Taj Mahal will take a break from his international tour with Keb Mo in support of their top Billboard Blues Chart CD TajMo to do some offshore fishing on the Kona coast of Hawaii during the 31st Big Island Marlin Tournament, August 23 – 27, 2017.
As part of his 75th birthday celebration, Mahal has offered only 100 tickets to the public to attend the party, where he will play with the Hula Blues Band and special guest Willie K. All ticket sales will benefit Wild Oceans. The show date is August 27 at 8:00 p.m. at the Hawaii Big Game Fishing Clubhouse at Honokohau Harbor in Kona, and tickets are available here.
Mahal was bitten by the marlin-fishing bug early in his career as he traveled to a number of foreign destinations, although Hawaii remains in his heart. The Big Island Marlin Tournament is part of the Hawaii Marlin Tournament Series of events run by Jody Bright. The BIMT was one of the very first high-stakes tournaments to offer a cash purse for tag and release fishing, something the locals said could never happen. Today, the HMTS events offer a 96 percent tag and release rate.
Mahal fished the 2016 BIMT on Strong Persuader, named for bluesman Robert Cray’s song of the same name. Mahal called Strong Persuader “the blues boat.” Mahal has received two Grammys and nine nominations in his musical career, which spans more than five decades.
