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The 2025 season of the Hawaii Marlin Tournament Series, now under the ownership of Marlin and its parent company, kicked off on March 28 with the Lazy Marlin Hunt. Thirteen of the Kona fleet’s most competitive boats fished the early-season event, tagging and releasing 42 blue marlin and two striped marlin.
Held out of the Honokohau Harbor in historic Kona, Hawaii, the Lazy Marlin Hunt traditionally targets the large female blue marlin that frequent the Big Island’s shores each spring. In the week before the tournament, optimism among the fleet ran high thanks a 1,076-pound blue marlin brought to the scales by the 38-foot Bertram, Maverick, just nine days before kickoff. Just six days later, an 800-pounder that died during the fight was also weighed. Anticipation among the 13 participating boats was high indeed as registration day approached.
However, a highly unusual weather pattern settled in the day prior to registration, bringing with it stiff northerly winds that were not forecasted by any weather service. The change in winds and currents impacted the bite. The giant marlin being caught in the weeks leading up to the tournament seemingly were replaced by a large concentration of smaller blues. While several boats marked large marlin that would have eclipsed the tournament’s 400-pound minimum, those fish proved elusive. Ultimately, no qualifying fish were weighed and the lion’s share of the purse went unclaimed.
Parker Berolzheimer, Capt. Bryan Toney and the crew of the 50-foot G&S Snafu earned the most points in the tournament as well as top cash prizes, thanks to seven blue marlin releases and 1,155 points. Tantrum, a 41-foot G&S captained by Nick Durham, finished in second place with 990 points, thanks to six blue marlin releases, along with a small stripey, for angler Jeff Stafford. Two boats, the Spencer 53 Five Star and Spencer 57 Marlin Magic, tied for third with five blue marlin releases and 825 points. Bono Hauanio caught all five of the Five Star’s fish for Capt. Carlton Taniyama, while Grady Mulbery did the same for Capt. Marlin Parker’s Marlin Magic.
The Hawaii Marlin Tournament Series, founded in 1987 by Capt. Jody Bright, was the first tournament in Hawaii to pay cash for tagged fish. Tagging is a requirement for tournament points, and IGFA rules are strictly enforced. The series consists of eight tournaments spread between March and September, with most fishing days occurring in the summer. Next up in the series is the Kona Kick Off, scheduled for June 28-29. Register at konatournaments.com.
