Walker’s Cay Blue Marlin Invitational 2024: HMY’s Recap & Highlights

Updated July 18, 2024

3 min read

By HMY Contributor

Article overview: Tournaments tend to have a special place in the hearts of the anglers who compete in them. Whether or not a prize fish is caught, participants can often recall the details that ...

Tournaments tend to have a special place in the hearts of the anglers who compete in them. Whether or not a prize fish is caught, participants can often recall the details that shape these exhilarating conquests, even years down the line. Walker’s Cay Blue Marlin Invitational is a shining example. While still in its infancy at just four years old, Walker’s Cay is here to stay and we’re confident we’ll be hearing recollections of these early excursions for years to come.

Here, three of our own HMY sales professionals share some of the memories they made at the Walker’s Cay Invitational this past May.

Far Enough Away, Close Enough to Get to: World-Class Fishing 100 Miles Off Florida’s Coast

Thousands of fishing tournaments take place each year across the globe, with more than a dozen located in the Bahamas alone. Each has its own unique qualities, but those who have fished Walker’s Cay know that there’s just something special about the event.

“It’s how remote the island is without being remote,” says HMY Yacht Sales Professional Jack Flanigan. Walker’s Cay is the northwestern-most island of the Bahamas, featuring a well-equipped marina (highlighted in our tournament recap blog last year) and dream-come-true conditions for just about any angler. From coral reefs swarming with snapper, lobster, hogfish, and grouper, to flats teeming with bonefish, to a massive bank that serves as a nursery for marlin and tuna, opportunities for both inshore and off-shore fishing abound. With its location more than 50 miles to the northeast of West End, Grand Bahama, it’s off the beaten path in that you’re unlikely to encounter commercial fishing boats. But at 105 miles off the coast of Stuart, FL, it’s still plenty accessible to sportfish and their teams that show up for a chance to take the trophy.

And show up they did. The 2024 event was the most heavily attended tournament yet, with 60 boats in total. Among them were “Mr. LTD,” a 70’ Viking on which HMY Yacht Sales Professionals Mark Mitchell and Jack Flanigan fished, as well as “Ana Kalia,” a 72’ Viking hosting HMY Yacht Sales Professional Scott Levin and his team. These are seasoned fishermen, each having participated in Walker’s Cay at least once before.

Plenty of fish were caught among Jack, Mark, and Scott alike. “It was a tough tournament, but still a blast on the water,” says Jack. HMY Yacht Sales Professional Dave Meyer was part of the winning team, which brought in six bluefish and a sailfish aboard a 65’ Willis, “Cowdawg.”

HMY Yachts’ Role as a Walker’s Cay Invitational Sponsor

With such a strong presence of both brokers and clients, it made sense for HMY to become a sponsor for the Walker’s Cay Invitational in 2024. From familiar faces to a care package stocked with HMY swag, our customers could feel right at home with our support. And for us, Walker’s Cay feels familiar, too. “Walker’s Cay is like our home base in the Bahamas,” says Scott. “It’s such an incredible space to go fishing and diving. This is our family.”

For Scott, it was especially comforting to be aboard “Ana Kalia” with a captain and crew he’s known for more than four decades. He’s been fishing Walker’s Cay since his childhood, with many holidays spent at the island. Ties like these run deep across the HMY network as a whole: HMY Yacht Sales Professional Jack Robertson sold “Ana Kalia” to its current owners, who are currently in the process of purchasing a new Viking 54’ Express from him. Likewise, the 70’ Viking Convertible that brought Mark and Jack into battle is owned by one of Mark’s clients.

But whether you’re an HMY client or not, the camaraderie at Walker’s Cay can be felt by all. “Everyone works together and shares information,” says Mark. The fact that all tournament participants share the same marina further supports this sportsmanship, compared to other events where anglers are more separated. The close-knit feel of this community is a large part of what draws boaters to Walker’s Cay through the tournament and beyond. Because as every angler knows, the best fishing stories are those that are shared with others.

If you’re ready to become a part of the HMY family with a tournament-ready sportfishing yacht of your own, head to our current listings to find your battlewagon. For updates on future events, follow us on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.

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