Superyachts and sport fishing boats set to return to second annual Walker’s Cay Invitational Fishing Tournament

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Walker’s Cay in the northern Bahamas has always been a “legendary” fishing destination because the fishing has always been “legendary”. But sadly, Walker’s has also become “legendary” – in past tense – because it suffered extensive hurricane damage and has been virtually abandoned by its former owners since the 1990s.

But the good news is that now that owners Carl and Gigi Allen are spending millions to rebuild the island, Walker’s Cay is coming back better than ever. And now that the second annual Walker’s Cay Invitational takes place May 18-21 and Fly Zone Fishing is producing the event, the legend of the present will continue to grow.

“During its heyday in the 1970s through the 1990s, Walker’s was home to some of the best fishing in the South Atlantic,” says tournament director Robert “Fly” Navarro. “Plus, the hospitality at the dock was legendary. It has hosted tournaments like the Bertram-Hatteras Shootout and the Bahamas Billfish Championship. Participating boats read like a Who’s Who of the sport, and you knew you were fishing against some of the best teams and anglers in the world. Our intention is to recreate some of those good old memories while building on a solid foundation for the future growth of the sport in the Bahamas.

This year’s event will be limited to a maximum of 45 boats; according to Navarro, the top 20 from the 2021 tournament will receive invites, with the rest being drawn from a waiting list.

Last year’s event attracted big names like world No. 1 golfer Dustin Johnson who competed aboard his custom-built sport fishing boat. Just chillin.

And now that Walker’s state-of-the-art marina has been expanded and strengthened to accommodate superyachts, Johnson and other A-listers will once again be able to compete on their large offshore fishing boats during the day and then retire in comfort and service. of their much larger yachts in the marina at night.

And while Allen loves fishing, it’s obvious he loves Walker’s and the people of the Bahamas even more.

“While Hurricane Dorian was devastating to much of the northern Bahamas, it’s a roadblock in the way of the pandemic,” Allen says. “We need to do our part to help bring people back to the Bahamas so we can help these people continue to recover and move forward. The Walker’s Cay Invitational is a key part of this movement towards better days ahead.

Amen to that.

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