
Lizange
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic (DO)
No matter what time of year you choose to visit, you’ll find it’s always the season for fishing in the Dominican Republic. It’s nothing short of a fishing paradise. Occupying the eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, the Dominican Republic has a wide variety of fishing grounds, both inshore and offshore. Its offshore waters are world renown and home to an abundant variety of fish species that make fishing an exciting year-round activity.
The North Coast is known for its close proximity to deep offshore water which brings an assortment of fish that are fun for both expert and novice anglers. Mahi, red snapper, grouper, barracuda, marlin, wahoo, and yellowfin tuna are a few popular species in abundance, all a short boat ride from Puerto Plata, Samana, and Las Galeras. Some of the world’s best marlin fishing can be found farther east along the North Coast of the Dominican Republic at Punta Cana, a self-contained sport fishing mecca. Although marlin are caught regularly on the entire coast of the Dominican Republic, Punta Cana’s proximity to the Mona Passage takes marlin fishing to a whole new level. Boasting global record-breaking numbers of marlin catches, Punta Cana has been ranked the #2 billfishery in the world by Billfish Report. Whether you are a seasoned billfish angler or are looking to get a taste of the marlin fishing action, Punta Cana’s resort atmosphere will put you in the mood to catch something big and feisty. While many visitors flock to Punta Cana, the entire Dominican Republic coastline has excellent access to deep water fishing grounds. Some visitors prefer the smaller villages for their local flavor and less boat traffic, so rest assured that you’ll find a variety of experiences that will make your fishing trip to the Dominican Republic unique. Along the South Coast, offshore fishing is popular out of Casa de Campo in La Romana, as well as in Bayahibe and Santo Domingo. Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs), deployed by local sports fishing enthusiasts, around 15 -20 miles offshore, attract blue marlins, some white marlin, sailfish, and large dolphin. According to Marlin magazine, in this area a daytime deep-drop fishery for swordfish is coming online as well. What to expect There is no shortage of fishing charters in the Dominican Republic. Visitors can expect to find many expert guides and charter boats from the larger areas such as Punta Cana, as well as in the smaller towns and villages along the coast. Boats book up quickly during the billfish tournament season (mid-March to late July), something to keep in mind when planning your trip. Most fishing charters in the Dominican Republic will have everything you need onboard: tackle, rods, reels, refreshments, etc. Bait is usually caught offshore, and ballyhoo is in abundance.
Yellowfin tuna grow fast, up to 400 pounds (180kg) in about a 7-year lifespan, and they range in length from 59 inches to 88 inches long. They’re known for their torpedo shape, with a pointed nose and a sickle-shaped tail, and have dark blue backs with yellow sides (thus their name) with a silver underside.
The Blue Marlin (Makaira nigricans) is probably the most wanted fish in the sport fishing world. The magnificent fighter usually feeds during day time on fish, octopuses and squids. Blue Marlin is mainly caught trolling with artificial lures or with dead bait (bonito, mackerel...).
Mahi Mahi (Coryphaena hippurus) are also commonly referred to as dorado, dolphin or dolphinfish. They are recognizable by their bluntly shaped heads, long dorsal fin and their bright colouring, dark blue and green on their dorsal side and yellow on their sides and underside.
Wahoo (Acanthocybium solandri), also known as Ono (meaning “delicious” in Hawaiian), are found in many subtropical and tropical waters. They’re identifiable by their blue-green upper body which shifts into silver towards their belly. They also have blue vertical striping along their sides. These predators are torpedo-shaped and have long and largemouths with teeth.
The great barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda), often referred to as barracuda, is a long predator that can be found in tropical and subtropical waters where they like to patroll mangroves, reefs and drop-offs. Record barracuda can grow to 1,5m and weigh over 45kg (100lb+).
The northern red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) is a popular fish often caught reef fishing in the Atlantic waters of Florida, Gulf of Mexico and also the Caribbean. This sought-after game fish can reach 1 m and weight up to 50lb.
The White Marlin (Kajikia albida) is a very nice predator which can be caught off shore in warmer waters. This powerful fighter usually feeds during day time on fish, octopuses and squids. They can be caught trolling with artificial lures or with dead bait (bonito, mackerel...).
The Little tunny or False Albacore (Euthynnus alletteratus) is easily identified by the dark spots under its pectoral fins. They like warm temperate and tropical waters of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The larger Little Tunny weigh up to 35lb and can reach 1,2m.
The Albacore (Thunnus alalunga) has large eyes and long pectoral fins. This is why this species is also known as longfin tuna. The largest Albacore can reach up to 140 cm (4.6ft) and weigh up to 40 kg (90lb).
The Amberjack species are a game fish that are found both in the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Jigging and live bait fishing are the best techniques to target these magnificent fighters. Greater Amberjack can weigh up to 170 lb (80 kg).
Spearfish (Tetrapturus) are a generic name for several species such as the shortbill spearfish and longbill spearfish. These billfish are found in tropical and subtropical waters around the world: Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean.
Sailfish (Istiophorus) are one the most wanted fish in the sport fishing world. Often described as the fastest fish in the sea, sailfish can weigh up to 90 kg (200 pounds) and grow up to 3 m (9.7 ft) in length.
The Crevalle Jack or Jack Crevalle (Caranx hippos) is a very popular sport fish that belongs to the Carangidae fish species. Horse mackerel, amberjack and giant trevally also belong to this family. Jack Crevalle can grow to a length of 120 cm and a weight of 30 kg.
The tarpon (Megalops atlanticus) is a silver coloured predator who loves hunting for fish and crustaceans in lagoons, rivers, ports, estuaries and other shallow waters. They inhabit the coastal waters in the Atlantic Ocean from Florida to Argentina. Tarpon can grow up to 2,5m and weigh over 150 kg (350 lb).
Famous for its runs, - which is why they're also called the torpedo of the flats - bonefish (Albula vulpes) are the fly fishing favorite. They inhabit inshore tropical waters in Florida, Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Riviera Maya in Mexico, Belize, Venezuela and the Seychelles, for example. Bonefish can weigh up to 19 lb (8.6 kg) and measure up to 105 cm (41 in) long.
The permit (Trachinotus falcatus) is a sought after fly fishing game fish. They are usually found in shallow tropical waters such as flats and channels of the Atlantic Ocean. Permit also frequent offshore wrecks. This species is distributed from Florida, Riviera Maya in Mexico, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua all the way down to the Carribean Islands and Brazil. Permit can grow to about 4ft (1,2m) in length and weigh up to 27kg (60lbs).
The skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) have a strong body with black stripes on the side. The largest skipjack tuna can reach up to 100 cm (40 inch) and weigh up to 10 kg (22 lb). Skipjack are mainly caught trolling lures.
Atlantic Bonito (Sarda sarda) is a rapid fish species known for being great hunters. They have striping on their backs with silver-coloured undersides and they grow up to 30 inches long. They have a hydrodynamic body shape, even more so than larger tuna.
Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus) or simply mackerel have a great back with irregular black bands. They're very common and like the temperate waters of the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea and the northern Atlantic Ocean. Mackerel are typically between 25-35cm.
Striped marlin (Kajikia audax) can be told apart from blue marlin due to their “stripes” of blue that run vertically down their bodies. Striped marlin is lighter than blue marlin, but their body shape and even colouring remains the same aside from the stripes. These marlin can weigh up to 180kg (400lb) and have a maximum length of 4 m (12 ft).
Grouper is common name for all the bass-looking-fish from the Epinephelinae Family. This family also includes sea bass by the way. Grouper are colorful predators who like to live in rocky areas, reefs, wrecks where they can hide.
Since fishing is year-round in the D.R., it really depends on what you want to catch.
Blue Marlin – July, August, September
White Marlin – March – June
Mahi – October - March
Wahoo – October – January
Tuna – July & August
Kingfish – July & August
Sailfish – October – March
When you are not fishing in the D.R., there is something for everybody to do: The most obvious choice is to enjoy the county’s 1,000 miles of beaches. Visit Playa Rincón tucked into the side of Samana Bay, it consistently makes the list of top beaches in the world. For tourists that enjoy local culture and history, a visit to Santo Domingo’s Ciudad Colonial, the oldest colonial city center in the New World, is a must— it is one of the few places in the Caribbean that can boast “Christopher Columbus slept here.” Play golf in paradise— local resorts such as Casa de Campo and Punta Cana offer world-class golf courses and beautiful vistas. Enjoy the natural beauty of the island by visiting one of D.R.’s national parks. Los Haitises is a jewel of ecotourism with primeval rainforest covering the coastal mountains and deep, lush valleys. Cabarete on the North Shore is a world-famous windsurfing and kiteboarding destination, so what better place to learn a new watersport? The steady trade winds year-round provide thrilling experiences for the expert and the novice alike. The most popular sport in the Dominican Republic is baseball, and it is home to 10% of Major League baseball players, including David Ortiz, Luis Pujols, and Jose Reyes. If you happen to be in D.R. during the months of October – January, you can get your off-season baseball fix by scoring tickets to one of the 50 games during the Dominican Republic Winter League season.
Fishing in the Dominican Republic is lightly regulated. Technically, fishing licenses are required. However, fishing regulations are rarely enforced, therefore it is difficult to find places that sell fishing licenses to even buy one. The one rule that is enforced is that billfish must be caught and released.