Home to some of the world’s best beaches, Punta Cana is the perfect spot for your next sun, sand and sport fishing getaway. No matter what time of year you choose to visit, you’ll find it’s always the season for Punta Cana fishing.
Known for its world-class all-inclusive resorts, Punta Cana 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.
Within 10 minutes from departure time you can start fishing. In no time, you will be ready to catch Mahi Mahi, Wahoo, Blue and White Marlins, Yellowfin Tuna, Albacora, Barracuda, and Carite.
Most exciting fish species in Punta Cana
Generally speaking, from January to May, we have white marlin, sailfish, mahi mahi and wahoo. And from June to December there's blue marlins, mahi mahi (dorado), yellowfin tuna, and wahoo.
Marlin & Sailfish
The Dominican Republic is ranked the #2 billfishery in the world, and fishing these waters means marlin, swordfish & sailfish. The blue and white marlin bite is strong and plentiful in the offshore waters east of Punta Cana due to its geography and proximity to the Mona Passage: a 65 kilometer channel between the island of Hispaniola and Puerto Rico.
The best time to catch Sailfish is wintertime. They visit the waters off Punta Cana from November through to February.
White Marlin show up towards early spring and they are caught until late August. The peak season for White Marlin in Punta Cana definitely is June.
This is also the month when the first blues are released. The blue marlin fishing season on Punta cana runs from June to September, being August the best month.
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…). Blue marlin grow to be up to 14 feet long and can weigh just short of 2,000 pounds.
White marlin are smaller than other billfishes. They can grow up to 2,5m (9ft) and weigh up to 80 kg (180lb).
Mahi-Mahi
The dolphin fish, dorado or Mahi-Mahi is a very common species in the waters off the Dominican Republic. They’re present all year but are most numerous from October through April.
Mahi Mahi is an aggressive species that will bite almost any lure fished trolling, jigging or spinning. Especially close to floating obstacles off shore, dropping a jig or trolling feathers close to this obstacle can produce great results.
Their streamlined body make them very fast swimmers. These fish can weigh more then 35lb (15kg) and measure a metre.
Yellowfin Tuna
Although they can be found off Punta Cana & Bavaro in Winter, early spring and in fall, peak season for Yellowfin Tuna Punta Cana fishing is January & February.
Yellowfin 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. They are mostly caught trolling with artificial lures such as Rapala, Halco, trolling skirts, Skirted Ballyhoo Lures, cedar plugs, etc. On top water poppers, surface jerkbait and crankbait jigs.
Wahoo
Anglers can expect Wahoo year-round in these waters, being October, November & December the best months to land one of these torpedoes.
Wahoo have a blue-green upper body which shifts into silver towards their belly. They also have blue vertical striping along their sides. Wahoo are torpedo-shaped and have razor sharp teeth.
They are caught trolling or jigging, mainly inshore. These great fighters extremely fast: they can reach a speed of 48 mph / 77 kph. Only blue marlin and saifish do better!
Inshore species: Tarpon, snook, permit, jack crevalle…
For those who fancy inshore fishing, fly fishing, spin fishing or reef fishing, there’s a wide range of exciting species around. In the shallows you can stalk tarpon, snook, permit and jack crevalle with artificials or with the fly.
If you like fly fishing or spinfishing in crystal clear waters and near beautiful reefs in Punta Cana, you might want to book the boat REEF. On board this custom designed 23ft Center Console you my expect exciting species including Yellowtail Snapper, Bonefish, Amberjack, Barracuda, Grouper, Mangrove Snapper and Tarpon.
Blue Marlin: July – September, but you can catch them until December
White Marlin: March, April, May & June are great months
Wahoo: September – December
Sailfish: February – May
Yellowfin Tuna: July to December
The following fish can be found year-round, from the shore or on board a Punta Cana fishing charter:
Snapper, grouper, cobia, jack, mackerel, kingfish, swordfish, tarpons, permit, bonefish, and shark.
Does Punta Cana have good fishing?
Punta Cana is one of the best billfisheries in the world. Offshore yellowfin tuna, dorado and wahoo are also plentyful. Fishing the lagoons and the beaches, there's jack crevalle, barracuda and mackerel.
Where can I fish in Punta Cana?
Punta Cana offers inshore fishing over the reefs, the beaches and the lagoons, whereas offshore, the Mona Passage is one of the best for billfish, mahi and tuna.
What time of year is best to fish in Punta Cana?
Fishing is possible all year round in Punta Cana and Bávaro. Depending of the fishing season you can target billfish, tuna and mahi. Inshore there's always jack crevalle, snapper and bream in the shallows.
Do I need a fishing license in Punta Cana?
Fishing in the Dominican Republic is lightly regulated. Although technically fishing licenses are required, it's hard to find a place to find a place to buy a fishing license in Punta Cana. The one rule that is enforced is the catch and release of billfish species.
Can you fish from the shore in Punta Cana?
Shore fishing and lagoon fishing produce fish species such as Permit, Snook, Tarpon, Palometa, Barracuda and Jack Crevalle. Casting lures or fly fishing is the best way to fish the shallows near Punta Cana.
42,00 ft
8
