Fishing in Punta Cana

As is true with most of the Dominican Republic, at Punta Cana deep water is very easy to get to; boats will have fishing lines in the water 5 minutes after leaving the dock. But proximity to the Mona Passage is what makes Punta Cana fishing exceptional. Major currents flow through the channel, and combined with tropical trade winds, can create the conditions for rough seas. But it’s those same currents which make the passage a major thoroughfare for pelagic species of fish, migrating from one body of water to the next.

The Mona Passage: Marlin Country

Punta Cana fishing is closely related to the Mona Passage. Punta Cana is right next to a fish highway, with easy access to game fish such as wahoo, dolphin, tuna, and every species of Atlantic billfish. In addition to the accessibility, the Mona Passage also boasts of a unique series of banks, known to locals as “the rocks.” These underwater rocks are attractive to pelagic species because they provide reef-like shelter and food sources for bait fish— this is what Saltwater Sportsman calls “marlin country.”

Big Game Marlin Fishing

Big Game Marlin Fishing in Punta Cana is an exciting and stunning event that is well-known around the world and has a large following. Capt. Edgar’s completely rebuilt 50 foot Buddy Davis – One More Time – is one of Cap Cana’s best features. It’s spacious, attractive, very clean, and well-maintained. During the fishing trips, you may unwind and cool off in the large cabin, which features white leather seats, a TV, a bar, and cold drinks.

For many years, the fishing charters in Punta Cana have led successful fishing seasons in the Punta Cana area and the other Dominican Republic attractions. Their management and employees are extremely professional and pleasant, and they provide excellent customer service. Their primary goal is to ensure that you have a good time.

When is the Marlin Fishing Season in Punta Cana?

The marlin fishing season generally runs from late spring through November, with the peak of the season from June through early September. You’ll find White Marlin between May and late August. June normally is the best month for this billfish.

Blue marlin can be found several miles from the shore between June and September, being August the best month. Blue marlin can be caught until November, but the bite is sporadic. Since a couple of years now, some fishing charters are catching Blue Marlin in Macao (30 miles from Punta Cana). Blue Marlin can be found mixed with Sailfish and big Dorado in Macao from December to February.

The best months to target sailfish in Punta Cana are November to February.

Types of fishing in Punta Cana

Top Fishing Charters in Punta Cana

To enjoy 100% from the best Punta Cana fishing there’s nothing better than chartering a great boat with a professional fishing guide. The captains are out there every day and know exactly where to find the wahoo, dorado, marlin and tuna.

Onboard everything has been taken care of. You’ll have the best fishing gear, good (live) bait, drinks, food, licenses… You only have to worry about your hat, sunscreen and sunglasses. And most fishing charters offer free or very cheap transportation from your hotel to the boat and back to the hotel. When you make your booking, the charter operator will contact you to arrange the pick-up.

Reef fishing in Punta Cana

When the marlins are not biting there are plenty of alternatives. Deep dropping or deep sea fishing in Punta Cana for snappers and groupers always brings a healthy catch home, and it’s hard to troll a line and not catch some dolphin. Inshore fishing in Punta Cana is mostly reef, lagoon, and beach. Although many good fishing grounds are located on private property, and inaccessible, beach and shore fishing is available in certain areas.

Inshore fishing in Punta Cana

If you are staying at a hotel it is a good idea to ask permission, some beaches and inshore areas are only open to hotel guests. Inshore fishing focuses on catching jacks, groupers, small snappers, barracudas, and needlefish. Permit are known to roam in between the reef and the beach. According to local fishing captains, a good place to fish from shore is Cap Cana channel, Cabo Engaño, and Bravero Beach, but be mindful when wading, boots are recommended.

Lagoons are also popular inshore fishing spots, where you’ll find tilapia, snook, and tarpon. Laguna Limon, Laguna de Nissibon, and Laguna Cabeza de Toro are all recommended and accessible from Punta Cana. Reef fishing by kayak is another inshore option, and a great way to catch smaller grouper, snappers, wrasse, and other reef species.

Punta Cana is a luxury resort area with over 50 international hotel chains, private cabanas, and condos for rent— some which have a sportfishing boat docked right in the backyard! Punta Cana airport is one of the busiest in the Caribbean region. The climate is tropical, and the rainy season is in the fall (October – November).

Shore fishing in Punta Cana

Walking along the beaches you can stalk interesting predators such as Permit, Barracuda, Snook and Jack Crevalle. Early in the morning and towards the evening these fish patrol the beaches looking for bait fish. With topwater lures like poppers, pencil poppers or walk-the-dog lures you can target these inshore species.

Top Fishing Spots for Punta Cana Fishing

• Cabo Engaño: great inshore fishing destination in Punta Cana: Permit, Tarpon, and Snook.
• Lagunas de Nisibon: 30 minutes north of Punta Cana. Fantastic lagoon very good for Tarpon.
• Mona Passage: Punta Cana is right next to this fish highway, with easy access to game fish such as wahoo, dolphin, tuna, and every species of Atlantic billfish. In addition to the accessibility, the Mona Passage also boasts of a unique series of banks, known to locals as “the rocks.” These underwater rocks are attractive to pelagic species because they provide reef-like shelter and food sources for bait fish.
• Macau: this is a very interesting fishing area 30 miles off Punta Cana. Although the marlin season in Punta Cana is from June to September, since a couple of years now, some fishing charters are catching Blue Marlin here from December to February.
• The Pink House: good for Marlin, Dorado, Sailfish.

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.

Spend your days soaking up the rays along the pristine white-sand shores lining the coast and stroll along the beach for miles. The crystal-clear waters are ideal for snorkeling, where you can swim alongside exotic marine species like sea turtles and parrotfish right off your resort beach. Head out on a catamaran excursion to visit the exotic desert island of Saona Island and spend the day at an exclusive beach club.

Punta Cana: a Great Destination for your Next Vacation

There are 62 miles of shoreline and tons of things to do instead of fishing in Punta Cana. Humpback whales migrate to the warm tropical waters off of the North Shore from January to March, so check out the whale watching tours from Punta Cana to see these giants up close.

Watersports are very popular activities in Punta Cana. You’ll find everything from speedboat rides, sailing, discovery cruises, dolphin tours, dive tours, and snorkeling. You can also explore the reef and shallows by renting a kayak or stand up paddleboard (SUP).

Windsurfing and Kiteboarding in Punta Cana are very popular activities thanks to the steady trade winds year-round. Cabarete is a world-famous windsurfing and kiteboarding destination, so if you’ve never tried windsurfing or kiteboarding before, it’s a great place to try it out!

Golf enthusiasts will want to explore some of the Domincan Republic’s world-class golf courses. The D.R. has 26 golf courses, 11 of which are in Punta Cana!

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 offseason 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. Although technically fishing licenses are required, 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 the catch and release of billfish species.

Fishing charters in Punta Cana and in the Dominican Republic normally include the local fishing license in their service and you don't have to worry about permits. 

You won’t have to worry about getting a fishing license if you go fishing with a fishing charter because because your captain will have this covered for you.

Depending on the charter fishing boat and on the duration of your fishing tour, you’ll pay more or less for the tour. The price for a private 4 hour Punta Cana fishing trip with a smaller boat is $450. A half day trip with a 40ft charter costs around $600, while an 8 hour private trip will cost you $1250 tot $1350.

What does the price include?

The price usually includes the captain, fishing tackle, fuel, bait & lures and licenses. On every listing we indicate whether drinks and food are included. Some fishing charters also offer (free) pick-up and transportation from and to the hotel.

Once you’ve made a booking, the captain will contact you to arrange the meeting point and the departure time. Also, we recommend you contact the captain a couple of days before the tour to confirm the weather forecast.