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Mario Castillon Santana
Captain

Mario Castillon Santana

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
250+ reviews
Mario the Caption of Burton lll has been on the water in the Banderas bay of Puerto Vallarta and all throughout Mexico catching fish since he was 5 years old! Even though he has been out on the water catching fish for many years, His passion is daily sparked when he finds the fish jumping or when the reel lights up with action! A 3rd generation fisherman and a local to Vallarta, he is someone who is passionate about catching fish and showing clients his town. You are sure to have a great time aboard the Burton lll seeing the wildlife, the views of the town and catching fish.
Alex C.
Alex C.
First mate
Shorty T.
Shorty T.
First mate

Charter

Rating

4.9
350 reviews
4.9
Boat & Equipment
4.9
Captain & Crew
4.8
Fishing Experience

What anglers say

95%
Good experience
99%
Friendly captain
98%
Recommend this charter
90%
Appropriate for children
99%
Satisfied with the boat
94%
Caught fish

All reviews (350)

Showing 1 – 5 of 350 reviews
  • Kathryn Studer
    Kathryn Studer
    us
    Arkansas, US
    •
    Member since 2026
    5.0
    Verified

    Great day on the water

    6 hours fishing snorkel beach • 2 adults

    Booked a 6 hour trip with Burton. Within 15 minutes of having lines in the water, my wife and I doubled up on some big Jack Crevalle. About 10 minutes after that, we hooked into another good sized fish. The remainder of the day was slow as we only caught some small Skipjack, but thats just fishing. Mario was switching gear and bait, there was no lack of effort. Once we got too hot, we pulled into the beach and took a quick plunge. Overall a fantastic day, would absolutely book again.

    Reported catch:
    Jack Crevalle
    Bonito
    Response from Captain

    Kathryn Studer Thank you for your review and your booking with us! I really appreciate it thank you mario.

  • Diana Bloom
    Diana Bloom
    us
    Washington State, US
    •
    Member since 2026
    5.0
    Verified

    So much fun!

    6 hours fishing snorkel beach • 2 adults

    Mario and Shorty made our day! It was so fun, I definitely recommend adding the snorkeling on, it was one of the most beautiful beaches. Mario made the most amazing cevice with the fish we caught, and we even caught too many fish to take home so we released a massive BullFish. Great fun, some of my favirite people to ever fish with. The BullFish put up a fighy but Mario and Shorty were there the whole time to make it easier. 10/10 recommend!

    Reported catch:
    Jack Crevalle
    Bonito
    Response from Captain

    Diana Bloom Thank you for your review and your booking with us! I really appreciate it thank you mario.

  • Israel Madriz
    Israel Madriz
    Repeat angler
    us
    Texas, US
    •
    Member since 2023
    •
    3 trips
    5.0
    Verified

    5 Stars – Incredible Fishing Trip & Freshest Ceviche Ever

    4 hours fishing trip • 4 adults

    Had an amazing experience on today’s fishing charter. The boat was extremely comfortable, spacious, and equipped with top-quality gear — all Avet setups. Mario and Shorty were both fantastic and made the trip even better. One of the highlights was the fresh ceviche they made with the fish we caught. The mango added the perfect sweet balance and it was some of the best ceviche I’ve had. Highly recommend this charter and I will definitely be back!

    Reported catch:
    Spanish Mackerel
    Response from Captain

    Israel Madriz Thank you very much for your review and your booking with us! i really appreciate it thank you mario.

  • Neal Clark
    Neal Clark
    Repeat angler
    us
    Spokane, WA, US
    •
    Member since 2023
    •
    2 trips
    5.0
    Verified

    Very Friendly and Knowledgeable Guide

    6 hours trip - Inshore • 2 adults

    Mario was very good at putting us onto the Bonita. I booked a 6 hour trip and we went about 10 miles north in the bay. Trolling was tough all day but he started seeing the Skipjacks surfacing and quickly switched tactics to sight casting while still trolling. We landed 2 and missed several. Mario made us fresh Ceviche on the boat which was amazing. He was constantly monitoring other captains and talking with his families other boats. Not many were catching that day. Next time I will come int the fall when the Mahi are closer into the bay and also book a 8 hour trip to get a little further out of the bay past the island. It was a great day with well maintained and safe equipment.

    Reported catch:
    Bonito
    Response from Captain

    Neal Clark Thank you very much for your great review and your booking with us! i really appreciate it thank you mario.

  • Stephen Rapundalo
    Stephen Rapundalo
    us
    Michigan, US
    •
    Member since 2025
    5.0
    Verified

    Enjoyable Trip Despite the Fish Taking a Day Off

    8 hours trip-offshore • 1 adult

    Burton Fishing, and particularly Mario and Luis, delivered a great experience...my first off-shore fishing trip. Regrettably, the fish decided to stay largely away that day - and not just for us apparently - and I lost a big, beautiful dorado at the boat. I didn't go home skunked though and was able to provide for dinner that evening. The guides did an excellent job, were very helpful throughout, patient with a novice, and simply wanted to be sure that I had a most enjoyable time. I learned a lot from them. The day was a highlight for me and would strongly recommend Burton to others - am looking forward to my next trip with them already.

    Reported catch:
    Dolphin (Mahi Mahi)
    Response from Captain

    Stephen Rapundalo Thank you very much for your great review and your booking with us! i really appreciate it thank you mario

Real catches shared by our community

  • Burton lll Sport Fishing
    Burton lll Sport FishingPuerto Vallarta, JA
    Great day on the water
    Kathryn S.
    Kathryn S.
  • Burton lll Sport Fishing
    Burton lll Sport FishingPuerto Vallarta, JA
    great was to spend a day on the ocean in PV!
    Jeffrey G.
    Jeffrey G.
  • Burton lll Sport Fishing
    Burton lll Sport FishingPuerto Vallarta, JA
    Great skipper and crew
    Diana O.
    Diana O.
  • Burton lll Sport Fishing
    Burton lll Sport FishingPuerto Vallarta, JA
    So much fun!
    Diana B.
    Diana B.
  • Burton lll Sport Fishing
    Burton lll Sport FishingPuerto Vallarta, JA
    Great boat and crew
    Tyler J.
    Tyler J.
  • Burton lll Sport Fishing
    Burton lll Sport FishingPuerto Vallarta, JA
    great first mate skipper
    Jeffery W.
    Jeffery W.
  • Burton lll Sport Fishing
    Burton lll Sport FishingPuerto Vallarta, JA
    5 Stars – Incredible Fishing Trip & Freshest Ceviche Ever
    Israel M.
    Israel M.
  • Burton lll Sport Fishing
    Burton lll Sport FishingPuerto Vallarta, JA
    Very good trip
    Jamie A.
    Jamie A.
  • Burton lll Sport Fishing
    Burton lll Sport FishingPuerto Vallarta, JA
    Decent Fishing Trip
    Tanner M.
    Tanner M.
  • Burton lll Sport Fishing
    Burton lll Sport FishingPuerto Vallarta, JA
    Great day on the water!
    Kathy E.
    Kathy E.

What's biting with Burton lll Sport Fishing in Puerto Vallarta

With Striped Marlin joining the other behemoths being caught offshore, this is the best month for deep sea fishing in Puerto Vallarta. Add Tuna and Dorado to the mix, and you can't get better than this.

Top catches for September

Fishing reports

Angler proudly displaying a Silver Pompano while fishing on a sunny day, showcasing the excitement of a successful catch.

Action-Packed Day: Jacks, Bonita, Macker

Sep 9, 2026 • Puerto Vallarta
Another day full of action This clients have one awesome day of fishing no stoping activity getting tons of jacks bonitas anda spanish mackleres.
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A young angler proudly displaying a large fish while fishing on a boat in open waters.

Jacks and Bonitos with Beach Snorkel

Aug 28, 2026 • Puerto Vallarta
A fantastic day of fishing,catching and releasing several jacks and bonitos. Afterwards, we headed to an area for snorkeling and to visit some beaches south of Vallarta we even spotted several turtles along the way.
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Angler proudly displaying a large Jack Crevalle while fishing on a boat in calm waters.

4 hours fishing trip inshore

Aug 11, 2026 • Puerto Vallarta
Fun morning full of action catching and realising several bonitas and jacks
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An angler proudly displaying a large striped fish while fishing on a calm sea, showcasing a successful day on the water.

6 hours trip-inshore

Jul 14, 2026 • Puerto Vallarta
Another susccesful day Getting roosterfish jackcaravelly and small blacktipsharks on the 6 hours trip Enyoy us on your trip for fishing or combo trip fishing snorkrling
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A proud angler holding a large Jack Crevalle while fishing on a sunny day, showcasing a successful catch in a vibrant coastal setting.

6 hours snorkeling fishing beach

Jul 11, 2026 • Puerto Vallarta
Fun morning getting some jacks!
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Three anglers proudly displaying a large Sailfish aboard a boat during a deep-sea fishing trip.

10 hours fishing

Jul 3, 2026 • Puerto Vallarta
It was a great day of fishing; the client specifically wanted to catch a big fish, and he succeeded by landing a sailfish. We were lucky enough to spot another one—it took the lure but got away.
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