The captain and mate were extremely nice. I booked the 6 hour trolling trip for my girlfriend and I. She had never been out before and despite wearing a scopolamine patch and taking a Dramamine she got sick about an hour into the trip. I was disappointed, but asked if we could end the trip early and there was no hesitation. We pulled lines in immediately and started back for shore. In a surprise twist, this is where our experience actually began! They had a backup plan in place for instances like this and they took us to the most beautiful snorkeling area I’ve ever seen. They took what could have been a very bad experience and made it an extremely special day for us. Next time I travel to Punta Cana I will be booking another trip with these guys, and look forward to actually doing some fishing as we only had lines in the water for about 20 mins before we had to change the plans. A special thanks to Eddie the mate who made us feel like instant long time friends. He was an incredible host and his energy was incredible. Truly a one in a million guy.
The captain and mate were extremely nice. I booked the 6 hour trolling trip for my girlfriend and I. She had never been out before and despite wearing a scopolamine patch and taking a Dramamine she got sick about an hour into the trip. I was disappointed, but asked if we could end the trip early and there was no hesitation. We pulled lines in immediately and started back for shore. In a surprise twist, this is where our experience actually began! They had a backup plan in place for instances like... More
Excellent experience from pickup to drop off after the trip. We were greeted by the driver and crew once we got to the drop off location. Took a short boat ride to the charter and was treated great by the crew. Unfortunately I forgot the first mate’s name but he was nothing short of awesome and very accomodating. Captain Willie was personable and eager to get us out fishing. Everything was positive about the trip. We caught three Mahi’s and one tuna. They offered to clean the fish as well but we didn’t have a place to take the fillets so we offered the fish to the crew. Would definitely, and highly, recommend this trip.
Excellent experience from pickup to drop off after the trip. We were greeted by the driver and crew once we got to the drop off location. Took a short boat ride to the charter and was treated great by the crew. Unfortunately I forgot the first mate’s name but he was nothing short of awesome and very accomodating. Captain Willie was personable and eager to get us out fishing. Everything was positive about the trip. We caught three Mahi’s and one tuna. They offered to clean the fish... More
This was our first time coming to the Dominican Republic and were a bit nervous about going off campus and hopping on a boat with people we haven’t met. We were put at ease when our taxi driver was waiting for us wearing all the big marlin gear and knew our names. The drive took us through some interesting parts of town where we got more of a feel for the culture here. We never felt unsafe. We got to the beach where the driver made a call and we were greeted by the skipper? Once on-board we made the rest of our payment and were on our way. There was a cooler full of beverages, a sitting area inside and a bathroom downstairs.
We had an awsome time out on the water with Captain Willie and 1st mate Louie. It was our fist time deep sea fishing and they did a great job taking care of us. The water was extremely calm and there was hardly any cloud cover. Louie taught us how to tie up bait while Willie tried to get us on fish. We had multiple small bites that never took the hook, but Louie got them re-baited promptly. There wasn’t a line in the water that wasn’t ready to go for more than a few seconds. Louie was on top of evything. I can’t think of anything in their control that would have made it better.
This was our first time coming to the Dominican Republic and were a bit nervous about going off campus and hopping on a boat with people we haven’t met. We were put at ease when our taxi driver was waiting for us wearing all the big marlin gear and knew our names. The drive took us through some interesting parts of town where we got more of a feel for the culture here. We never felt unsafe. We got to the beach where the driver made a call and we were greeted by the skipper? Once on-board... More
This was an excellent, well run trip on a clean and well maintained boat (the Fortuna). Capt. Coco, First Mate Rosario, and Second Mate Andrew worked diligently and successfully to find fish and ensure a pleasant day. These are great people that are fun to be around and talk with and learn from. A fine Wahoo was the catch of the day, along with a couple of barracuda. Rosario arranged for the Wahoo to be grilled at a nearby, open-air restaurant and served with fried plantains. It was an excellent meal after a fine experience on the water. Very high praise as well goes to company manager Yustas Fortuna, who organized logistics and provided transportation to and from the boat, along with engaging conversation and insights. It was a real pleasure talking with him and interacting with the excellent crew. Big Marlin Charters is clearly a well run company that provides excellent service to its clients. A second trip of shorter duration was taken on Gone Dog two days later. I have a similarly high opinion of the work and customer service of Captain Willy, First Mate Edward, and, once again, Second Mate Andrew. These are all great people that I would look forward to fishing with again.
This was an excellent, well run trip on a clean and well maintained boat (the Fortuna). Capt. Coco, First Mate Rosario, and Second Mate Andrew worked diligently and successfully to find fish and ensure a pleasant day. These are great people that are fun to be around and talk with and learn from. A fine Wahoo was the catch of the day, along with a couple of barracuda. Rosario arranged for the Wahoo to be grilled at a nearby, open-air restaurant and served with fried plantains. It was... More
They were great with communication and even better on the boat. I was disappointed that what i thought i was paying in Canadian dollars turned out to be more by about $90 canadian. only a portion was taken up front and the rest was expected in cash or paypal, which i didnt expect. Either way, it was totally worth the money in the end but i was a bit worried before meeting them. The first mate was top shelf, the best, and worked hard to help us with a sick Grandpa and a young girl who was happy to catch Barracuda. They were the best we’ve seen and we’ve seen several. Thanks for a great time, your first mate really made it worth it and so did your fast responses to my initial cost concern.
They were great with communication and even better on the boat. I was disappointed that what i thought i was paying in Canadian dollars turned out to be more by about $90 canadian. only a portion was taken up front and the rest was expected in cash or paypal, which i didnt expect. Either way, it was totally worth the money in the end but i was a bit worried before meeting them. The first mate was top shelf, the best, and worked hard to help us with a sick Grandpa and a young girl who was happy... More