My partner and I went out fishing today and overall had a really great experience with Big Marlin.
Our day started with a prompt hotel pickup in a clean, logoed van. Our driver was friendly, courteous, and professional. When we arrived at the marina area, we were greeted by the Big Marlin coordinator, whose job was to guide us from the parking area down to the beach where we boarded a small shuttle boat. One thing I didn’t love was having to pay the remaining balance in cash at that point — not a deal-breaker, but something to be aware of.
We were introduced to our first mate, Danny, and then waded out to the beached boat to head out to the main vessel with Captain Yustas. The process was smooth and very organized. As soon as we boarded, the captain had everything ready and we got underway immediately.
The weather wasn’t exactly postcard-perfect — windy, rainy, not the typical chamber-of-commerce day — but our captain worked hard to dodge the heaviest rain and give us the best experience possible. And even with the weather, we landed four mahi-mahi.
Unfortunately, my partner became extremely seasick and we asked if we could cut the trip short. The captain and first mate were incredibly kind and understanding; no hesitation, no frustration — just genuine concern.
Back at the marina, they cleaned our fish quickly and arranged an earlier ride back for us. Both crew members were professional, knowledgeable, and fun to talk to. Captain Yustas is from the Dominican Republic and Danny is from Russia, which made for some funny and interesting conversations throughout the day.
Despite the weather and our early return, I felt completely taken care of and respected. If I return to Punta Cana, I would absolutely trust these guys with another adventure.
Highly recommended.
I wish my less than desirable Hotel and Resort Breathless would have been kind enough to prepare my beautiful wild caught fish for supper.
