Dominican Republic - Mid to Late March

[DropinBack]

My little brother is going to Punta Canta the middle of March.

What is going on this time of year there offshore?

What does a charter usually run? How about a panga?

[DropinBack]

I guess its just that good there that time of year haha

[MikeFisher]

march starts the white marlin season along with nice sized dorado(mahi), wahoo, some sailfish(sailfish never in quantity).
charters run for $625.- per boat for 4hrs, $850.- for 6hrs, $1.150.- for 8hrs per charter boat.
targeted spezies get caught nice close to the coast in the 4-10nmls range, no need of long offshore runs.
Mike

[DropinBack]

Thanks mike. Hows the wind usually that time of year... or is it day by day? Any pangas if they want something cheap?

[Wireman]

If your brother heads offshore while there, make sure whoever he fishes with understands the concept of RELEASING any billfish they catch. Most charters there (including some we've all seen on here) don't understand it.

[DropinBack]

He knows... we usually have the understanding... that the "boat" can choose between killing them and their tip...

They have never chose to kill...

[MikeFisher]

that's right wireman.
Dropin, no pangas around, but at most resorts you should be able to make a lil deal with the watersports center on the beach to rent a 20-23ft speedboat with skipper from them for a couple hours for some light tackle around the reef or such, in most cases you would need to bring your own gear for that, medium spinning gear or 8wt flygear would befine, always use metal leaders.
Mike

[MikeFisher]

that's been my way when started to tell the boys about releasing a billfish. they can get a 20-30 US$ for a white Marlin and leave a unhappy customer at the pier, they also can release that white and take a 50-100 bucks tip and hey, you may catch the same fish again an other day for an other tip.
just saw that you asked about the winds.
March is not a rough month, we start with the calmer time of the year mid/end february, it usually picks up a bit during the full moon early april, that's this year around the 9th, easter week weekend of course, and then we are def in the calm time of the year til fall. exceptions during summer would be nearby tropical storms, but they are a rare occassion on our east coast, last hurricane visit been in 2004 over here.
Mike

[DropinBack]

Thanks for the info mike...

[Donpop]

Been there twice Chartered though the hotel once a 45 ft hatteras that was in feb last year caught a white really rough though.Went in June last year and went with Fish Punta Cana on the Alta Mar really like the capt.also caught a white.If you fish with them book at the beach a huge savings.The boats are beat up.Never Fished with Mike but I will next time.B- mail for more info