We did trolling and caught a Bonita, which was fun then we switched to jigging on the bottom. We caught Amber jacks and black grouper. The final fish of the day was 50 pounds so much fun.

Smaller boat Capt spoke and understood English very well. We got a lot of bites but only landed a barracuda. Easy to find just a block south of lazy lobster

The crew was amazing

we had a great time W/ captain Jose and first mate (Andre? Im sorry, I know his name started w an A, but that might be wrong).  We came in on a cruise ship.  It is a short taxi ride ($4 per person) from the port.  It was well known by the drivers and dispatchers outside the terminal, and easy to catch a taxi back.  the beach were the boats launch is easily accessible, less than 100m from the street and there is a lively little marketplace along the beach with small stands, bars, (and bathrooms). The people of Costa Maya/Mahahual, were very pleasant and helpful, we really felt like guests of affectionate hosts everywhere, no aggressive sales tactics or pushy tour operators. I only mention it b/c some people I met on our cruise ship seemed nervous about leaving the ship terminal in this middle of no-where port.  The terminal has a ton of stuff to do.. but I’m thrilled we went fishing.  it was great!  be brave and go explore, the people are lovely!

Captain Jesus was extremely responsive and accommodating when booking the trip, he was easy to reach, answered email and texts at all hours, he well informed about the cruise (I got better info from him about actual disembark times than I got from Celebrity). he was super flexible, and thoughtful, and basically no matter what I asked for he was willing to find a way to get it done.  Super A++ service. Can we do 2 hours? then changed it to 4, 4 people or two, super accommodating.

The captain and first mate on the boat both also spoke/understand English, and we generally joked around, learned a little about each other and had a great time.  The boat is ~25ft with an outboard and two fiberglass benches along the sides.  There was an awning to keep off the worst of the sun.  The boat was clean, he packed a cooler with water and beer,  the life jackets were new, dry and clean, and there were extras that we used as butt cushions, because on the day we went out the seas were ROUGH and the benches hard. For me it was perfect, I like rough seas, small groups and much preferred having the boat all to ourselves. obviously there is no cabin or head. despite the outboard, our group of 4 could easily converse.  Captain handled the boat like a dream, and showed constant concern about our comfort, (eg. is it okay if I go outside the reef? or do you want to stay inside where water is calmer?) and both walked around the boat and gear like it was standing still.. and it was NOT standing still, i’m amazed at their skill.  The rough seas are not typical, but weather happens, so if you do get seasick, take something. 

I was so very happy with every aspect of the planning and execution of our little day trip.  I will say you should do some research about fishing (time of year and time of day) so you can manage your expectations about what you might catch. Jose is very knowledgeable and transparent, so ask questions.  I knew exactly what to expect after speaking with Jesus, caught a nice barracuda, just like he said, had a couple beers, enjoyed the beautiful day and exciting boat ride, and because it was a curated trip special to our little group, when we had enough, we called it a day and they brought us in. 

For me it was ideal and I’d do it again in a heartbeat.