The White Marlin Tournament Cap Cana is set to kick off this Thursday, 22 May 2025 with the participation of 30 yachts. Silvano Suazo, director of Marina Cap Cana, says the actual fishing action will commence on Friday, May 23rd, following the social event marking tournament’s official inauguration.
The competition will run through Saturday, 24 May, with participants competing in both Sonar and Non-Sonar categories.
To date, a significant 70% of the registered boats hail from Puerto Rico, with another 20% from the United States. The remaining participants are arriving from Brazil, Italy, Cuba, and the host nation, the Dominican Republic.
Prizes will be awarded to the top three boats overall. Individual accolades will also be given to the overall top angler, the highest-scoring female angler, and the most outstanding junior angler (under 17 years old). Additionally, the top boat overall will be recognized.
In his message to the fishermen, Marina Cap Cana Director Silvano Suazo expressed his enthusiasm for hosting the renowned event.
“Each year, we welcome you with the best spirit, hoping you enjoy an incredible adventure at Marina Cap Cana,” Suazo stated. “The White Marlin Tournament will be unforgettable and will also feature an 18-hole Best Ball Golf tournament at Punta Espada on Thursday morning, with the awards ceremony taking place during the fishing tournament’s welcome reception that evening. This addition allows participants to further enjoy the facilities offered by our destination city.”
Suazo added that nightly events are planned, although specific details for non-fishing attendees were not mentioned.
Cap Cana Marlin Tournament: scoring and regulations
The tournament primarily targets white marlin. However, blue marlin and sailfish also qualify for points. The use of spinning reels is prohibited.
The rules of the International Game Fishing Association (IGFA) apply throughout the tournament, except where they conflict with specific tournament regulations.
Each white marlin that is properly reported and released according to tournament rules will earn 300 points. Blue marlin, sailfish, and spearfish will each be worth 200 points for the participating boat. It is the responsibility of each boat to have a video camera on board. Lines in will be at 6:45am on the first day, with lines out at 5:00pm. On Saturday, lines in will be at 6:45am, and lines out will be at 4:30pm. Anglers will have one hour to release qualifying species.
Read more in Spanish:
CDN
20 May 2025