We stayed pretty close in shore on a short 5 hour charter the last time down there. Pretty much out of Cancun itself. Caught more Barracuda that we wanted. It took longer to catch the bait fish. It was pretty fun. We were on about a 20 foot panga (with full bimini) with a 100hp newer Yammy. Every time we tossed out the bait fish, barracuda would start following, following following and WHAMMO, there would be 3,4,5 cuda's following the bait fish, just 20 yards off the back of the panga. The little bait fish would start going balistic, then we could tell we were about to get a hit.
It was a good time, me and three friends, each paid $75. Two guys never fished before, two of us are well seasoned. Fun watching the non fishers try to reel these things in.
Too bad the gear was so heavy, would have loved to have had a spinning set up with me. The guide had old Penn reels spooled with very heavy line, and short tuna stick, took some of the sport out of it.
When we tired of fishing, we got the guide to bring to a wreck and we snorkled around there a bit, no crowds, water to ourselves. Barracuda in a chain 10 wide/deep as far as the eye could see. Pretty cool to be swimming right along side such a huge school of Cudas. You could get right up to them.