Serious Question - Bucket List Item

Okay, several part question here, but who on here has caught a marlin, and where did you do it and how long did the quest take and what was the cost? It's on my bucket list to catch one and put it on the wall (or at least a nice fiberglass replica).

Back story - I've always thought it would be awesome to fight one and then have it on display as a reminder and conversation piece. I've made three attempts so far.
1 - As a cruise shore excursion in Jamaica in 2006. Paid $600 and didn't get a single hit all day.
2 - While on our honeymoon in the Dominican Republic. Paid $800 and wife caught a 4 lb mahi. Pretty fish, but not exactly what we were hoping for.
3 - Tried again a few days ago. We're on our 10 year anniversary here in Cabo San Lucas. Unbelievable beautiful place. Paradise. My cousin lives here with her family and she hooked us up with a great private charter. Nice boat and very friendly crew. Obviously very proficient at what they do. We didn't pay nearly as much (around $400) because she hooked us up. Anyway, a couple hours into the trip the boat broke down way out in the ocean. Motor overheated. Didn't catch fire but lots of smoke and we were dead in the water for several hours until another boat came to tow us in. And then I got seasick, bad. I've never been seasick in my life but I guess the combination of the heat and sitting there still with no breeze got me. I felt like I was gonna die. Bad bad bad.

Anyway, all that to say, I'm starting to feel like God doesn't want me to catch a marlin. Honestly I'd be just as happy with a sailfish or swordfish. This time of year is supposedly the best there is for Cabo. I'm not whining about it and I know it's called "fishing" not "catching" for a reason...Just wondering how long and expensive should this quest be??? When/if it ever does happen it'll make the success that much sweeter.

Hooked a white marlin for about 5 minutes down at Grand Cayman 20ish years ago on one of the worst days for just gross waves. It wasn't like "beat the crap out of you" waves but was just enough to get the boat going uuuuupppppp and then dooowwwwnnnnn and then uuuuupppppp and then dooowwwwnnnnn and then uuuuupppppp and then dooowwwwnnnnn.

Between that and the gas fumes, my head got spinning. Finally shook it off, the rod went off, had 2-3 good jumps and then it spit the hook.

Never have been for marlin or sails. If you want to catch sailfish to maybe break the ice, I'd go to southeast Florida in probably February when they're running the stream along the coast.

Man I hate it didn't work out for you this time but maybe next.

Whenever we come back from the rigs after jigging all night for tuna we will head south first for blue water depending on having enough fuel to get home or the seas in hopes of hooking one. Hasn't happened yet for us but we will keep on trying.

Costa Rica in February is amazing for sailfish and you always have a chance at Marlin.
We caught 17 fish in 3 days, one was a blue Marlin that I fought for 2 hrs 20 minutes.
We had it to the boat 4 times, the deck hand was trying to remove the hook, and each time it would shake free. On the 5th time to the boat, the fish broke the rod, the broken rod knicked the mono line and the fish broke off. The
I will never forget it!
We were fishing light, 20 class reels with 50's on the outside. My fish hit the 20 class.
Panama has awesome sailfiishing that as in CR you will never forget!
Carry the wife and expect to spend 5-8k for a 5 day trip.

Good luck. Hope you get him.
Glad an 8-10 pound largemouth in Guntersville is my bucket list fish.

Take vacation the third week of February, throw swimbaits around docks in __________ and ____________ and near _______________.

I want a 4lb shellcracker or a 5lb crappie.

100# blue cat is my bucket list fish. I've caught two 50's so far. I like deep sea fishing but I've never had a good trip. I've been on about 20 trips and only 2 trips didn't suck. I quit wasting my money deep sea charters but my next charter will be for tarpon. More fishing, less riding and waves.

I caught one 19 years ago on a 3 day fishing trip out of Orange Beach. We caught 3 on that trip. We were somewhere off the coast of Mississippi. I have caught several sailfish over the years.

Thanks guys.

I've caught one sail. Down in the Keys.

Never been on a Marlin trip. Want to though

Head to Costa Rica from what I've heard, read, and watched

Never had a want to catch a marlin or sailfish. Heck I ain't ever got to fish the ocean yet.

I really want to fish a charter and catch some red snapper and all the other good eating fish. I just want to fill a cooler/freezer with fish. Maybe one day I'll get too. Right now I'm more concerned with raising my kids. I'm gone from them enough with my job so I don't want to take away time from them for me to do something. Maybe when they are older I'll do it.