How to Fish: Beginner's Guide

New to How to Fish? This guide covers your first hour: how catching actually works, how to earn money, what to buy first, and the quest that stops most new players.

Last updated: Aug 22, 2026 · How to Fish v1.0 (launch)

What is How to Fish?

How to Fish is a physics-based fishing sandbox from Dazed Games, released on Steam on August 20, 2026. It launched to an "Overwhelmingly Positive" rating (96% positive) and surged past 60,000 concurrent players within its first two days.

The premise is simple: you're stranded on a deserted island, and fishing is your way out. The joke of the game is in the title — this is not a realistic fishing sim. You can catch fish with nets, rods, guns, and even your bare hands, and the game actively rewards creative violence toward fish.

Why it blew upThe humor is the hook: a "fishing" game where you no-scope a tuna, gamble your catch at a table, and get harassed by seagulls. It's designed to be streamed and played with friends.

How catching fish works

The core loop is: find water → hook or scare a creature out → kill it (hands, knife, pistol, rifle, dynamite — anything works) → stack airborne multipliers → sell the corpse → buy better stuff → unlock the next island and boss.

Killscore is the secret economy. Airborne kills, headshots, no-scopes, 360s, and one-shots all stack multipliers — a mid fish killed with a 5x "Impressive" combo sells like a late-game fish killed plainly. Style literally pays.

Anything goes: rods, nets, guns, and melee all "count" as fishing. If it lands the fish, it works.
Guns are a real strategy: trick shots are a core mechanic, not a meme — shooting fish is often faster than reeling them in.
Physics matter: fish react to how you pull them in. Bigger fish fight harder.

Source noteExact button mappings vary across patches and input devices, and aren't officially documented in one place. The game's in-game tutorial and theSteam store pageare the most current references.

How to earn money

Money comes from selling your catch. Bigger and rarer fish are worth more.

Gambling your catch is a built-in mechanic: risk a valuable fish for a bigger payout. It's fun — and a great way to lose money. Treat it as a bonus, not a strategy.
Early on, volume beats rarity: many small fish sell faster than one big gamble gone wrong.

What to buy first

Community consensus from launch week (see Destructoid's best items and upgrades guide) points the same direction:

Boat upgrades first — they unlock access to new islands and better fishing spots, which compounds into more money.
Better gear second — stronger rods and weapons let you take on bigger fish and bosses.
Don't hoard — money sitting in your pocket doesn't catch fish.

Unlocking new islands

Islands unlock by finishing the current quest or boss — not by farming. The quest chain runs: the lighthouse beer thief → dinner for the forest lady → helping the tourist swim → the terror bird → the military "deadliest catch" → the final island. Talk to every named NPC twice; quests are the map.

Boat key confusionThe wreck is locked until the island lets you leave. Don't buy a second boat: finish the lighthouse quest ("Who stole my beer"), talk to the keeper and Melvin again, then check the wreck and the cabin board. The key is a quest reward, not a shop item.

Your first quest: the stolen beer

One of the first things that trips players up: the lighthouse keeper's beer has been stolen — and the culprit is a Spider Crab. This quest doubles as your introduction to boss hunting.

Head toward the lighthouse to trigger/find the hunt.
The Spider Crab is a real boss fight, not a normal catch — bring your best weapon and don't fight it alone if you can help it.

Full boss details are on our Boss Fish Tips page.

Common mistakes to avoid

Gambling every good catch — the house always wins eventually.
Ignoring boat upgrades — it's the single biggest early progress gate.
Fighting bosses under-geared — upgrade first, hunt after.
Forgetting seagulls — they will steal from you; keep an eye out and a gun handy.

FAQ

How long is How to Fish?

Speedrunners finish it in under an hour (there's an achievement for it — "Bean"), but a normal first playthrough with friends takes several evenings.

Is there an achievement for finishing fast?

Yes — 28 achievements total, including "Bean" for completing the game in under one hour.

How much does How to Fish cost?

Launch week has a 38% discount (until Aug 28, 2026). Check the Steam page for your region's price.

Is it worth playing solo?

It works solo, but the chaos shines in co-op. If you can, bring friends.