The line on my bobber vanished and with it any patience I pretended to have. I stayed, watched the ripples, and realized half the islands are little puzzles with teeth. You can either guess what bites—or learn every habit the game hides.
All fishes in How to Fish and how to catch them
The Lighthouse pier smells faintly of salt and old beer cans, the kind of place that tells you what it wants to give up.
I wrote this because I wanted a single, readable map of who swims where and what they prefer on the hook. You and I will move through islands, tackle, and baits so you stop wasting lures and time. I play on Steam ($9.99 (€10)) and follow the dev threads on Reddit and the official Discord—those communities flag rare spawns fast.
How do I catch every fish in How to Fish?
Start with patterns, not luck: species repeat by location and bait, so catalog every successful bite.
I’ll list every location, the fish you can expect there, and the rod and bait combos that work. Follow the sequence and you’ll spot trends: small lures for schooling fish, hot dogs for crustaceans, and modified baits for the bosses. Think of the process like learning a friend’s coffee order—small observations stack into certainty.
Bosses
Real-world observation: big fish behave like big targets—loud splashes, long fights, and specific bait needs.
You’ll meet only a couple of true bosses early on, but they matter because they teach you gear timing and bait upgrades. Treat the Spider Crab and Giant Piranha as practice for later islands where the stakes—and rewards—rise.
| Boss | Location | Bait |
|---|---|---|
| Spider Crab | Lighthouse | Empty Beer Can |
| Giant Piranha | Island 2 (Forest) | Modified Leech |
What bait do bosses need in How to Fish?
Observation: bosses ignore generic lures and bite only when you feed their fetish bait.
For the Spider Crab you want the Empty Beer Can—yes, the game rewards oddities. Giant Piranha answers to Modified Leech. If a creature refuses your line, switch to specialized bait and upgrade your rod strength; these fights shred cheap gear.
Lighthouse
Real-world observation: first zones teach basic mechanics—crabs, shrimp, and patient hooks.
The Lighthouse is where you learn what each rod feels like. Use the Crab Fishing Rod to start; it’s forgiving and dirt-cheap in its durability. Keep two lures on hand: the free lure for schooling catches and Hot Dogs for larger crustaceans. The pier is a reliable grind spot when you’re after materials or a steady income.
| Species | Rod | Bait |
|---|---|---|
| Rock Crab | Crab Fishing Rod | Free lure |
| Shrimp | Crab Fishing Rod | Free lure |
| Rock Crab | Crab Fishing Rod | Hot Dog |
| Lobster | Crab Fishing Rod | Hot Dog |
Where to find rare species in How to Fish?
Observation: rarities show up more when you combine location knowledge with the right lure—and a little patience.
Rare spawns often share habitats with common species but require specific baits or times. Track posts on Steam discussions and the game’s Discord; players flag coordinates and conditions. If you want trophies fast, follow the community threads and set alerts for rare-sighting screenshots on Reddit.
Island 2 (Forest)
Real-world observation: second islands feel roomy—more rod choices, more lures, more things that bite back.
Here the game starts asking you to think about range and lure class. Switch from the Crab Fishing Rod to the standard Fishing Rod to reach deeper schools and bigger predators. Match bait to fish behavior: fast-moving lures for pike and gar, steady beginner lures for cod and perch.
| Species | Rod | Bait |
|---|---|---|
| Piranha | Crab Fishing Rod | Hot Dog |
| Mackerel | Fishing Rod | Free lure |
| Gar | Fishing Rod | Free Lure |
| Pike | Fishing Rod | Free Lure/Beginner Lure |
| Cod | Fishing Rod | Beginner Lure |
| Goldfish | Fishing Rod | Free Lure/Beginner Lure |
| Perch | Fishing Rod | Beginner Lure |
| Triggerfish | Fishing Rod | Beginner Lure |
I’ve kept this list tight so you can find the bait and rod combo without scrolling through long walls of text. The Lighthouse taught me patience; Island Two taught me that a single change in lure is like swapping a whisper for a shout. Check the Steam community, Reddit threads, and the developers’ Discord for live spawn reports and mod suggestions—those channels are where the rare sightings surface fastest.
Want to argue which island has the best loot or what bait is wildly underrated?