How to Fish – Complete Walkthrough & All Fish Locations

How to Fish starts at the Lighthouse but quickly turns into a full island-hopping adventure where catching creatures, completing NPC quests, defeating bosses, and returning their trophies unlock the next destination.

Progress follows the Lighthouse, Forest, Desert, Rocks, and Volcano in order, with each location introducing new fish, bait, equipment, and a boss required to continue the story.

This walkthrough takes you through the complete main progression while collecting every fish along the way, covering each island’s fish locations, required bait and lures, boss encounters, island unlocks, and the final route back to the mainland.

1. Fish Locations and Bait

Crab-Fishing Rod

Most fish are tied to a specific island and lure tier. Once you reach the later islands, this becomes straightforward because nearly every normal fish in that area uses the same lure. Bosses are different and require either a Boss Lure or a special quest bait.

There are also four purchasable boss-lure tiers: Beginner Boss Lure, Standard Boss Lure, Professional Boss Lure, and Scientific Boss Lure. Story bosses such as the Spider Crab, Giant Piranha, Pufferfish, Albatross, and Mutated Bowhead Whale instead use special items obtained as you progress.

2. Lighthouse All Fish Locations

Lighthouse Fish

The Lighthouse is the starting location and contains the smallest collection. The early Crab Fishing Rod handles these catches, while the Spider Crab requires its own special bait rather than an ordinary lure.

How to Get the Empty Beer Can for Spider Crab

The Spider Crab is required for the Lighthouse progression quest. A normal Beer Can will not complete the same job, as you need the emptied version before trying to summon the boss.

1. Earn some money from your first catches.
2. Buy a Beer Can.
3. Give the Beer Can to the Lighthouse Keeper.
4. He drinks it and gives you the Empty Beer Can.
5. Equip the Empty Beer Can as bait.
6. Cast to summon the Spider Crab.

3. Forest Island All Fish Locations

Forest Island

The Forest, or Island 2, significantly expands the collection. Normal catches primarily use the Beginner Lure, while the island also contains two optional mini-boss catches and the story-related Giant Piranha.

How to Get Leech Bait for Giant Piranha

The Giant Piranha does not use the Beginner Boss Lure. It is the Forest’s story boss and requires Leech Bait, which comes from the woman near the lake.

1. Speak with the woman by the lake.
2. Search the Forest for three Leeches lying on the ground.
3. Return all three Leeches to her.
4. Take the Leech Bait she gives you.
5. Equip it and cast in the Forest.
6. Defeat the Giant Piranha and return its boss drop to her.

Completing this quest unlocks the route toward the Desert Island.

4. Desert Island All Fish Locations

Desert Island

The Desert, or Island 3, is much easier to farm because its normal Fishipedia entries use the Standard Lure. The exceptions are the Blue Shark mini-boss and Pufferfish story boss.

How to Get the Carrot for Pufferfish

The Pufferfish requires a Carrot obtained through the Desert Tourist’s quest. You cannot replace it with a Standard or Standard Boss Lure.

1. Equip a Standard Lure.
2. Catch a Needlefish.
3. Find the Tourist under the tree.
4. Give him the Needlefish.
5. Take the Carrot he gives you.
6. Use the Carrot as bait to summon the Pufferfish.
7. Defeat it and return its quest item to unlock the next island.

The Pufferfish’s quest reward advances you toward Island 4 – Rocks.

5. Rocks Island All Fish Locations

Rocks Island

The Rocks, or Island 4, uses the Professional Lure for its normal catches. This area also introduces the Tuna mini-boss and the Albatross, which requires you to use the Tuna itself as bait.

How to Catch the Albatross

The Albatross cannot be hooked directly with a rod. You first need to summon and defeat the Tuna mini-boss, then use its body to attract the bird.

1. Buy the Professional Boss Lure.
2. Use it on the Rocks island.
3. Catch and defeat the Tuna.
4. Do not sell the Tuna.
5. Drop the Tuna on the ground.
6. Wait for the Albatross to fly down and take the bait.
7. Defeat it and keep its quest drop.

Returning the Albatross’s head advances the main progression toward the Volcano/Military area.

6. Volcano Island All Fish Locations

Volcano Island

The Volcano, or Island 5, contains the game’s highest-tier fishing pool. Bring Scientific Lures for ordinary creatures and substantial cash if you also want the optional Goblin Shark mini-boss.

The normal Scientific Lure costs $500, while the Scientific Boss Lure costs $5,800 and is used for the Goblin Shark. The Goblin Shark is optional for story progression but matters when clearing the full creature collection.

How to Catch the Bowhead Whale

The Bowhead Whale requires the Fish Bucket obtained through the scientist’s late-game quest. Keep the whale after defeating it because its body becomes the trigger for the final encounter.

1. Reach the Volcano/Military area.
2. Complete the scientist’s requests.
3. Obtain the Fish Bucket.
4. Equip it as your bait.
5. Catch and defeat the Bowhead Whale.
6. Keep the whale instead of selling it.
7. Carry it toward the volcano for the next step.

How to Catch the Mutated Bowhead Whale – Ending

The Mutated Bowhead Whale is the final story boss and does not require another purchased lure. The ordinary Bowhead Whale itself becomes the trigger.

1. Defeat the Bowhead Whale.
2. Carry its body to the volcano crater.
3. Throw the Bowhead Whale into the volcano.
4. Wait for the final encounter to begin.
5. Defeat the Mutated Bowhead Whale.
6. Keep its required quest drop and finish the final hand-in.

After defeating the Mutated Bowhead, take its fin and feed it to the NPC in the hazmat suit. You’ll get a key for the military boat in return. Use the boat to travel back toward the mainland. Reaching the mainland triggers the ending and credits, completing the main story.

7. All How to Fish Boss Locations and Bait

Mutated Bowhead Whale boss

Bosses are the easiest entries to miss because they generally do not appear in the same pool as ordinary fish. The following table gives you the full boss and mini-boss checklist without requiring you to scan every island section again.

8. How to Get Drip Fish Variants

Drip Fish

Every normal creature can also have a rare Drip variant. These do not require a separate island, secret fishing spot, special weather condition, or exclusive lure; they can appear while catching or hunting the normal creature in its usual area.

1. Go to the normal creature’s island.
2. Use its regular bait or lure.
3. Keep catching that creature’s normal pool.
4. Watch for a creature with a rainbow-colored name and unusual appearance.
5. Kill the Drip creature so the entry registers.
6. Press Tab and check the encyclopedia for anything still missing.

The Collector achievement tracks the normal creature collection, while Fishipedia requires the Drip variants.

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