How to Fish Wiki

Bait, preparation & tactics

How to Fish Bosses — Triggers, Fight Tips & Rewards

Check the bait or carried item before starting a fight, then plan the attack, keep the reward and finish the return hand-in.

11 entriesConnected quests, items and routes
Main path

Story route

Required encounters and hand-ins that move the island route forward.

7 encounters
In-game screenshot of Spider Crab encounter in How to Fish#01

Story boss · Lighthouse

Spider Crab

Use the Empty Beer Can, punish missed charges and return the required quest result for the boat key.

Trigger
Empty Beer Can
Route
Story
  • Give a Beer Can to the Lighthouse Keeper.
  • Equip the returned Empty Beer Can on the Crab Fishing Rod.
  • After the kill, keep the quest result and return it to the keeper.
Open tactical guide
In-game screenshot of Giant Piranha encounter in How to Fish#02

Story boss · Forest Island

Giant Piranha

Collect three leeches, receive Leech Bait and return the boss trophy to unlock Desert Island.

Trigger
Leech Bait
Route
Story
  • Pick up three leeches from the Forest Island ground.
  • Give them to the lady by the lake for Leech Bait.
  • Use it to summon Giant Piranha.
Open tactical guide
In-game screenshot of Pufferfish encounter in How to Fish#03

Story boss · Desert Island

Pufferfish

Trade Needlefish for a Carrot, fight around the charge cycle and return the fin to unlock Rocks Island.

Trigger
Carrot
Route
Story
  • Catch Needlefish with the Standard Lure.
  • Give it to the tourist under the tree for a Carrot.
  • Equip the Carrot to summon Pufferfish.
Open tactical guide
In-game screenshot of Tuna encounter in How to Fish#04

Story setup · Rocks Island

Tuna

Catch Tuna with the $1,200 Professional Boss Lure and preserve the body for the Albatross fight.

Trigger
Professional Boss Lure
Route
Story item
  • Buy Professional Boss Lure for $1,200.
  • Summon Tuna on Rocks Island and defeat it.
  • Do not sell or cook the body.
Open tactical guide
In-game screenshot of Albatross encounter in How to Fish#05

Story boss · Rocks Island

Albatross

Use the defeated Tuna as bait, fight the long-range bird and return its head for Volcano coordinates.

Trigger
Defeated Tuna
Route
Story
  • Place the defeated Tuna on the ground.
  • Wait for Albatross to enter the area.
  • Defeat it and pick up the head.
Open tactical guide
In-game screenshot of Bowhead Whale Guide encounter in How to Fish#06

Final-route setup · Volcano Island

Bowhead Whale

Use the Fish Bucket or Whale Bait, defeat the whale and keep it for the mutated final encounter.

Trigger
Whale Bait
Route
Story item
  • Reach the volcano scientist and bring the five requested fish.
  • Use the returned Fish Bucket / Whale Bait for Bowhead Whale.
  • Defeat the whale and keep its body intact.
Open tactical guide
In-game screenshot of Mutated Bowhead Whale Final Boss encounter in How to Fish#07

Final story encounter

Mutated Bowhead Whale

Use the defeated Bowhead Whale to begin the final phase and finish the game.

Trigger
Final boss
Route
Magma Whale
  • Bring the defeated Bowhead Whale into the final trigger.
  • Keep the fight inside the encounter boundary.
  • Finish the mutated phase to complete the story.
Open tactical guide
Collection

Optional encounters

Mini-bosses and collection targets that do not unlock the next island.

4 encounters
In-game screenshot of Sunfish encounter in How to Fish#01

Optional · Forest Island

Sunfish

An optional Beginner Boss Lure encounter that counts toward Collector.

Trigger
Beginner Boss Lure
Route
Optional
Open tactical guide
In-game screenshot of The Old Pike encounter in How to Fish#02

Optional · Forest Island

The Old Pike

The optional Beginner Boss Lure encounter also labeled Gammelgäddan in some launch guides.

Trigger
Beginner Boss Lure
Route
Gammelgäddan
Open tactical guide
In-game screenshot of Blue Shark encounter in How to Fish#03

Grill quest · Desert Island

Blue Shark

Use the $280 Standard Boss Lure and deliver the shark to the Grillmaster to unlock cooking.

Trigger
Standard Boss Lure
Route
Grillmaster
  • Buy Standard Boss Lure on Desert Island for $280.
  • Summon and defeat Blue Shark.
  • Bring the body to the Grillmaster.
Open tactical guide
In-game screenshot of Goblin Shark encounter in How to Fish#04

Optional · Volcano Island

Goblin Shark

The $5,800 Scientific Boss Lure summons this commonly missed Collector target.

Trigger
Scientific Boss Lure
Route
Collector
Open tactical guide