How to Fish Guide#
How to Fish launched on August 20, 2026, sold one million copies in two days, and topped the Steam global best-seller chart — the standout indie dark horse of the second half of 2026. It is a physics fishing game by the Swedish two-person team Dazed Games: a group of friends crashes their boat into an island while drunk, and to get home, you have to learn to fish.
This hub gathers the complete guide coverage for the game in one place, from beginner basics to 100% achievements, from the fish compendium to the economy system. Bookmark this page and come back to it any time.
Game Overview#
| Item |
Detail |
| Title |
How to Fish |
| Genre |
Physics fishing / online co-op / indie |
| Developer |
Dazed Games (a two-person team from Sweden) |
| Publisher |
Dazed Games |
| Release date |
August 20, 2026 |
| Platform |
PC (Steam) |
| Players |
1-4 (online co-op) |
| Languages |
16 languages including Simplified Chinese |
| Achievements |
28 Steam achievements |
| Reception |
Overwhelmingly positive on Steam (90%+ positive) |
| Price |
$7.99 USD, with a 38% launch discount |
What You Play#
| Activity |
What it is |
| Fishing |
Cast the rod, reel in, and drag fish ashore |
| Fish fighting |
Blast physically simulated fish into pieces with weapons |
| Selling |
Haul the catch up the beach, sell it, and buy gear |
| Missions |
Absurd quests that string the archipelago together |
| Bosses |
Giant-creature boss fights |
| Gambling |
Slot machines, roulette, risk and reward |
| Multiplayer |
Up to 4 players getting in each other’s way |
Hub Navigation#
The Chinese hub organizes its coverage into six groups: beginner basics (game overview, getting started, controls and interface); core systems (the fishing system, combat mechanics, economy and gambling); compendiums (weapons, fish, islands and regions); walkthroughs (bosses, missions, multiplayer); advanced play (achievements, tips, FAQ); and news (updates, a review, and the story behind the game’s breakout success). Every topic listed there is summarized in this hub.
Why This Game Is So Popular#
| Reason |
Why it works |
| Great to watch |
Fishing, fish-killing, and hauling are all physics-driven |
| Comedy material |
Friendly fire, seagulls stealing your catch, gambling yourself broke |
| Low entry barrier |
You can explain how to play in one sentence |
| Clip-friendly |
A few seconds of footage is enough for a short video |
| Friendly pricing |
The launch-discount price is an easy yes |
Quick Facts You Need#
| Point |
Detail |
| Getting started |
Pick up shells, sell them, and buy your first rod |
| Core loop |
Catch fish, kill fish, sell fish, upgrade gear |
| Teammates |
Teammates can revive you without limit |
| Island progress |
Unlocked through missions and boss kills |
| Risk |
Gambling can leave you penniless |
Getting Started in Five Steps#
Step 1: Meet Your Rod#
The game opens with almost nothing. Pick up shells on the beach and sell them for your first fishing rod. The rod’s mechanics are deliberately light — mostly “cast” and “pull the line” — the rhythm is fast, and there is no complicated ring-and-bar minigame wrapped around it.
| Milestone |
Goal |
| 0 minutes |
Pick up shells |
| 5 minutes |
Buy a rod |
| 15 minutes |
Land your first normal fish |
| 30 minutes |
Learn to process the catch with weapons |
Step 2: Learn to Kill Fish#
Once a fish is ashore it does not politely jump into your bag — it lands as a physical object, flops around, and can even leap back into the sea. Your post-catch routine has four moves: chase, strike, grab, and haul. Anything from bare fists to dynamite works as a weapon, so switch fast.
| Step |
Classic fail |
| Chasing |
The fish leaps back into the sea |
| Striking |
You hit a teammate instead |
| Grabbing |
A seagull makes off with the catch |
| Hauling |
A monster mugs you halfway |
Step 3: Sell Fish and Save Up#
Haul your catch to a selling point and cash it in. Rarer fish are worth more, and airborne kills pay a bonus. Money buys better rods, bait, boats, and weapons.
Step 4: Do Missions, Fight Bosses#
Island progression is driven by missions and boss fights. The lighthouse keeper’s beer has been stolen, a woman in the forest needs dinner, a tourist who cannot swim needs rescuing — these absurd missions walk you step by step toward more dangerous islands.
Step 5: Watch Your Teammates#
The core joy of co-op is the “incidents”: teammates shoot you by mistake, steal your catch, and push the team’s shared savings into the slot machine. Your squad is both your respawn point and your biggest source of chaos.
The Core Loop, Broken Down#
| Stage |
Input |
Output |
Risk |
| Fishing |
Casting + rhythm |
A catch (a physical body) |
The fish escapes back to sea |
| Processing |
Weapons + aim |
Meat / valuables |
Friendly fire |
| Selling |
Hauling + finding the spot |
Money |
Getting robbed en route |
| Shopping |
Money |
Gear upgrades |
Wasting money on the wrong thing |
| Progression |
Missions / bosses |
New islands |
Team wipe |
Who Is It For#
| Player type |
Verdict |
Why |
| Co-op groups |
Strongly recommended |
An incident generator |
| Stream viewers |
Strongly recommended |
Maximum watchability |
| Fishing-sim fans |
Proceed with caution |
Nothing like a traditional fishing simulator |
| Solo players |
Workable |
The difficulty leans hardcore |
| Casual players |
Bring a team |
Going lone wolf gets frustrating |
About This Guide#
All How to Fish content on NTGame is based on the launch build of August 20, 2026; future version updates will keep being added to the updates page on the Chinese hub, and for specific questions the FAQ page there is the first place to look.
| Section |
Best for |
| Beginner pages |
Your first two hours after download |
| Systems pages |
When you want to play seriously |
| Compendium pages |
When you are stuck or collecting |
| Walkthrough pages |
Pushing for the ending or 100% achievements |
Quick Answers to Common Questions#
| Question |
Answer |
| Is this a serious fishing simulator? |
No — the point is killing and selling fish |
| Can I play alone? |
Yes, but it is harder; co-op is recommended |
| Why do teammates hit me? |
Physics collisions and friendly fire are part of the design |
| What if I lose everything gambling? |
Teammates can revive you; start over |
| Is the final island really that hard? |
Yes — the community agrees it is the wall |
| How much does it cost? |
$7.99 USD, with a 38% discount during the launch window |
| Is there Chinese? |
Yes, a complete Simplified Chinese interface and subtitles |
| Are the system requirements high? |
Very low; integrated graphics can run it |
Small Tips Before You Set Sail#
| Category |
Tip |
| Weapons |
Press the prompt key before throwing dynamite — do not blow up teammates |
| Catch |
Fish corpses get snatched by seagulls; move fast |
| Economy |
Airborne kills pay an extra bonus |
| Gambling |
Slot machines are high risk; know your limits |
| Revives |
Revive each other — do not go it alone |
| Stuck |
Check the mission objective first, then look for NPCs |
Update Log#
| Date |
Update |
| 2026-08-30 |
Hub launched: a complete 20-page guide |
How to Fish Glossary#
| Term |
Meaning |
| Catch |
A hooked fish that lands as a physical body |
| Trading post |
Where you sell fish for money and buy equipment |
| Airborne kill |
Launch a fish into the air and shoot it for a bonus |
| Slot machine |
Casino play: high stakes, high risk |
| Roulette |
Casino play that can also temporarily raise fish prices |
| Elite |
A powerful creature that drops rare materials |
| Boss |
The giant end-of-island boss on each map |
| Mission |
An absurd-story-driven island unlock condition |
| Revive |
Teammates interact with a downed player to pick them up |
| Friendly fire |
Teammates damaging each other — a signature mechanic |
The One-Line Cheat Sheet#
| Situation |
One-liner |
| Broke |
Pick up shells, catch small fish, save up slowly |
| Under attack |
Open distance, switch weapons, kite forever |
| Downed |
Find a teammate — do not stay solo |
| Mission stuck |
Open the map and check the arrow |
| Want to get rich |
Rare fish + missions + moderate roulette |
How Current This Guide Is#
This hub is based on the launch build of August 20, 2026. The game is still updating at a high frequency; if anything here disagrees with what is live in-game, the in-game version wins, and the updates page on the Chinese hub keeps being corrected in sync.
- Dive or Die — a physics-driven co-op party game where teamwork collapses just as beautifully
- Dave the Diver — another take on fishing, with selling your catch and managing the money side at its core
- Lethal Company — the same recipe of cheap co-op, physical mishaps, and clip-worthy disasters
- Go-Go Town — a cozy town sim for when you want a calmer loop of earning and upgrading
- Shift at Midnight — a co-op job sim built on teamwork going hilariously wrong
- Bookshop Sim — a laid-back indie sim about running a small business and watching the income grow
Best Co-Op Games · Best Indie Games 2026 · Best Indie Games of All Time
Full Guides#
In-depth sub-guides — game overview, beginner basics, controls, the fishing system, combat, economy and gambling, the weapons and fish compendium, islands and regions, bosses, missions, multiplayer, achievements, tips, FAQ, updates, and a full review — are available in Chinese on NTGame’s How to Fish section.