How to Fish Equipment - Rods, Bait & Weapons

Fish distribution in How to Fish is decided by island x bait tier, so bait is the real progression gate — not rods. Only two rods exist and most islands need just the standard Fishing Rod. Weapons follow a fixed buy order: Radar ($10) first, then Dynamite ($25), then the Shotgun (about $150) on Island 2.

💡 Each island's local store sells the matching bait tier — buying locally is the fastest way to avoid an empty hook. Bosses ignore this rule and need their own special bait.

The Crab Fishing Rod only matters on the Lighthouse, plus one exception on Island 2 (Piranha with a Hot Dog). From Island 2 onward the standard Fishing Rod handles all regular fishing — the bait tier does the heavy lifting.

• Crab Fishing Rod — required for all Lighthouse fishing; on Island 2 only the Piranha needs it (paired with a Hot Dog).
• Fishing Rod (standard) — every regular catch from Island 2 through the Volcano.

Ordinary lures are purchased in the store; special boss lures are mostly quest rewards and cannot be bought. The correct lure must be used to summon the corresponding boss — a store lure will never summon the Giant Piranha.

• Quest-only baits: Empty Beer Can (Spider Crab), Modified Leech (Giant Piranha), Carrot (Pufferfish), Fish Bucket (Bowhead Whale).
• Purchasable boss lures: Beginner/Standard/Professional/Scientific Boss Lure at the matching island store.
• Scientific Lure (about $500) covers the volcanic zone; Standard Boss Lure (about $280) unlocks the grill via the Blue Shark.

The developer has not published a damage table, so the order below comes from player-tested guides. Buy according to your current bottleneck: melee if close-range fights drag, long-range if bosses reach you while reloading.

💡 Skins from the Reel of Fortune are purely cosmetic — damage comes from ammo upgrades and attachments, so concentrate attachments on one main weapon (the "Fully equipped" achievement requires a single fully-equipped gun).

• Never sell quest loot (Skeleton, Fin, Trophy, etc.) — they gate island progression.
• Defeat the Blue Shark on Island 3 to unlock the grill: cooked fish sells for about 1.5x, covering the pricier Island 4/5 bait.
• Before using a boss lure, stock weapons, healing and upgraded ammunition — the boss appears immediately.