How to Fish All Islands & Fish Pools
Every island, what fish it has, and how to unlock it.
How to Fish features multiple islands, each with unique fish pools, shops, environmental hazards, and boss encounters. You unlock new islands by defeating the boss fish on your current island. This guide covers every island in the game, including fish pools, shop inventories, and the best farming strategies.
Island Progression
Islands follow a linear progression path. You start on the first island and unlock each subsequent island by defeating its boss. Each new island introduces harder fish that sell for more coins, better gear in the shops, and tougher boss encounters.
Island 1: Starting Beach
- Unlock: Available from the start
- Fish Pool: Common and uncommon fish
- Shop: Basic rods, pistols, starter bait
- Boss: The First Guardian (tutorial boss)
- Notes: This is your tutorial area. Learn the mechanics here before moving on. The dock area is great for practicing basic casts.
Island 2: Rocky Cove
- Unlock: Defeat the First Guardian
- Fish Pool: Uncommon and rare fish
- Shop: Upgraded rods, shotguns, better bait
- Boss: The Deep Dweller
- Notes: First real challenge. The fish here sell for significantly more than Island 1. Rocky surfaces are perfect for trick shot practice.
Island 3: Tropical Bay
- Unlock: Defeat the Deep Dweller
- Fish Pool: Rare and legendary fish
- Shop: Mid-tier rods, assault rifles, explosives
- Boss: The Armored Beast
- Notes: Great farming spot. The combination of rare fish and good shops makes this a key grinding location for mid-game progression.
Island 4: Storm Island
- Unlock: Defeat the Armored Beast
- Fish Pool: Legendary and mythic fish
- Shop: High-tier rods, advanced weapons, premium explosives
- Boss: The Storm Lord
- Notes: Constant storm weather affects fishing mechanics and spawns unique rare variants. Some fish only appear during storms on this island.
Island 5+: Endgame Islands
- Unlock: Defeat previous island bosses
- Fish Pool: Mythic fish and ultra-rare variants
- Shop: Endgame gear with maximum stats
- Boss: Final boss encounters
- Notes: These islands require fully upgraded gear and coordinated co-op play. The rewards are the best in the game.
Best Farming Spots
Early Game: Island 1 Dock
The dock area on the starting island has a high density of common fish. Perfect for earning your first coins and upgrading your rod. Focus on basic casts and selling everything you catch.
Mid Game: Island 3 Coral Reef
The coral reef area on Tropical Bay spawns rare fish at a good rate. Combined with trick shots, this is one of the best mid-game farming spots. The coral surfaces are excellent for multi-bounce trick shots.
Late Game: Island 4 Deep Trench
The deep trench on Storm Island has the highest concentration of legendary and mythic fish. Requires endgame gear but offers the best coin-per-hour rate in the game. Storm weather increases rare variant spawns.
Island Tips
- Explore thoroughly — each island has hidden fishing spots with unique fish species
- Check the shop — inventory rotates and may have rare items on different visits
- Talk to NPCs — quests give bonus rewards and unlock hidden areas
- Watch for environmental hazards — some areas have aggressive fish or dangerous terrain
- Use boats strategically — boats let you reach offshore fishing spots with better fish
- Return to old islands — with better gear, you can catch fish that were previously too hard
Related Pages
- Fish Guide — All fish species and their locations
- Rare Variants — Rare fish by island with spawn conditions
- Boss Fights — Boss strategies per island
- Gear Hub — Best gear recommendations for each island