# How to Fish Guide: Rare Fish Locations, Baits, and Map Unlock Strategies (Dazed Games) » Worldeka

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![How to Fish Guide: Rare Fish Locations, Baits, and Map Unlock Strategies (Dazed ](../media/4ff0e40f87_0.webp)
If you told me before playing How to Fish that I would spend this much time thinking about fishing spots, bait, line tension, and the exact angle of a cast, I probably would have laughed. Then I played it.
Dazed Games has somehow taken the relaxing idea of fishing and turned it into a ridiculous mixture of co-op chaos, physics-based fishing, combat, exploration, and gambling . One minute you’re calmly trying to hook something valuable; the next, you’re fighting an aggressive creature while your friend is screaming because the boat has somehow ended up halfway up a cliff.
And honestly? That’s exactly why I like it.
The basic progression in How to Fish is easy enough to understand. Catch fish, sell them, upgrade your equipment, explore new areas, and eventually work your way toward getting the boat back home. But once you start chasing the rare variants, the game becomes much more interesting.
Rare fish aren’t simply stronger versions of normal catches. Many require specific bait, particular locations, good positioning, and a little patience . Some also have nasty habits like pulling toward rocks or suddenly increasing line tension.
So, after spending far too much time experimenting with different fishing spots, here’s my practical How to Fish rare fish guide , focused on the locations, baits, and techniques that actually matter.

## What Makes Rare Fish Different?

The first thing I learned is that rare fishing isn’t really about throwing your line into the water and hoping for the best.
The game gives you several visual clues that can help identify better targets. The most obvious one is the color of the ripples.
Gold and orange ripples are the ones you want to watch for. They are usually the clearest indication that something special is waiting underneath.
However, don’t completely ignore strange-looking water. I have found that unusual splashes, bubbling, distorted water, and other environmental details can sometimes be more interesting than a perfectly obvious fishing spot.
My advice is simple: slow down and look at the water before casting. It sounds obvious, but when you’re playing with three other people and everything has turned into chaos, it’s surprisingly easy to miss.

## The Most Important Rare Fishing Mechanic: Line Tension

This is probably the mechanic that causes the most frustration when you’re starting out.
Rare fish fight much harder than regular catches. If you constantly reel without giving the fish room to move, your tension climbs rapidly and eventually the line snaps.
The best technique is to alternate between pulling and releasing pressure .
When the tension starts getting dangerous, stop winding and allow the line to relax. Once the fish settles down, start pulling again.
This becomes especially important around rocks, docks, cliffs, and shallow terrain.

### Watch Your Position

A strong fish is already difficult enough without giving it the environment as another weapon.
Try to stand somewhere with a clear casting angle and plenty of room behind you. Rocks, dock supports, shallow ground, and other obstacles can turn a successful catch into an instant line break.
I personally prefer elevated rocks or open sandy areas whenever possible. It gives me much better control over the direction of the line.
And don’t forget your weapons.
Some rare fishing attempts can attract hostile creatures, so keeping a shotgun, rifle, or melee weapon ready can save an otherwise successful catch.

## Starter Island Rare Fish

The first island isn’t just a tutorial zone. If you have upgraded your basic equipment, you can already start hunting some interesting rare variants here.

### Golden Shad

The Golden Shad is one of the first rare catches worth actively searching for.
Best setup:
- Ripple: Gold
- Bait: Grubs
- Area: Far end of the wooden docks
- Direction: Toward deep open water
- Recommended Gear: Upgraded basic rod
Grubs can be collected by digging through the dry sandy areas of the island.
For the actual catch, head toward the far end of the docks and cast away from the shallow shoreline. The deeper water is where you want to concentrate your attention.
The Golden Shad has a much more aggressive fight than ordinary fish, so don’t panic when the tension starts climbing.
My tip: don’t try to win the entire fight in one continuous reel. Let the fish run, wait for the tension to settle, then pull again.

### Mechanical Octopus

This one is much more interesting visually, and it also has a nastier fighting pattern.
Best setup:
- Ripple: Deep blue/gold
- Bait: Heavy Metal Lure
- Area: Northern rocky overlook
- Target: Swirling water beneath the cliffs
The Heavy Metal Lure becomes available from the starter shop after completing the early quests.
Head toward the rocky overlook on the northern side of the island and look for the swirling foam underneath the cliffs.
The problem here isn’t simply landing the fish. The Mechanical Octopus likes moving horizontally, which means it can drag your line toward the surrounding rocks.
Keep your line angle clean. If you see the fish pulling toward jagged terrain, adjust your position rather than trying to overpower it.

## Sunken Valleys: Fishing Against the Current

Once you’ve defeated the first island boss, the game opens up considerably.
The Sunken Valleys replace the calmer coastal environment with rivers, waterfalls, and fast-moving water. This is where fishing starts feeling much more like a skill challenge.

### Legendary Steelhead Trout

This is one of the catches I enjoyed the most because the environment itself becomes part of the fight.
Location: Main waterfall pool
Bait: Special River Lure
Ripple: Gold
Look for the broken rocks facing the main waterfall. You’ll want to stand on the stable platform and cast toward the large boulder in the middle of the rushing water.
The Steelhead Trout fights against the current, so constantly pulling is a terrible idea.
Instead, watch its movement.
Reel when the fish stops jumping.
When it starts fighting aggressively, back off and allow the line to recover. The waterfall makes this encounter particularly punishing if you get impatient.

### Deep Pool Perch

The Deep Pool Perch is another gold-ripple target, but finding the correct casting position is more important than brute force.
Recommended bait: Grubs or Small Minnow Lures
Head toward the northeast side of the deep valley pool. Across the water, you’ll notice a collection of dead, partially submerged trees.
Find the flat rock along the shoreline and cast toward those trees, aiming for the deeper channel rather than the shallow edge.
This is one of those catches where casting distance actually matters , so don’t be afraid to take a few seconds to line up the shot.

## Crimson Reefs and the Seapost Outposts

The Crimson Reefs are where the game really starts throwing everything at you.
You’ve got dangerous waters, aggressive creatures, merchant outposts, and considerably more valuable fish.
The Seaposts are particularly useful landmarks. Their large glowing lanterns make them relatively easy to identify from a distance.

### Giant Pufferfish

The Giant Pufferfish is one of those fish that looks like it should be harmless until you actually hook it.
It isn’t.
Best bait: Special Swamp Lure or Leeches
Ripple: Gold
Location: Deep trench around the outer Seapost perimeter
The difficult part is that the fish can move unpredictably. Once hooked, it can also inflate, causing a huge increase in line tension.
The trick is to avoid fighting its inflated phase .
Keep your reel speed around medium and wait for it to deflate before applying serious pressure.
Trying to force it while inflated is basically asking the game to snap your line.

### Crimson Musky

The Crimson Musky is another valuable target and one of my favorite spots because the location itself is easy to remember.
Travel toward the lighthouse on the eastern edge of the map. However, don’t try fishing directly from the lighthouse platform.
Instead, swim toward the small collection of isolated rocks just south of the structure.
From there, face toward the opposite mainland shore and cast into the deep channel.
Once you land the Crimson Musky, you’ll need to transport it to the Hunter’s Call merchant at the nearest Seapost to receive your reward.
This is a good example of how How to Fish makes rare fishing more interesting than simply pressing a button and waiting.

## Rare Fish Locations at a Glance

## How I Farm Rare Fish Efficiently

Once you know the locations, the next question is how to make the process profitable.
The easiest mistake is treating every rare fish as a one-off collectible. If you’re trying to build up money for better weapons, rods, and specialized bait, you want to turn rare fishing into a repeatable routine.

### 1. Don’t Ignore Trick Shots

How to Fish rewards ridiculous creativity.
Performing trick shots, such as casting while jumping from a height or throwing a line from a moving boat, can increase your payout when the fish is successfully landed.
Personally, I wouldn’t build an entire farming strategy around this, but combining trick shots with already valuable rare catches can make a noticeable difference .

### 2. Use Co-Op Properly

The game supports up to four players, and rare fishing is much easier when everyone has a job.
One player can focus entirely on fishing while another watches for enemies. A third player can help manage the boat or collect supplies.
This sounds unnecessarily organized until a rare fish is almost landed and some hostile creature decides that the angler looks delicious.
Then suddenly the second player with a shotgun becomes the most important member of the team.

### 3. Gamble When You’re Short on Cash

The gambling mechanics are one of the weirdest parts of How to Fish , but they can be useful if you’re stuck without enough money for better equipment.
Common and uncommon fish can be taken to casino hubs and gambled for potentially better rewards.
Just don’t gamble everything you own.
It’s a fun side mechanic, but I wouldn’t recommend sacrificing your entire fishing budget because you got greedy on one lucky roll.

### 4. Pay Attention to Weather and Time

Some rare variants can become more noticeable during environmental changes.
If a storm moves in or the world transitions toward nighttime, check deeper sections of the current biome again.
This is especially useful when you’re already in the correct region but can’t find the gold ripple you’re looking for.
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## My Biggest Advice for Rare Fish Hunting

After spending time with the game, my biggest recommendation is not to rush through the islands simply because you can unlock the next area .
Take some time to learn each biome.
Look at the water.
Experiment with bait.
Try different casting distances.
And most importantly, learn how the fish reacts to tension.
How to Fish is at its best when you stop treating it like a checklist and start experimenting. The game is deliberately chaotic, and some of the funniest moments happen when a perfectly planned fishing trip immediately goes wrong.
At the same time, there is a surprisingly satisfying layer of depth underneath all that madness. Once you understand the ripple system, bait requirements, environmental clues, and line mechanics, rare fishing becomes much less frustrating.
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## Final Thoughts

How to Fish by Dazed Games is one of those indie games that I expected to play casually and ended up taking much more seriously than I probably should.
The combination of fishing, combat, exploration, gambling, and ridiculous physics gives it a personality that a traditional fishing simulator simply doesn’t have.
If your goal is to complete the collection log or make serious money, don’t just throw your line into every piece of water you see. Watch for gold ripples, bring the correct bait, choose your casting position carefully, and manage tension instead of constantly reeling.
The Starter Island gives you an introduction to rare hunting, the Sunken Valleys test your ability to fish against environmental pressure, and the Crimson Reefs start demanding much more careful preparation.
And honestly, that’s what keeps me coming back.
There are plenty of polished games that I forget about after finishing them. How to Fish isn’t one of them. It’s messy, strange, occasionally ridiculous, and surprisingly satisfying when you finally land a rare catch after watching that tension bar flirt with disaster for what feels like five straight minutes.
If you’re chasing every rare fish, take your time, learn the water, and don’t panic when the line starts screaming. That’s usually when the fun begins.

## How to Fish | Release Date Trailer