How to Beat the Pufferfish Boss in How to Fish

To beat Pufferfish, catch an endangered fish accepted by the Island 3 tourist with a Standard Lure, trade it for a Carrot, and use the Carrot to summon the boss. Then it is all movement: circle trees and the merchant hut, shoot when it overshoots a turn, and return the Pufferfish Fin to the tourist.

Get the Carrot and summon Pufferfish

1. Accept the beach tourist’s endangered-fish request on Island 3.
2. Buy the island’s new fishing rod ($3) and a Standard Lure ($15), then fish with the Standard Lure.
3. Before selling anything, press F to examine the catch. Only hand it over once it shows the “endangered creature” label.
4. Give that fish to the tourist and keep the Carrot you receive.
5. Equip the Carrot as boss bait and cast in the Island 3 water.

Needlefish, Bowlfish and Seahorse all count as endangered, but the accepted list can change with an update, so follow the active quest text and do not sell a likely match early.

Recommended preparation

• Bring an upgraded SMG (about $650, priced by PC Gamer) with magazine or control improvements.
• Carry healing and enough ammunition for a longer second phase.
• Choose an area with several solid obstacles and room to move between them; the merchant hut loop works well.
• Keep the Fin after the fight; do not sell or cook the progression item.

Patch 1.0.4 officially nerfed Pufferfish, but the developer did not publish exact HP or phase thresholds. The loadout and movement advice here comes from current guide testing and player footage, not an official “best build.”

Fight strategy

Pufferfish moves quickly in a straight line but turns slowly. Backpedal around a tree or solid obstacle, fire during the turn, and move to the next obstacle before it closes the gap. It grows every time you hit it and is easiest to dodge at around half health; once it is huge it also gets stuck on the merchant hut corner. Avoid a tiny circle: collision physics can push you into its path, and never stand still — most failures are three seconds of standing.

After roughly half the fight, Pufferfish leaves persistent purple poison clouds. Expand the loop and stop reusing contaminated ground. Keep shooting during wide turns rather than standing inside the cloud for extra damage.

Explosives can shorten the fight, but they can also injure you after Patch 1.0.11. They are optional, not required.

If you die or the island does not unlock

If the attempt fails, repeat the tourist exchange to obtain another Carrot. After winning, identify the Pufferfish Fin and deliver it to the tourist. A kill alone does not update the Radar or unlock the next destination.

For the complete route, use the island progression guide. The dedicated video above shows this encounter rather than a general boss compilation.

Sources：

• GamesRadar Pufferfish guide
• PC Gamer Pufferfish guide
• Steam Community discussion
• and Finnybarr’s encounter video
• checked 2026-09-20.