How to Fish Walkthrough: All 5 Islands & Full Progression

The full route is Lighthouse → Island 2 Forest → Island 3 Desert → Island 4 Rocks → Island 5 Volcano → mainland ending. The shortest reliable run follows the active NPC request and carries every named boss body or trophy back before selling or cooking anything.

Getting started and controls

Learn movement, interaction, pickup, casting and reeling in the Lighthouse area. Sell ordinary catches, but keep every item named by a quest. Buy food and one dependable ranged weapon before a boss. For co-op, assign one player to carry quest items and one to watch the white boss escape bar.

Island 1 walkthrough: Lighthouse

Complete the Lighthouse Keeper’s opening request, use the Empty Beer Can to trigger Spider Crab, defeat it and return the requested proof. Take the boat key, buy the handheld Radar for $10, equip it, and follow the green marker northwest. These are separate steps; the key does not automatically grant the Radar.

Island 2 walkthrough: Forest

Accept the lake woman’s 3/3 request. The three leeches are ground pickups in the grass: look down for the E prompt. Trade them for the Modified Leech, summon Giant Piranha, and return its distinct skeleton. Free Lure, Beginner Lure and Beginner Boss Lure serve other catches; none replaces the story bait.

Island 3 walkthrough: Desert

Use Standard Lure for the ordinary pool. Complete the tourist’s Needlefish/swimming request to receive the Carrot, use the Carrot to summon Pufferfish, break line of attack around trees or terrain, then return its fin. Starting the grill is useful side progression but does not unlock Island 4.

Island 4 walkthrough: Rocks

Bring Professional-tier equipment. Use the Professional Boss Lure for Tuna, leave the Tuna body intact, and use that body to attract Albatross. Take cover during its aerial drop/rain sequence, attack in the recovery window, and return the required head to the island NPC.

Island 5 walkthrough: Volcano and final boss

Work with the scientist to obtain the Fish Bucket, summon Bowhead Whale, and preserve the whole body. Throw that body into the volcano to trigger Mutated Bowhead Whale. Avoid the lava landing zones, bring healing, return the final fin, then use the military boat/RHIB route toward the mainland to reach the ending.

Boat upgrades and best order

Upgrade only when travel or combat is the current bottleneck. One engine upgrade earns Getting an upgrade; the highest tier earns I am speed. Strong weapons make cleanup and the 10-second boss achievement faster, but no purchase substitutes for a missing trophy hand-in.

If the Radar does not update

Check the active request, exact bait, intended boss, named drop and receiving NPC in that order. Patch 1.0.5 officially removed the old locked-island travel bug, so a route from an early speedrun video may no longer work.

Sources: How to Fish on Steam, official Patch 1.0.5 notes, multiple current island walkthroughs and Steam Community reports, checked 2026-08-27.