How to Fish Beginner's Guide: First Hour Walkthrough
Updated 2026-08-24
Start your How to Fish adventure the right way: learn the Lighthouse loop, get your first rod, defeat the Spider Crab, and unlock the boat.
What kind of game is How to Fish?
How to Fish is a 1-4 player physics-based fishing action game from Dazed Games, released on Steam (App 4001890) on August 20, 2026. After a boating accident you wash up at a Lighthouse with no gear. The core loop is simple: catch a creature, fight or kill it, sell the result, and use the money to buy better rods, weapons, and boat upgrades. Quests and boss trophies unlock new islands with tougher creatures and stronger equipment. It is closer to a chaotic party game than a calm fishing simulator, especially in co-op.
Step 1: Learn the Lighthouse loop
Talk to the Lighthouse Keeper to learn the basics. Pick up clams from the ground and eat them to satisfy your hunger. Throw extra clams at the Lighthouse Keeper using the cue button; he pays you for them. Your first purchase should be the Basic Fishing Rod for $3. Equip it, cast with the Free Lure, and catch small creatures like Rock Crabs and Shrimp. These early catches are weak enough to kill without a weapon and give you the cash you need for the next upgrades.
Step 2: Buy a weapon and sharpen it
Once you have a little money, buy a Knife from the Lighthouse Keeper. Brass Knuckles are also available, but the Knife is the preferred early weapon because it can be upgraded. Use the anvil at the Lighthouse door to sharpen the Knife until it reaches 20 damage. This is the breakpoint where you can comfortably handle bigger catches and start earning faster.
Step 3: Summon and defeat the Spider Crab
Buy a Beer Can and feed it to the Lighthouse Keeper. He will return the Empty Beer Can, which works as a lure for the first boss. Cast it near the Lighthouse to summon the Spider Crab. Bait it into a charged attack, sidestep to make it miss, then strike while it is stunned. Do not chase it too far or it will jump and reset progress. Keep an eye on the white bar under its health; if it empties, the boss escapes. Once it dies, feed the meat to the Lighthouse Keeper to receive the boat keys. Buy the Radar for $10 before leaving.
Step 4: Sail to the Forest Island
With the boat keys, sail northwest to the Forest Island. This is where the game opens up: more species, the Shotgun, Dynamite, and the second boss, the Giant Piranha. Save up for the Shotgun if you can; it is widely reported as one of the best weapons in the game. Talk to the lady by the lake and collect five leeches from the island floor to advance her quest.
Common beginner mistakes
Do not sell every item immediately. Bosses drop distinctive trophy pieces that quest givers want, not ordinary meat chunks. If a hand-in fails, check your inventory for the unusual-shaped drop. Do not ignore hunger: clams are free food. Do not waste money on Dynamite early on; the Knife and Shotgun are enough. Finally, remember that co-op scales the chaos, so agree on roles if you are playing with friends.
Sources
Steam store page for How to Fish (Dazed Games / Valve, accessed 2026-08-24) — game identity, features, platforms, screenshots. Destructoid 'Complete How to Fish game walkthrough' (accessed 2026-08-24) — Lighthouse and Forest Island walkthrough, boss tactics. How to Fish Game Wiki (accessed 2026-08-24) — achievement names and early-game progression notes.
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开局最实用的 10 条小技巧，少走弯路。