Fishing holds a special place in every gamer’s heart even though we know very few have actually done it in real life. Many games over the years have tried to incorporate fishing mechanics into their games, and some have even taken on the complete mantle of developing full-fledged fishing games since fishing brings with it a sense of calm and tranquility that only a few chosen in-game activities can.
Today in this article, we’ll take a look at some of the best fishing games, or games that have the best fishing mini-games in them, currently available to play that players can look to sink countless hours into and try to master the delightful yet challenging art of catching fresh fish straight from its source.
So, without much ado, let us dive into the article and learn the best fishing games to play today.
(Please Note: Before we begin, as mentioned earlier, it is worth reiterating that a few games in the list mentioned below aren’t out-an-out fishing games, but we have still decided to include them as they do have very well-put-together fishing mini-games in them that players can indulge in)
Best Fishing Games Content List
1) Dredge
| Developer | Black Salt Games |
| Publisher | Team 17 |
| Release Date | 30 March 2023 |
| Platform | PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S |
Dredge is a single-player focused fishing-adventure game with underlying horror elements in which players take control of a trawler who is stranded near a collection of remote islands called the Marrows and must take part in a variety of activities like exploration, questing, and fishing to try and survive in this hostile environment, all while trying to avoid the eerie, mystical entities looking to instill fear and panic in them.
Fishing plays an important part in this game as it is through it that players will earn money to advance in this game.
Players will be required to sell whatever fish or valuable items they can harvest from the ocean to enable them to enhance their trawlers by buying upgrades in the form of a faster engine, a larger fishing new, a more versatile fishing rod, more storage on the deck, etc.
The game becomes exponentially more difficult during the nighttime as that is when most of the eerie entities come out to play and try to consume the players.
On the flip side, fishing during the night allows players to fish and harvest nasty-looking variants of the fish found during the day, and they sell for a lot more too.
Players will look to harvest around 125 varieties of fish in this game. Along with collecting various other deep-sea treasures and scrap while dredging through the area to make some extra income on the side
If you are into fishing games that have intriguing underlying horror elements to them, then this game is a must-try for you.
2) Fishing North Atlantic
| Developer | Misc Games |
| Publisher | Misc Games |
| Release Date | 16 October 2020 |
| Platform | PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S |
Fishing North Atlantic is a commercial fishing simulator in which players play as the captain of a fishing vessel as it makes its way through the Canadian Nova Scotia region.
This game aims to provide its players with the most authentic commercial fishing experience they can hope to get by electing to design the game’s gameplay elements based on real-life maps, fish species, and boat varieties.
Players can utilize various useful fishing methods like Harpooning, crabbing, trawling, etc., depending on the type of fish they wish to catch.
Additionally, players will unlock and utilize around 29 varieties of fishing to suit their fishing needs and playstyles, with each boat having its unique characteristics, strengths, and limitations that players must be mindful of.
Moreover, a variety of fish species are available to be caught in this game, like Tuna, Lobster, Mackerel, Swordfish, and many more, but players must ensure they always use the right equipment for the right type of fish.
To ensure that the changing weather does not hamper their fishing plans, players have a handy advanced weather system that they can occasionally consult always to be prepared for what’s to come.
3) Dave The Diver
| Developer | MINTROCKET |
| Publisher | MINTROCKET |
| Release Date | 28 June 2023 |
| Platform | Nintendo Switch, PC, macOS, Mac Operating Ssystems |
Dave the Diver is a 2-D, single-player, deep-sea exploration, adventure game in which players take on the role of deep-sea diver Dave, as he does deep-sea exploration and fishing during the day, and manages an exotic sushi bar at night.
In this game, players will get the ultimate experience of deep-sea diving by diving into a blue hole, which is jam-packed with different types of fish species, each distinct from the other.
To catch these fish, however, players will need to research and develop various tools and equipment that will help them harvest the fish in the best state possible.
Trying to harvest a fish with the incorrect tool will almost always yield a poor quality of fish, whereas harvesting them with the appropriate equipment will reward players with the best quality harvest.
One major element players will also have to be mindful of in this game, apart from the tools and the weapons, is the oxygen meter.
At the beginning of the game, oxygen will get consumed at an accelerated pace, as a result, players will have to come out of the water sooner, but as players progress further into the game and unlock more upgrades, they will be able to spend longer underwater, and as a result, will be able to harvest more fish.
The fish that the players harvest during the day will be used to create exquisite delicacies at night in Dave’s Sushi bar.
Higher-quality fish will result in more premium dishes being prepared, which in turn will be sold to the customer for a higher price, so players must always procure the highest quality of fish possible to make their ventures in the Blue Hole worthwhile.
4) Red Dead Redemption 2
| Developer | Rockstar Games |
| Publisher | Rockstar Games |
| Release Date | 26 October 2018 |
| Platform | PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Google Stadia, PC |
Red Dead Redemption 2 is an action-adventure game set in a fictional timeline in the United States, around the 1890s, when the outlaw period was coming to an end in the Wild West.
Players take on the role of outlaw group member Arthur Morgan in this game, as he tries to help the van der Lined gang survive various challenges like evading the government forces, battling rival gang families, and much more.
It must be quite apparent that this is no fishing game, but it does have one of the most intricate fishing mechanics in it that even quite a few well-reputed fishing game series have yet to implement in their games.
To begin with, fishing is not outright available in Red Dead Redemption 2. It has to be unlocked by progressing in the game’s main storyline. Once players cross that threshold in the game, they will have a fishing rod available to select from their radial menu.
Although the entire fishing process is quite straightforward in this game, some aspect players will surely have to be mindful of is the kind of bait they are using to catch fish.
There is a surprising number of bait players can collect in this game, largely because different varieties of fish can only be caught by using a particular type of bait.
So, if you are someone who’s looking for an extremely detailed, story-driven game that also happens to have realistic fishing mini-games in it, then Red Dead Redemption 2 is a game you definitely must try out.
5) Russian Fishing 4
| Developer | FishSoft LLC |
| Publisher | FishSoft LLC |
| Release Date | 11 November 2021 |
| Platform | GeForce Now, PC, macOS |
Russian Fishing 4 is a realistic fishing simulation game with quite a few RPG elements in place to give players the ultimate joy of becoming an experienced fisherman from a budding novice.
The gameplay loop of this game is quite straightforward, with players starting off with a basic collection of rods and baits. As they progress further into the game and keep catching more unique varieties of fish, the more they earn from it.
The money they earn from catching all the different varieties can then be used to buy better fishing gear and bait.
At the time of writing this article, the game offers players around 17 unique reservoirs, each with their distinct weather conditions and fish varieties.
Moreover, players will be able to capture and harvest more than 190 different fish species, and according to the game’s official page on Steam, more species will be added to the game at regular intervals.
To catch the different varieties of fish in the game, players will be able to invest in more modernized equipment to help them fish more efficiently.
The weather will, once again, play a pivotal role in this game as well as it will dictate what kinds of fish are available to be caught and which aren’t, so if players are looking to reel in a particular variety of fish, it is advisable to do a little research on their behaviors and patterns.
6) Far Cry 6
| Developer | Ubisoft Toronto, Ubisoft Montreal, Ubisoft Kyiv, Ubisoft Shanghai, Ubisoft Berlin |
| Publisher | Ubisoft |
| Release Date | 7 October 2021 |
| Platform | PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Google Stadia, Amazon Play |
Far Cry 6 is a first-person, action-adventure game that takes on a fictional tropical island of Yara in which players take on the role of a revolutionary by the name of Dani Rojas as he/she tries to bring the dictatorship of Anton Castillo to its knees.
Coming to the game’s fishing, it does not play a pivotal role as it does in more fishing-centric games, but that is not to say that it doesn’t have its perks.
Fishing is one of the most relaxing aspects of this game as it isn’t overly technical like in other fishing simulation games available in the market today, which makes it very accessible to casual players, and also allows them the time to learn all the intricacies regarding the other fishing elements like the rods and baits, in a more relaxed manner.
The game employs a pressure mechanism during the fishing mini-game where players must maneuver their fishing rods accordingly to reel the fish in whenever a fish takes the bait and bites the line.
To let players know whether they are applying the right kind of pressure on the line or not, the line on the rod changes colors. If there is a blue glow on the line, it means the correct amount of pressure is being applied, and soon, the fish will be caught if it continues to be reeled in in this fashion.
A red glow on the line, however, indicates that there is too much pressure on the line from both the fish’s and the player’s sides. If the players don’t change the direction of their line immediately and keep persisting, then the line will eventually snap, and the fish will escape.
7) Fishing Planet
| Developer | Fishing Planet LLC |
| Publisher | Fishing Planet LLC |
| Release Date | 11 August 2015 |
| Platform | PlayStation 4, Android, PC, Linux, Xbox One, Mac Operating Systems |
Fishing Planet is an ultra-realistic, free-to-play, online multiplayer fishing simulation game that aims to provide its players with the ultimate fishing experience.
In this game, players will be able to catch more than 170 different types of fish. Each variety of fish reacts to the world around them with the help of a complex AI-driven mechanism that alters their behavior depending on not only the season and climate they are in but also the kind of biome, the water’s temperature, and many more intricate details.
Players will be able to fish in more than 25 unique scenic locations, each with their distinct weather conditions, temperature, air pressure, etc., which will directly impact not only the level of fish players will be able to catch in them but also how challenging the entire fishing process will be.
To make the fishing process a little easier, players will have access to a plethora of rods, reels, and lures, which they can utilize to catch the toughest of fish in the game.
Rods and reels will react naturally to the flow of the water stream they are cast in, adding a realistic complexity to the game.
Moreover, the same realism is applied to the lures and bait in the game as well, as each variety of fish is attracted to a particular kind of bait or lure, so players won’t be able to use a single lure or bait to catch all the fish species available in the game.
Also Read: Looking to play more relaxing games like these? Check out our list of some of the most relaxing games to play to sink countless hours into and have a great time.
8) Ultimate Fishing Simulator
| Developer | Bit Golem, Pancake Games, 3T Labs |
| Publisher | Ultimate Games S.A. |
| Release Date | 30 August 2018 |
| Platform | Nintendo Switch, PC, Android, iOS, Mac Operating Systems |
Ultimate Fishing Simulator is an in-depth fishing simulation game that provides players with a comprehensive fishing experience.
The main selling point of this game is that it promises players a catch on every line they cast in the water, something that most other games make players work hard for.
The game has two playable game modes that players can experience. The normal mode is designed specifically for players to freely enjoy all the game’s features without letting the ‘realism’ of real-world fishing affect their overall enjoyment.
To give the overall feel of the game a nice, relaxing touch, players are guaranteed to catch a fish on every line they cast, as fish bite the line regularly in this game mode.
Additionally, players who are looking for a more realistic, real-life fishing experience may want to select the ‘realistic mode’ in the options.
In this mode, fish will not bite the line as frequently as they would do in the normal mode, so players will have to prepare their lures, attach their baits, and keep patience, as they would have to do while fishing in real life.
9) Fishing Sim World: Pro Tour
| Developer | Dovetail Games |
| Publisher | Dovetail Games |
| Release Date | 18 September 2018 |
| Platform | PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC |
Fishing Sim World: Pro Tour is an authentic fishing simulation game that tries its best to give players a realistic fishing experience, and in our opinion, it largely succeeds in doing that, even with its few notable flaws.
In the game’s main campaign mode, players are pitted against 100+ other top-rated anglers in a fishing competition of sorts to try and compete with one another to become the best anglers in the world.
Players will initially start as an amateur in the fishing world, but as they keep catching fish, their experience will
Moreover, to add to the overall authenticity of the game, legendary angler Scott Martin and Ali Hamid, an accomplished Korda angler endorse it.
The players will hope to catch around 30 different fish species throughout the game, provided they possess the necessary skills, temperament, and equipment to do so.
The game also features a dedicated co-op multiplayer mode in which players can adjust the game’s settings a bit to have a chilled time fishing with their friends.
10) Call Of The Wild: The Angler
| Developer | Expansive World, Expansive World AB |
| Publisher | Expansive Worlds, Expansive Worlds AB, Avalanche Studios Group, Fatalist Entertainment AB, Avalanche Games India |
| Release Date | 31 August 2022 |
| Platform | PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox Cloud Gaming, PC, SteamOS |
Call of the Wild: The Angler is a relaxing fishing simulation game developed by none other than the team behind the ultra-realistic hunting simulation game, the Hunter: Call of the Wild.
In this game, players can visit some truly breathtaking locations like various hidden pons, peaceful lakes, and more.
Apart from these fishing spots, players will encounter various POIs (Points of Interest) in the game as well which will provide them with useful fishing tips and general lore regarding the location they are currently in.
Each area in this game is sprawling in size, so instead of walking long distances, players can opt to use a few alternatives in the form of boats or off-road vehicles to save precious minutes that can instead be utilized in fishing.
Each fish in the game has its own behavioral pattern that players must familiarize themselves with if they wish to catch them.
These behavioral patterns also dictate what kind of bait players will have to use to attract them, as different varieties of fish will require a range of bait to attract.
Moreover, to become a master angler, players will have to use a variety of tools and equipment like lures, rods, reels, and hooks, and even custom-build their equipment if they need to, to try to catch all the available fish species currently in the game.
Conclusion
That was it for our list of some of the best fishing games for players to play today to experience the ultimate joy of catching various varieties of fresh fish straight from their source.
Admittedly, fishing games are not everyone’s cup of tea since they require a particular technique and lots and lots of patience.
Many players may find the entire fishing process to be slow and tedious, but gamers who are fascinated by aquatic life in general and are wholeheartedly into it are comfortably capable of sinking countless hours into these types of games without breaking a sweat.
Some of the games on this list are still actively getting updates, so please do keep coming back to this post from time to time, not only to get the latest news and updates regarding the existing games on the list but also to check out the other new ones we’ll keep adding to it too, as and when they are released to the public.
