Guide coverage: patches through 1.0.12
How to Fish: Needlefish — Bait, Island & Price
Needlefish is the Desert Island quest catch: the tourist trades a Carrot for a normal (non-Drip) endangered Needlefish, Seahorse or Bowlfish, and that Carrot is what summons the Pufferfish.
| Island | 3. Desert |
|---|---|
| Bait | Standard Lure ($15) |
| Base sale price | $60 |
| Base weight | 0.0001 kg |
| Health | 130 HP |
| Fights back | No, it does not attack players |
| Endangered | No |
| Quest creature | Yes — keep it for an island hand-in |
How to catch Needlefish
- Sail to Desert Island — the third island in the fixed order Lighthouse → Forest → Desert → Rocks → Volcano.
- Equip the Standard Lure ($15, lost 30% of the time when the hook is emptied) on the Fishing Rod and cast into Desert Island water.
- The catch only counts for the trade if it is a normal variant. Drip (真・潮系) reskins are rejected even though the game shows them with rainbow catch text.
- Hand it to the tourist NPC, take the Carrot ($100 if bought, always consumed on the Pufferfish), and keep the Carrot for the boss fight.
What Needlefish is for
It is the gate to the Pufferfish fight. Without the Carrot there is no way to summon the third story boss, so a Needlefish is worth holding on to even though it only sells for $60.
Common mistakes
- Selling it before the trade. $60 is a bad trade for the only route to the Pufferfish.
- Handing in a Drip / 真・潮系 Needlefish. The tourist only accepts the ordinary skin, so check the catch text before swimming over.
Quick answers
Can I trade a Drip Needlefish for the Carrot?
No. The desert trade only accepts a normal Seahorse, Needlefish or Bowlfish. Drip is a rare reskin, roughly 1% when hooked, and it is explicitly excluded from this trade.
Which bait catches Needlefish?
Standard Lure ($15). It is one of ten creatures on that lure, so expect other Desert catches before the Needlefish appears.
Needlefish on Desert Island
Needlefish is listed under island 3 in the five-island campaign order. The island walkthrough covers the local quest, the shop stock, and the boss you have to beat before the next island opens. Full Desert walkthrough