Guide coverage: patches through 1.0.12
How to Fish: How Many Islands? All Five, in Order
The main story has five islands and no side islands. The order is fixed: Lighthouse → Forest → Desert → Rocks → Volcano. Complete the current island’s objective and hand in the correct quest item before the radar will show the next destination. The ending starts after you sail home from Volcano Island.
The island names used by this guide describe each location’s most recognizable feature. The game does not display official map names for these islands.
| Order | Island guide | Boss guide | Objective required to continue | Required quest item |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighthouse | Spider Crab | Defeat the Spider Crab and give its shell to the lighthouse keeper. He will give you the boat keys. | Give the Spider Crab shell to the lighthouse keeper. Meat chunks do not complete the objective. |
| 2 | Forest | Giant Piranha | Find 3 leeches, exchange them for leech bait, defeat the Giant Piranha, give its skeleton to the woman, and take the flash drive containing the next island’s coordinates. | Give the Giant Piranha skeleton to the woman. Meat chunks do not complete the objective. |
| 3 | Desert | Pufferfish | Exchange an endangered creature for a carrot, use it to summon the Pufferfish, and give the Pufferfish fin to the seated tourist. | Give the small Pufferfish fin to the seated tourist. Meat chunks and drip variants do not complete the objective. |
| 4 | Rocks | Albatross | Catch a Tuna with the Professional Boss Lure, use the defeated Tuna to summon the Albatross, and give the Albatross head to the person inside the shop. | Give the small Albatross head to the person inside the shop. Use the boat if the head lands offshore. |
| 5 | Volcano | Bowhead Whale | Complete the five-creature request to receive the Fish Bucket, defeat the Bowhead Whale, throw its body into the crater, defeat the mutated whale, give the Whale Fin to the research NPC, and sail home. | Pick up the Whale Fin dropped by the mutated whale and give it to the research NPC. Meat chunks do not complete the objective. |
Quick answers
How many islands are in How to Fish?
Five, in a fixed order. There is no sixth playable island on the radar.
Does the game name the islands?
No official map names are shown. This guide uses Lighthouse, Forest, Desert, Rocks, and Volcano from each island’s scenery.
Does earning money unlock the next island?
No. Hand in the correct boss quest item so the radar shows the next destination, then travel by boat.
What each island is for
1. Lighthouse
Pick clams, buy the Crab Fishing Rod, trade beer for an Empty Beer Can, defeat the Spider Crab, hand in the shell for boat keys, and buy the $10 Radar.
2. Forest
Find 3 leeches on vegetated ground — not in the swamp, and not 5. Trade them for Leech Bait, defeat the Giant Piranha, and hand in the skeleton.
3. Desert
Trade a non-Drip endangered Seahorse, Needlefish, or Bowlfish for a Carrot, defeat the Pufferfish, and hand in the small fin. A Blue Shark unlocks the grill.
4. Rocks
Catch a Tuna with Professional Boss Lure, place it on the grass to summon the Albatross, and hand in the head. Lucky Bait Casino on the hill is optional and does not unlock the next island.
5. Volcano
Deliver five creatures for the Fish Bucket, defeat the Bowhead Whale, throw it into the crater, defeat the mutated whale, hand in the Whale Fin, and sail home.