Guide coverage: patches through 1.0.9

Stuck?

If you cannot find the next objective or the next island does not appear on the radar, work through the three checks below. Start with the boss quest item, then check the radar, and finally confirm the required bait or summoning method.

1. Confirm the correct boss quest item

After a boss dies, it may leave ordinary meat and one unique quest item. The NPC only accepts the quest item: the Spider Crab shell, Giant Piranha skeleton, Pufferfish fin, or Albatross head. These items can be small and easy to miss. Do not sell them; pick them up and give them to the NPC who assigned the island quest.

2. Check the radar

On Lighthouse Island, obtain the boat keys and buy the Radar for $10. Hold the Radar to view its screen, and use the mouse buttons to change the zoom. The green marker shows the direction of the next island. Press Q to place the Radar on the boat before you start driving. After later island quests, the same Radar updates with the next destination.

If the Radar has disappeared from both your inventory and the boat, return to the Lighthouse shop and check whether you can buy another one. Rebuying it is a player workaround for missing-radar bugs and may not fix every save.

3. Check the bait and summoning method

If nothing bites, make sure the bait matches the island and use reeling when the bait requires it. Story bosses use different methods: Empty Beer Can for the Spider Crab, Leech Bait for the Giant Piranha, Carrot for the Pufferfish, Professional Boss Lure to catch the Tuna that summons the Albatross, and Fish Bucket for the Bowhead Whale.

Open the Rods & Bait page for compatible rods, bait, and catches.

Checklist by island

Island	Requirements to continue	Walkthrough
Lighthouse	Defeat the Spider Crab, give its shell to the lighthouse keeper, obtain the boat keys, and buy the Radar.	View guide
Forest	Collect 3 leeches on land, exchange them for Leech Bait, defeat the Giant Piranha, and hand in its skeleton.	View guide
Desert	Trade a non-drip endangered creature for a Carrot, defeat the Pufferfish, and give its fin to the tourist.	View guide
Rocks	Catch a Tuna with Professional Boss Lure, place it on the grass to summon the Albatross, defeat it, and hand in its head.	View guide
Volcano	Obtain the Fish Bucket, catch and defeat the Bowhead Whale, throw it into the crater, defeat the mutated whale, and take the military boat home.	View guide