FAQ
The questions chat answers every single day
Is How to Fish really about fishing?
About one third of it. The rod is the opening act; survival management, improvised weapons and a suspiciously lucrative casino carry the rest.
Can I play solo?
Yes — the game scales swarm sizes and boss health, but the community consensus is that a 3–4 person crew makes Island 3 dramatically less painful.
What should I buy first?
The bright spinner lure, then the second grill slot, then the shotgun. Lures pay for weapons, never the reverse — the full order is in the Arsenal & Lures guide.
Where is the save file?
Under your local app data folder in the game's directory (AppData/LocalLow on Windows). Copy the whole folder somewhere safe before experimenting — the Fix-It Desk has exact steps.
Do fish despawn if I leave them hooked?
Hooked fish never despawn, but they tire and escape chance rises after about 90 seconds. Parked schools, however, do rotate — dock parking spots are first-come, first-served.
How do I catch the Drippy Urchin?
Golden hook, Island 4 reef shelf, and the charm slot empty. It only spawns while you are not actively looking at the water — the community remains furious about this.
Is Hard mode worth it?
Payouts run about 40% fatter and two achievements live there. Swarm pressure also arrives a day early, so only bring Hard mode once the shotgun purchase is muscle memory.
Is this site official?
No. HowToFish Hub is a fan-made reference, not affiliated with the developer. It exists because the community kept answering the same six questions in chat every day.