Sea of Stars: How to Fish

Fishing in Sea of Stars is a battle of attrition against the watery inhabitants of the various lakes and ponds littered throughout the world. With no initial instructions or a tutorial on how to actually set a line and reel in the big catch, it can become frustrating quickly. I broke numerous lines while trying to figure out how the minigame worked. Here’s how to fish in Sea of Stars.

How to Fish in Sea of Stars

You can start fishing in Sea of Stars almost immediately. After completing your training at Zenith Academy and making it through the Forbidden Cavern, you can visit Sunglow Lake. Situated on the left side of the map, this is the very first fishing spot you come across.

When you enter this fishing spot, there’s a merchant to the left and the fish sign to the right of the dock entrance. This placard shows you the fish that are available in the location. Those you haven’t caught yet aren’t filled in, while those you’ve hooked previously are shown with their name.

Fishing Controls

To cast your line, press the space bar on PC, A on Xbox, or X on PlayStation. Then press the appropriate button again when the line has gone as far as you want it. Use the A and D keys or control stick to move the line left and right. Your goal is to drop the bobber right on top of a fish so it will bite right away. Shadows in the water match the outline on the fish sign, so you can aim for ones you haven’t caught yet based on their silhouettes.

Once you’ve got one hooked, use the interact button to reel in the line. If it puts up a battle, position it in the lighter blue area of the water. This has a current that pushes toward you, which is extremely helpful for prey that’s harder to catch. For easier fish, it reduces the amount of time you need to watch the line.

While reeling in your prize, continue to use the A and D keys or control stick to move the line with the fish. The line will turn red when it’s about to break, so stop reeling in the line and let it go slack to release some tension. Unfortunately, some fish will take the slack out all the way and swim to the top of the area, which starts the whole process over.

To help prevent that from happening, some fish can be stunned. Difficult catches often jump, giving you a chance to reel in the line quickly. This stuns them for a few brief moments. The line will go white, and you can re-position it in the current area without worrying about losing it. If you’re lucky, it was close enough to the dock when you stunned it to finish catching it.

You can also reference the in-game how-to by going to:

• Game Menu.
• Game Rules.
• Fishing.

What are Fish Used For?

Once you’ve caught one, not only will the image appear on the fish sign, but you’ll be able to filet it immediately. Filets are used in cooking and come in two varieties:

• Fish Filet
• Crustacean Filet

There are two types of filets: one looks like a cut piece of fish, and the other looks like a shrimp. The fish filet is used more frequently in the beginning of Sea of Stars, but both are useful to have on hand.

Fishing Tips

Through hours of fishing in Sea of Stars, I’ve found that the best thing you can do is aim for the fish closest to you. Doing so means you can reel it in faster, spend less fighting with the fish, and reduce your chances of snapping a line. It could be closer to the current area, too.

If there aren’t any fish close to the dock, you can draw a fish closer to you.

• Cast your line and drop it near a shadow but not right on top of it. If the fish is within the circle, there’s a chance it will bite immediately.
• Once the bobber is in the water, start reeling in the line slowly. I tend to tap the space bar a single time to make sure the fish are still interested.
• Repeat reeling in until it’s close to the dock, then wait for a bite.
• If the fish swims a short distance away, reel in your line completely and recast it right on the shadow.

That’s how to fish in Sea of Stars. Whether you’re looking to stock up on filets for cooking or are trying to catch every species of marine animal, you’ll need patience and determination. For other walkthroughs and tips, check out our Sea of Stars guides archive.