Fishing Planet
Fishing Planet is a sportfishing simulator built around realistic tackle choices, changing conditions, and the slow, methodical rhythm of waiting for a bite. You pick a destination, set up the right gear for the species you are after, then work the line with timing and control rather than arcade-style button mashing. It is designed to be calm and technical at the same time, rewarding patience with trophy catches and steady progression.
 | Publisher: Fishing Planet LLC. Playerbase: Medium Type: Fishing Simulator Release Date: August 11, 2015 Pros: +Authentic, simulation-first fishing. +Extensive gear and setup variety. +Deep tuning and condition-based choices. Cons: -Slow initial load times. -Tutorial does not teach enough. -Occasional instability and crashes. |
Fishing Planet Overview
Fishing Planet aims for a grounded approach to sport fishing, dropping you into bankside spots across the United States and asking you to think like an angler. Instead of treating every cast the same, the game pushes you to match rod, line, hooks, bait, and presentation to what is actually swimming in a given waterway. Each outing earns you experience and currency, which in turn opens up more destinations and more specialized equipment as you level. If you enjoy chasing “the right bite” and adjusting your approach based on conditions, the loop is satisfying, especially when a trophy fish finally commits and the fight starts.
Fishing Planet Key Features:
- 32 Fish Species – A broad selection of targets, ranging from common panfish to larger predators like Pike and Catfish.
- 7 Locations – Fish a variety of North American environments, with weather and timing playing a role in activity and results.
- Huge Equipment Loadout – A large shop and progression path for rods, reels, lines, baits, and supporting gear.
- Leaderboards – Track standout catches and compete for bragging rights with the biggest fish.
- Relaxing Atmosphere – A slower pace and natural soundscape that makes sessions feel intentionally mellow.
Fishing Planet Screenshots
Fishing Planet Featured Video
Fishing Planet Review
Fishing Planet is the kind of simulator that works best when you treat it like an evening on the water rather than a checklist of objectives. It is not trying to turn fishing into nonstop action. The appeal comes from the preparation, the small adjustments, and that brief spike of tension when the float twitches or the line tightens. For players who like systems and realism, it can be surprisingly absorbing, even if the onboarding does not always do it justice.
The basics: casting, waiting, striking
Moment to moment, Fishing Planet is about placing a cast, reading feedback, and reacting with restraint. After selecting a spot and walking to the shoreline, you cast out and watch your float or line behavior for signs of a bite. The game provides clear visual cues when a fish starts to test the hook, and then it becomes a timing exercise, manage rod tension, set the hook at the right moment, and reel without snapping the line. It is simple to understand on paper, but it feels more nuanced in practice because each species and setup can behave a bit differently.
Learning curve, and a tutorial that under-delivers
Where Fishing Planet stumbles is in how it teaches those nuances. The control scheme and interface include a lot of options, but the tutorial tends to cover the surface and then moves on. New players can quickly find themselves unsure about what gear is appropriate, why a bite is not happening, or why a fish escapes during the fight. If you already have some familiarity with real-world fishing concepts, that gap is easier to bridge. If you do not, expect some trial and error, plus a bit of outside reading, before the systems fully click.
Gear matters more than reflexes
This is not an arcade “throw and pull” fishing game. Most of your success is decided before you even cast, based on your rod and reel pairing, line type and strength, leader length, hook choice, and bait. Fishing Planet offers a lot of customization, including options whose benefits are not immediately obvious to beginners. Line thickness, for example, can be the difference between landing a fish cleanly and losing it, especially in different waters or when targeting stronger species. The result is a simulator that feels deep and intentional, but it also means you are sometimes learning by experimenting, or by referencing community resources, rather than being guided in-game.
Bait choice is the first concept most players grasp, smaller offerings tend to bring in smaller fish, while other bait types can improve the odds of something more substantial. From there, the game opens up into a web of variables: how quickly you retrieve, whether your setup is suited to the depth, and whether your float is behaving correctly. Even small tweaks can change outcomes, like adjusting leader length when fishing close to reeds so the float does not bottom out and sit awkwardly on the surface. Once those cause-and-effect relationships start to make sense, the simulator becomes much more rewarding.
Progression across U.S. waters
Progression is tied to experience and travel. Every fish contributes to leveling, and higher levels unlock additional destinations. The game is split into 7 areas across the United States, and you begin in Missouri before earning access to other locations, including Emerald Lake, New York at level 5. Each area also offers multiple nearby fishing points, which helps the environment feel like a place rather than a single static pond. Switching between spots does not necessarily provide a direct advantage, but it adds variety and encourages you to explore the shoreline and experiment with different angles and approaches.
Conditions also matter. Areas are presented across a set of days (1 to 5), each with its own weather pattern, and that weather influences when fish are most active. Bright, hot conditions can push activity toward early morning and evening, while cooler, overcast days may shift the best window later. Time continues to pass while you fish, so paying attention to the clock becomes part of planning a productive session, especially if you are trying to fill your Fish Keeper efficiently.
A calm presentation with a few rough edges
Fishing Planet’s greatest strength is its atmosphere. The soundscape leans into nature, birds, insects, and soft ambient noise that supports a relaxed pace. Visually, the water and shoreline effects do a lot of work, from gentle surface movement to subtle signs of activity below. Small details, like the line interacting with the surface as you reposition the rod, help sell the “standing at the bank” feeling.
That presentation is not without tradeoffs. Loading into areas can take a while, long enough to make you wonder if something went wrong, and the repetition of certain music cues can wear thin during extended sessions. It does not ruin the experience, but it is noticeable, especially when you are hopping between locations or restarting after a crash.
Community features, for now, are mostly chat
At present, the “multiplayer” side is primarily a location-based global chat rather than shared spaces where you actively fish beside other players. There have been plans mentioned for friend list support, but the practical impact on the core loop is unclear, since the game already frames competition through leaderboards. In many ways, the solitary feel fits the theme, fishing is often about quiet focus. Still, more structured competitive modes could be a natural fit if the developers choose to expand in that direction.
One positive is that the chat tends to be genuinely useful. Because the game attracts players who enjoy the hobby, newcomers often find helpful advice about setups, bait, and timing. It is not a title built for everyone, but the audience it does attract is typically engaged, and that helps soften the learning curve.
Economy and pacing
All gear can be obtained with in-game currency, which you earn by fishing. The pressure point is time: progression can feel slow, and the most tempting reason to spend money is an experience boost to speed up leveling. Travel also costs currency, which creates a practical consideration, you want your trip to pay for itself. If you bounce between spots without planning, it is possible to spend more than you earn, leaving you short on essentials like bait. Careful purchasing and a steady approach to upgrades make the early game smoother and help you avoid getting stuck grinding with suboptimal gear.
Final Verdict – Great
Fishing Planet succeeds at its main goal: delivering a realistic, thoughtful fishing simulation that feels peaceful while still offering depth. The best moments come from the slow buildup, the gear decisions, and the tension of a fight that you can win or lose based on preparation and control. The tutorial and technical hiccups hold it back, but if you want a serious sportfishing experience with strong atmosphere and a lot to learn, Fishing Planet is easy to recommend.
Fishing Planet Links
Fishing Planet Official Site
Fishing Planet Steam Store
Fishing Planet Reddit
Fishing Planet Wiki [Database/Guides]
Fishing Planet System Requirements
Minimum Requirements:
Operating System: Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7
CPU: Dual-Core 2.4 Ghz
Video Card: Graphics Card Intel HD4000 or higher
RAM: 4GB
Hard Disk Space: 12 GB
Recommended Requirements:
Operating System: Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7
CPU: Quad-Core 3.0 GHz
Video Card: Graphics Card with 2 GB Video RAM (Nvidia Geforce GTX 660 or equivalent)
RAM: 8GB
Hard Disk Space: 12 GB
Fishing Planet Music & Soundtrack
Coming Soon…
Fishing Planet Additional Information
Developer: Fishing Planet LLC
Publisher: Fishing Planet LLC
Engine: Unity
Steam Greenlight: June 06, 2015
Steam Release Date (Early Access): August 11, 2015
Release Date: August 11, 2015
Development History / Background:
Fishing Planet is developed by Fishing Planet LLC. It appeared on Steam Greenlight on June 06, 2015, was greenlit shortly after on June 12, 2015, and climbed into the Greenlight Top 100 in roughly 40 hours. Within about a week it reached the Top 10, signaling strong interest from the community. A build was submitted to Steam for approval on July 31, 2012. Fishing Planet later launched on Steam as an Early Access title on August 11, 2015, and the team has continued adding and refining features as development progresses.