Progress by completing each island's NPC request, bait, boss and trophy hand-in; a boss kill alone does not always reveal the next route.
The main How to Fish route is a chain of NPC request, bait, boss, quest item, hand-in and new coordinates. Begin at the Lighthouse, defeat the Spider Crab for the boat keys, clear the second-island Leeches and Giant Piranha chain, complete the Tourist and Pufferfish route, then continue through the later bird and whale objectives. After every boss, preserve the distinctive drop and finish the NPC hand-in before expecting the Radar to reveal the next destination.
Route at a glance
| Stage | Required chain | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Lighthouse | Beer Can → Dry Beer Can → Spider Crab → keeper hand-in | Boat keys and Radar access |
| Second island | Collect 3 Leeches → continue Leech Bait chain → Giant Piranha | Next route after the quest item is returned |
| Tourist island | Endangered creature → Carrot → Pufferfish → keep Tail | Coordinates for the next island |
| Later island | Complete the local Tuna/bird request and preserve the boss result | Opens the military/volcano route |
| Military and volcano | Follow the scientist's requested creatures and whale bait → carry the defeated whale to the volcano | Advances the experiment and later whale sequence |
| Final route | Follow the current objective and complete the last boss chain | Opens the route home/mainland objective |
1. Lighthouse and boat keys
Speak to the Lighthouse keeper, collect easy early creatures, and use those sales to buy the basic rod and a reliable early weapon. Buy the Beer Can and hand it to the keeper. The returned Dry Beer Can is the bait for the Spider Crab.
Sharpen the knife before the fight. When the crab lunges, move sideways and attack during the visible dizzy window. Return the required boss result to the keeper instead of leaving immediately. The complete sequence is in How to Fish boat keys, while the combat timing is in the Spider Crab guide.
Buy the Radar before sailing. It is the practical link between completed hand-ins and the next destination.
2. Three Leeches and the Giant Piranha
On the second island, the objective asks for three Leeches. Search the shallow wet pools for ground pickups and watch the counter reach 3/3. The separate Leeches guide covers the collection loop and the common mistake of treating them like ordinary rod catches.
Prepare the Giant Piranha fight with ammunition and a free inventory slot. Focus the large target; use smaller fish only when healing is needed. After the kill, check the named quest result and return it before repeating the boss. Use the Giant Piranha guide for the fight table.
3. Tourist, Carrot and Pufferfish
The Tourist's endangered-creature request produces the Carrot needed for the Pufferfish chain. Do not search for a random carrot elsewhere when the objective is still waiting for the Tourist's hand-in.
For the boss, build a route around trees or solid cover. The player being chased keeps the loop predictable while solo or co-op shooters use the rerouting window. After the kill, keep the distinct Pufferfish Tail. The complete setup and hand-in are in the Pufferfish boss guide.
4. Later bird route
The next section continues the same pattern: read the local request, obtain its required fish or bait, defeat the named threat, and keep the quest result. Current walkthrough evidence identifies a Tuna-linked bird encounter in this part of the chain. Check the live objective wording before consuming or selling a distinctive drop, because launch patches can change labels without changing the broader hand-in structure.
5. Military, scientist and volcano whale
Do not throw random creatures into the volcano. Follow the scientist's request chain first and obtain the appropriate whale bait. After the relevant whale is defeated, preserve the body and carry it up the volcano. Throwing that body into the crater advances the objective; killing it alone is not the finish. Use the volcano whale hand-in guide for the short route.
If progression stops
Check these in order:
- Read the exact active objective.
- Confirm the collection counter is complete.
- Check the inventory for a boss tail, skeleton, body or other distinctive quest object.
- Return to the NPC who started the current chain.
- Confirm the Radar received the next coordinates.
- Only repeat a boss after confirming that the original quest object is gone or unusable.
For achievements that do not belong to the main route, use the boat and seagull achievement guide. Return to the How to Fish hub for buying advice, player reviews, platform status and saves.
Sources
QUICK ANSWERS
Questions players ask next
What is the main progression order in How to Fish?
Start at the Lighthouse and Spider Crab, continue through the second-island Leeches and Giant Piranha, then the Tourist and Pufferfish chain, followed by later bird and whale routes toward the mainland.
Why did killing a boss not unlock the next island?
Boss death and quest completion are separate steps. Preserve the distinctive quest item, return to the NPC, and check that the Radar receives the next route.
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