Fishing Planet – Intro…

After I posted a screenshot from this game for Clare’s Share Your Desktop Challenge this month, Clare suggested that her Husband might be interested in playing. I passed on some thoughts at the time but it occurred to me that a proper basic intro might be of interest to other readers. I won’t be able to cover everything in one post, so expect a follow-up.

Lets start with a Disclaimer: This post refers to the free game. NOT its pay to play version ‘The Fisherman – Fishing Planet’, which is not recommended as it is no longer supported. To run the game you will need Steam installed on your PC / Console as the game is accessed through the Steam Store. I am currently level 29 in the game. As the game only allows 1 account on any PC or Console, I cannot set up a new account to show everything as a beginner would see it. I am playing on the PC and as such my controls may differ from those of a console player. Here is how the game appears in the Steam Store…

Once you have loaded the game you will begin Level 1 which constitutes a tutorial and I think lets you test some basic settings to see if they are ok. Then you are released to go fishing at the starting location, Lone Star Lake…

At this point you are Level 2 and have limited equipment; A Telescopic Rod, a Reel with a float and 2lb line. This is what your set-up looks like…

…Ignore all those baits on the right – they’re mine! All you get is Bread and Worms – a bit like being in Queen Elizabeth’s Navy back in the 1500’s 😅 At this point you may want to check your settings. While you will find what best suits your style of play, here are mine to get you started…

…I strongly recommend that you set the Tackle Load in the centre of the screen to the pro setting as I have done – this breaks down the strain on the key components of your fishing gear while you are hauling in a fish, allowing you to confirm you have set your equipment up correctly. It’s important because you don’t want to be replacing rods or reels! I’ll talk a bit more about this later. Turning off the player models in close range is a comfort thing – lots of new players come and stand where you’re already standing because most of them have never fished in their lives and have no understanding of Angling etiquette. This largely stops their character from superimposing on yours which can be very distracting.

Ok, lets go fishing. You do that by selecting one of the fishing points around the lake…

…I’d start with either the one that is highlighted or the one on the left and find a spot on the footbridge close to some weeds…

…Your equipment is very basic but you’ll be surprised how well it works if you drop the bait close to the lily leaves. And Bread is a very popular bait with a good number of fish…

…There you go, a Trophy Bluegill! You will have noticed that you’re slinging the bait underarm – that’s the default for this telescopic rod. To cast normally, you’ll need to tap F11 then you can send your bait a little further (still only around 45ft) but that can be enough to get you into the area where some of the predators hang out. So now, load some worms instead and maybe you’ll haul out a Spotted Bass…

…although you’ll have to work hard to land it and watch the strain gauges…

…And that taught you a lot about this game – The thrill when you successfully haul in a fish that fights close to the limits of your equipment 😎 Those gauges on the right tell you I have this set up correctly – The first thing to fail if the fish is too strong will be the line; the cheapest thing to replace 👍 It’s important to keep an eye on the reel’s drag setting in the bottom right – that is adjusted using the + & – keys. Start with it low and increase it one step at a time. If the Line is peaking in the bright red (or worse; is outlined in vivid red) ease back on the drag – If you don;t the line will break and you’ll lose the fish along with your tackle. What you see above is about the highest peak you want under normal circumstances. And, try to avoid cranking when the fish is pulling line off the reel – that only adds to wear and tear. Use the combination of cranking and striking with your rod to maintain tension on the line. You should have the basics of this from the tutorial but it doesn’t hurt to illustrate it with a larger fish than you might have met. ps – Just tap F11 again to return to the underarm slingshot type cast.

I think that will do for now. Hopefully, I’ve given enough of an insight to help anyone considering the game make a decision and load up their tackle 😎👍 However, there’s more information in my follow-up post here. If anyone has any questions – Comments below please 👍