Every cast rolls one fish from what the spot holds right now. A fish's chance is its weight, times the multiplier your bait gives it (nothing, if it ignores that bait), times its day or night multiplier, times how many of it are still in the spot - divided by the same sum for every fish there.

How a catch works

1. 1

   Pick a bait

   The bait window only offers baits that at least one fish at this spot takes. Some fish bite with no bait, the rest only on a specific bait. One bait is used per cast.

2. 2

   The roll

   Weight x bait multiplier x day or night multiplier x fish left in the spot, compared across every fish at the spot. A fish whose stock is gone cannot be caught until it restocks.

3. 3

   Hook it

   When the bobber dips, press the button before the bite window closes - rarer fish give you less time.

4. 4

   Reel it in

   Pulling gains line while your Farming mastery outweighs the fish's pull - its fight strength times how hard it is resisting at that moment. When it fights back, ease off or the line snaps. A better rod lets the line take more strain, and the Fisherman perk lowers every fish's fight strength.

5. 5

   Let the spot recover

   Each spot holds only a few of each fish (1 to 5) and restocks one at a time: common fish quickly, legendary fish five to ten times slower.

The fishing spots

Bait

Crumbs, insects and live bait are the three baits fish in this game take. Crucian, Frog, Gudgeon and Roach bite on an empty hook; every legendary fish only takes Live Bait.

Fishing rods

A rod is needed to fish at all, and you need at least one level of Farming mastery. The rod's bonus is added to your Farming mastery when the game works out line tension, so a better rod snaps less often on a fish that fights hard.

Every fish