Beginner Guide
From shipwreck to Leviathan in one week — money routes, first boss timing, and how not to lose THE fish.
The Week-One Roadmap
Day 1
Do: Sardines + mackerel off the pier; save 350 for the Bamboo rod
Don't: Skip the river mouth. A starter rod after perch is feeding the fish.
Day 2
Do: Perch + carp at the mouth; upgrade to Spin 100
Don't: Do NOT sell a moonfish (if you somehow land one day 2). Lighthouse key fish — keep the first.
Day 3
Do: Night squid session; first hull repair segment ($800)
Don't: Leave the eel alone. Snapped-line tuition is real and you are broke.
Day 4
Do: Carbon rod + braided line; try Red Snapper offshore
Don't: Do not skip the lighthouse keeper's dialogue. Players who missed the moonfish hint lost two days.
Day 5
Do: Challenge the Lake Lord (first boss), earn the badge
Don't: Travel light to boss fights — capsizing losses scale with load.
Day 6
Do: Finish the hull repair; full offshore map unlocked
Don't: Do not sail to the trench. The blueprint is tempting; your fuel gauge is not.
Day 7
Do: Spin 400 + Composite rod; tuna qualification test
Don't: No premature Leviathan attempts. One tier short is donating your dignity.
Five Classic Scenes
✕ Selling the first moonfish
The lighthouse key fish, deep-night only. Sellers get to wait for another midnight window.
✕ Eeling on day one
The #1 rookie line-snapper. Return for payback with braided line + Spin 400.
✕ Boss fights with a full bag
Capsizing losses scale with load. Travel light; hang your fish prints at home.
✕ Ignoring the weather
Ghost Sturgeon = storm nights, Golden Koi = dawn fog. Fishing blind to weather is driving blindfolded.
✕ Stealing the landing in co-op
"Cooperative catch" credit goes to the final lander. Grab it unspoken and the friendship flips — the physics engine will help.
“As a rookie I sold a moonfish for boat-repair money, then learned it was the lighthouse quest key. Money respawns. The fish does not.”