Coral Island Fishing: How to Fish, Upgrade Tools & Use Bait

Farming in Coral Island is fun and all, but what am I supposed to do while these seeds grow into turnips? A perfect side activity for an idle farmer is fishing.

Love it or hate it, Coral Island includes a fishing mechanic for you to learn. While it’s completely optional, you won’t want to miss out on the fun of slamming your desk table when a fish suddenly snaps the line and swims away from your grasp. Frustrating as it can be, Coral Island’s fishing minigame is really fun, and selling fish can be a profitable gig in the early game. This guide covers everything you need to know about Fishing in Coral Island, including where to catch every fish in the game.

How to Unlock Fishing in Coral Island

To start fishing in Coral Island, reach about day four. Visit Sunny’s Beach Shack to witness some generic married couple banter between Sunny and Eleanor. This is when he’ll give you a fishing rod of your own.

How the Fishing Minigame Works in Coral Island

When a fish bites, the minigame begins. Your goal is to fill the meter and reel in the fish. However, if you pull at the wrong time, the line will snap and break. Here’s how fishing works in Coral Island.

1. Click and hold your mouse to cast your line. The longer you hold, the farther your cast will be. Casting further increases your chances of catching larger and rarer fish.
2. Click and hold or tap the left mouse button to reel the fish.
3. Keep an eye on the squiggly tension lines. If they get too big, release the mouse button to avoid snapping your line.

It’s all in the balance. Reel in the fish, but also manage the tension occasionally. 

How to Upgrade The Fishing Pole in Coral Island

I’m about to save you a trip to the Blacksmith. Unlike other tools, the Fishing Rod is upgraded at Sunny’s Beach Shack. Though they’re pretty expensive, I think they’re entirely worth it. They increase casting length, reeling speed, and the amount of tension your line can handle.

How to Use Bait in Coral Island

To increase your chances of catching specific fish, use bait. You can attach bait to your fishing pole by placing it in the equippable slot in your inventory. Bait increases your chances of attracting fish the same size as the bait by 25%. So, if you want to catch larger fish, use large fish bait. If you want to minimize trash catches, use small fish bait.

Best Fishing Perks in Coral Island

When you reach levels 2, 4, 6, and 8 in fishing, you can redeem skill points for perks. Here are the ones I like the most:

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• Strong Arms: Reduces fish resistance by 10%, making it easier to reel them in.
• Lucky Angler: Provides a 3% chance for an instant catch. Perfect for those elusive legendary fish.
• Quality Fish: Offers a 10% chance for better quality catches, essential for certain rare fish like the Silver Sardine and Silver Coin.