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How to Fish Combat & Gear Guide: Weapons, Attachments & Boat Builds

Updated 2026-09-03

A gear-focused guide for How to Fish. Learn how weapons, attachments, boat engines, and loadouts work so you can survive bosses and late-game islands.

Weapons and tools on the gear board in How to Fish
Official How to Fish screenshot from the Steam store, showing available gear.

Why TNT still kills you with friendly fire turned off

As of Patch 1.0.11, turning friendly fire off does not make you immune to your own explosives. Dazed Games explicitly says players will die from their own explosives even when friendly fire is disabled, so a self-inflicted TNT death is consistent with the current rule rather than proof that the lobby toggle failed. Keep clear before detonation and do not use the setting as a self-damage shield. The official note does not publish blast radius, damage, or special rules for every boss explosive, so this page does not invent a safe distance or extend the rule beyond explosives caused by the player.

Gear progression overview

How to Fish starts you with no gear or weapons. The Steam store page says you 'earn money to buy better gear and weapons and stuff.' Gear comes in three buckets: fishing rods, weapons, and boat parts. Better rods catch stronger creatures; better weapons kill faster; better engines open the map.

Check an unexpected explosive death without risking progression

First restart Steam and confirm everyone in the lobby has finished the current update. Then separate the event you observed: note who placed or fired the explosive, whether that player was the host or a client, the friendly-fire setting, and whether a boss or environmental hazard was also active. If you need to reproduce it, use an open low-stakes area, carry no quest trophy, keep recovery available, and create as much distance as the terrain permits. A death caused by your own explosive matches Patch 1.0.11. If a different case behaves unexpectedly, record the game version shown in the log or menu and report that exact sequence instead of assuming the friendly-fire option controls every kind of blast. This preserves a useful bug report without claiming an unverified cause or safe radius.

Fishing rods

Rods determine cast distance, line strength, and reel speed. Early rods break easily on large fish or bosses. Buy the best rod you can afford before attempting rare variants or boss fights. The exact stat names are not public, but the upgrade curve is clear from island unlocks.

Weapons and attachments

Weapons can be melee or thrown. The 'Fully equipped' achievement requires applying all attachments to a single weapon, confirming a modular weapon system. Attachments likely include damage, range, or handling upgrades. Test combinations on common creatures before taking them into boss fights.

Boat engines and mobility

The 'Getting an upgrade' and 'I am speed' achievements cover boat engine upgrades. A faster boat shortens travel time and can help kite bosses in open water. The 'I'm the bird now' achievement suggests the boat can even become airborne under certain conditions, likely via speed or ramps.

Recommended early build

For the first three islands, prioritize: (1) basic rod, (2) boat engine upgrade, (3) one reliable weapon, (4) one damage attachment. Do not spread money across cosmetics until you can comfortably handle the mid-game bosses like the Pufferfish and the Albatross.

Boss loadout tips

Bosses hit hard and often spawn adds. Bring a high-damage weapon with range attachments, a strong rod for emergency fishing, and plenty of health items. For the final boss, the 'Handyman' achievement challenges you to win with bare hands — save that for a second playthrough with max gear and practice.

Gearing for co-op

In 2-4 player online co-op, split roles: one player specces for ranged damage, another for crowd control, and a third for fast boat repositioning. The physics chaos is easier to manage when one player keeps the boat steady while others throw weapons.

Sources & Evidence

Claims are backed by the following sources. Unknowns are marked explicitly.

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