Fishing games
Fishing games are arcade-style shooting games where you fire at fish swimming across the screen, and each fish you catch pays a multiple of your shot. They come mostly from Asian studios such as KA Gaming. Fishing-themed slots like Big Bass Bonanza are a different thing: they spin reels and collect fish values in free spins.
By Mark SmithChecked On this page 4
Shooting-style fishing games
Fishing games started in Asian arcades and moved online through studios such as KA Gaming, TaDa Gaming and JILI. The screen is an underwater scene. Fish of different sizes swim across it, each labelled with a multiplier. You pick a shot size, aim and fire. Each shot costs your bet, and whether it catches a fish is decided at random, weighted by the fish’s value: small fish are caught often for small payouts, big fish and bosses rarely for large ones.
Many fishing games have special weapons (lasers, bombs, drills) that hit several fish at once, and multiplayer tables where others shoot at the same fish.
Our pick on this site is Lucky Fish from KA Gaming.
Fishing-themed slots
Most South African players searching for “fishing games” actually want the fishing slots from Pragmatic Play and Reel Kingdom. They play like any slot, with fish symbols carrying cash values that a fisherman wild collects in free spins:
- Big Bass Bonanza: the original, and the gentlest.
- Big Bass Splash: adds random modifiers to free spins.
- Big Bass - Hold & Spinner: adds coin respins in the base game.
- Big Bass Bonanza 1000: much higher fish values, much bigger swings.
What to know before you play
Fishing games feel like skill games, but they aren’t: the catch on each shot is random and the payouts are priced to a house edge. Their pace is fast, because you can fire many shots a second, so spending adds up quickly. Set a budget and a time limit. Fishing games are also often excluded from bonus wagering, so read the terms.
For fishing-themed slots, Betfred’s welcome spins name Big Bass Bonanza and Playbet’s sign-up spins include Big Bass Bonanza 1000; see our free spins offers. Our featured casino is 1Win. The NRGP helpline is 0800 006 008.
Frequently asked questions
How do fishing games work?
Fish swim across the screen, each worth a multiple of your shot. You choose a cannon or bet size and fire; a fish is caught at random based on its value, and bigger fish are harder to catch but pay more.
Is skill involved in fishing games?
Very little. Aiming decides which fish you target, but whether a shot catches a fish is random, and the payouts are set so the game keeps its house edge.
Is Big Bass Bonanza a fishing game?
It is a fishing-themed slot, not a shooting game. You spin reels, and in free spins a fisherman wild collects the cash values on fish symbols.
Can I play fishing games for free?
Some have free demos. Lucky Fish from KA Gaming is listed on this site; check its game page for the demo status.
From our research
Other game types
Mark has been writing about online gaming since 2007, covering everything from sportsbooks to casino and slot reviews, offering insights for players of all levels.