Best Fishing Games 2024 [Complete List] - GamingScan (2024)

Whether you enjoy playing chill and relaxing games after a long day or are a fan of niche sports games, the best fishing games will reel you in hook, line, and sinker.

From realistic fishing simulators to fishing MMOs and free-to-play fishing games, there are plenty of options for those who enjoy hunting down the biggest catch.

In this list, we’ll highlightthe best fishing games to play in 2024, including PC fishing games and the best fishing games for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox.

We’ll be updating this list in the future with new titles, so make sure to check back and let us know if we missed any of your favorite fishing games!

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Our first recommendation is The Catch: Carp & Coarse, a fishing sim that takes a somewhat different approach to the sport.

In it, players can visit a wide selection of lakes, rivers, and oceans across the world as they try to capture over 35 unique fish species and 100+ special “Boss Fish.”

Along with a host of single-player content, The Catch features a multiplayer component where players can compete online to catch the most fish.

Lastly, the game features officially licensed in-game equipment from recognizable brands that come in handy when out on the water.

The Bassmaster Fishing series has a track record of bringing the thrill of competitive big bass fishing to PC and 2022’s version continues this trend.

In it, players hone their skills across a variety of amateur and elite fishing events while obtaining sponsors, upgrading equipment, and customizing the look of their angler.

The Elite tour offers 8 unique real-world venues where players can try and climb the ranks and progress through their career to become the Champion.

Bassmaster Fishing 2022 introduces all-new multiplayer modes with global leaderboards and features beautiful environments with seasonal weather courtesy of the Unreal Engine.

Fishing: North Atlantic is a single-player fishing experience that sees you going through a career as a fisherman in the oceans of Canadian Nova Scotia.

The game tasks you with seeking out valuable goods from the depths below and cashing them in for a huge profit.

This allows you to make the necessary upgrades to keep your business afloat and purchase new equipment to increase your productivity.

Considering it has a much bigger emphasis on running a fishing business rather than fishing for sport, it may not appeal to everyone.

Next up on our list is Fishing Sim World: Pro Tour, which takes the sports aspect of fishing to new heights.

In it, players are tasked with gathering knowledge and honing their skills to successfully catch rare breeds of fish and become an elite angler.

This includes picking the right tools and gear for the catch in question and staying one step ahead of the competition.

To this point, the game includes both a single-player career mode and online PvP where players can partake in online tournaments and play custom matches with friends.

If you’re looking to recreate the action-packed fun of catching fish in famous European lakes from the comfort of your couch, look no further than Euro Fishing.

This fishing game sees you mastering your rod, line, and tactics to become the top angler as you compete against AI opponents in single-player or other players online.

What distinguishes Euro Fishing from other games on this list is its exclusive physics-based casting and reeling system named ‘Total Cast Control.’

It’s a fairly extensive and realistic fishing game as far as controls and mechanics are concerned but offers a ton of in-game resources and tutorials to bring you up to speed.

Fishing Planet is a realistic free-to-play fishing game with in-game purchases for various packs that expand your gear and cosmetic options.

Depending on your preference, you can approach it as a single-player experience or something akin to an MMO with other fishermen to keep you company out on the water.

There are multiple locations to visit, boat types, and dynamic weather such as rain, fog, and sunshine that affect the fish’s behavior.

Lastly, the game includes robust customization that allows you to change your loadout and equip different float tackles, lures, rods, reels, and more from an in-game shop.

If you’re tired of playing fishing games where it takes too long to get a catch, then check out Ultimate Fishing Simulator.

This comprehensive fishing simulator gives you the tools and freedom to apply different techniques as you travel to locations around the world for the catch of a lifetime.

It includes two difficulty modes tailored for different experiences: Normal, which lets you enjoy the game casually, and Realistic, which requires a lot more patience, skill, and efficiency.

In addition, Ultimate Fishing Simulator features a winter map where players can drill into the frozen water and explore ice fishing.

Professional Fishing is another free-to-play fishing game that lets you roam a sprawling open world to seek out rare and exotic species.

Players have the option to travel worldwide on foot, ATV, or boat either alone or with online companions.

Similar to real-life fishing, the game assigned unique behaviors to different species that can add some variety and challenge to the fishing experience.

Since it’s free-to-play, you can expect most items to cost money or require you to grind for in-game currency to afford certain gear.

Speaking of free fishing games, Russian Fishing 4 drops you into a vibrant open world complete with naturalistic environments across 10+ resources with shifting weather conditions.

In it, players travel to different locations where they’ll have to utilize the right bait and rod to catch the attention of more challenging species.

Like the other free fishing games on this list, Russian Fishing 4 is constantly receiving new updates that introduce new content and gameplay refinements.

While it can be quite grindy at times, especially if you want to avoid spending any money, the foundation is there for a great fishing game.

Next up, Fisher Online takes an MMO approach to multiplayer fishing where players can meet up with friends before heading out to the open waters.

Set in both Europe and Russia, it sees you perfecting your skills without having to worry about any pesky rules or fisherman licenses.

So long as you make sure to bring the right lures, bait, and lines before getting in the water, you should be good to go.

Also note that Fisher Online is still in Steam Early Access, so players should anticipate some bugs as well as patches that add new gear and gameplay adjustments.

Clawfish offers a fresh take on the genre by combining fishing with arcade claw machine gameplay.

In it, you’re transported to an isolated train station located near a dock with a fishing arcade machine housing 23 different species.

Any fish you catch can be released nearby to populate the surrounding water before taking out a paddleboat to see them in action.

It’s a relatively short game that can be beaten in a single sitting and takes about an hour or so to complete.

Isle of Jura is another relaxing fishing game that sees you taking a fishing trip to the beautiful remote island of Jura.

Here, you’ll explore the island’s peaceful environments, meet the locals, and have many opportunities to catch tasty fish.

The game features over 50 species to seek out using three different fishing techniques along with many artifacts to track down for your collection.

Again, this one shouldn’t take much time to finish and can be completed in a single sitting.

In Cat Goes Fishing, you take on the role of a cute cat that spends its day fishing out on a small island.

The game starts you with a basic rod that can only catch small fish but over time you’re able to unlock new rods that allow for bigger and bigger catches.

It’s a rather uncomplicated game in terms of visuals, story, and gameplay but will still scratch that fishing itch.

We recommend it to anyone who enjoys casual and relaxing indie games or has younger children who enjoy fishing.

Our next recommendation for fishing lovers who want to get away is Sailwind, a sailing simulator with realistic physics and survival elements.

In it, you travel across a huge open world completing cargo delivery missions at your own pace while cooking meals, decorating your boat, and doing plenty of fishing.

Save up enough money and you can buy an even bigger boat for more dangerous voyages across the ocean to distant lands with different species.

While the game’s navigation systems can take some getting used to, especially when dealing with tricky weather and waves, in time you’ll find yourself sailing like a pro.

Trophy fishing 2 is one of the many 3D fishing simulators with realistic graphics, sound, and gameplay that captures the fun of fishing.

It features a wide selection of maps with unique locations where you can find and catch over 1000 different species with 100+ types of bait.

As you level up, your character will unlock three different rods (float, spinning, and bottom) along with new gear and cosmetics from an in-game shop.

There’s also online chatrooms, tournaments, competitions, and quests to gain experience and improve your fisherman skills.

If you’re looking for a dedicated ice fishing game, Ice Lakes is a fantastic option that takes a sandbox approach to wintertime fishing.

It takes place in a dynamic world where seasons change, time passes, and fish come and go, that is until you showed up to catch them.

After choosing from a wide selection of fishing gear, you’ll get to work fishing for over 35 unique species by mastering how to use dozens of jigs, rods, augers, baits, and lures.

Ice Lakes features online and LAN multiplayer for up to 32 players and even includes VR support.

Next we have Fishing Adventure, another budget fishing simulator where players can catch over 30 different species across 7 large locations spanning the US, Hawaii, and more.

Each area comes complete with beautiful, realistic graphics and relaxing background sounds to get you in the mood to kick back and fish.

As you complete quests, daily missions, and tournaments, you’ll unlock new rewards to expand your character’s inventory of fishing equipment.

The game is designed to run on a wide range of hardware and as such, can be played on new, old, and low-end computers.

This list wouldn’t be complete without including at least one classic fishing game that started as an arcade machine before it was ported to console and PC.

We’re discussing nothing other than SEGA Bass Fishing, a famous arcade fishing game that originally came packaged with a fishing rod controller.

While its visuals may have not aged well, at the time the game was considered one of the most realistic fishing games on the market.

Considering how few classic games make their way to PC, this one’s worth checking out for anyone who wants to take a quick trip through fishing game hall of fame.