How to Catch Fish in Harpoon a Fish: Aim, Fire and Reel In

Catching a fish in Harpoon a Fish comes down to two connected actions: aim your harpoon at a fish and fire, then time your reels to pull it in. Firing starts the catch; timing your reels is what pulls the fish in — and a fish in your aquarium is the sign the catch is complete.

Step 1: Aim at your target and fire

Pick a fish, line up your harpoon and fire. That is the game's own catch sequence from its How To Harpoon instructions: aim at your target, then FIRE. Small catches count, too — the tutorial starts you out landing something as modest as a shrimp, and completed catches can earn Money.

Step 2: Time your reels

You land the fish by reeling with the right timing. That timed reel is the game's skill check — it is what converts a fired harpoon into a caught fish, and it is what adds the arcade feel to the game's fishing. When your timing slips, the catch fails, so expect a few failed attempts while you learn the pace.

Step 3: The catch ends in your aquarium

Once your reels pull the fish in, put the catch in your aquarium, where it can be grown as a pet. That final step doubles as your success signal: if the fish made it to your aquarium, the catch is fully complete. Growing that new pet into something bigger is its own progression — see how to grow fish in Harpoon a Fish.

Other players can steal your fish

You are not the only one with a harpoon. Other players can harpoon the same fish you are fighting and steal it. Firing first does not guarantee the reward — of everyone lined up on the same fish, only one can catch the trophy.

Before your first session

New to the game? The how to play guide covers the basics, and it is worth redeeming any active Harpoon a Fish codes before you start fishing.