How to Fish weapons follow a five-tier path that mirrors the 5-island progression: fists on Lighthouse Island, knife on Forest Island, gun on Desert Island, sniper on Rocks Island, and explosives on Volcano Island. Each tier is gated by the island it appears on, and the per-island Boss check refuses to start until you have at least reached the matching tier. Exact unlock thresholds and per-tier upgrade values are not announced as of 2026-09-01.
The weapon tier path in How to Fish
The Steam store description and gamingpromax's launch review both spell out the same five-tier progression, and the same source material confirms that every tier lines up with one of the five islands in the campaign. There is no off-path weapon; every upgrade in How to Fish fits somewhere on the fists → knife → gun → sniper → explosives chain. Treating the chain as the spine of the campaign is the cleanest way to plan a playthrough. ### Tier 1: Fists on Lighthouse Island Fists are the default and you cannot replace them on Lighthouse Island. The starter island teaches you the cast, the catch, and the slap revive mechanic before any weapon becomes available, so the tier-1 window is the longest in the campaign. Plan to spend the lighthouse run learning the cast timing and the seagull interference pattern, and do not worry about weapon damage until the Boss at the lighthouse gate falls. ### Tier 2: Knife on Forest Island The knife is the first weapon you pick up, and it is the tier the forest Boss is tuned around. A fresh knife is enough to clear the gate; an upgraded knife shortens the fight noticeably but is not required for the unlock. The knife is also the cleanest setup for early trick shots, because the close-range arc lets you set up the bait-and-switch pattern co-op players use throughout the campaign. ### Tier 3: Gun on Desert Island The gun is the first weapon that changes the cast window rather than just the damage output, and it is the tier the desert Boss is tuned around. The desert Boss burrows and resurfaces behind your casting position, and the gun is the cleanest weapon for hitting the resurface point. Use the [How to Fish trick shots](/trick-shots/) page to plan how the gun tier interacts with the desert Boss's pattern, and use the [5-island progression](/islands/) hub to keep the tier chain straight. ### Tier 4: Sniper on Rocks Island The sniper is the first weapon with a real chamber cycle, and it is the tier the rocks Boss is tuned around. The rocks Boss drops down from the cliff face and rolls across the casting lanes, and the sniper is the cleanest weapon for hitting the post-roll settle window. Bring enough rounds to last the fight; the sniper is the first weapon where ammo becomes a real constraint. ### Tier 5: Explosives on Volcano Island Explosives are the final weapon in the chain and the tier the volcano finale is tuned around. The final Boss triggers environmental eruptions during the fight, and explosives are the cleanest setup for hitting the post-eruption settle window. Treat the explosive tier as the campaign cap; nothing past it appears in the launch version, and post-game weapon content is not announced as of 2026-09-01.
Island-by-island weapon unlock order in How to Fish
The [5-island progression](/islands/) hub lists the unlock chain in the same order as the tier chain, and the per-island walkthroughs cover each tier in context. Use the [5-island progression](/islands/) hub as the map and the per-island walkthroughs as the checklists. ### Unlocking the knife on Forest Island The knife drops as a reward from one of the later Lighthouse Island catches or from the early forest encounters, depending on the order you finish the lighthouse quests. Forest Island is the first place where the weapon tier check is enforced by the gate, so arriving on Forest Island without the knife will lock the gate until you backtrack and earn it. ### Unlocking the gun on Desert Island The gun drops as a reward from the late Forest Island encounters or from one of the early desert catches. Desert Island is the first place where the environmental mechanic (seagull interference) starts to interact with the weapon tier, and the gun is the cleanest setup for that combined challenge. Plan the unlock order around the seagull pattern, not around raw damage. ### Unlocking the sniper on Rocks Island The sniper drops as a reward from the late Desert Island encounters or from one of the early rocks catches. Rocks Island is the first place where the environmental mechanic (wind on the cliff pools) starts to push casts off line, and the sniper is the cleanest setup for the longer chamber cycle. Bring the upgraded snare reel before you sail in; the sniper's chamber time is unforgiving if your tackle is not at the matching tier. ### Unlocking the explosives on Volcano Island The explosives drop as a reward from the late Rocks Island encounters or from one of the early volcano catches. Volcano Island is the only place where the environmental mechanic (lava-cooled pools and eruption cycles) actually changes during the fight, and the explosive tier is the cleanest setup for hitting the post-eruption settle window.
How weapon tiers interact with trick shot bonuses
Trick shot bonuses stack with every weapon tier, but the way the bonus interacts with the cast changes as you climb the tier chain. The [trick shots](/trick-shots/) page covers the bonus rules in detail; this section is the quick read on how each tier interacts with the system. ### Knife and trick shots The knife is the cleanest setup for early trick shots because the close-range arc lets you set up the bait-and-switch pattern co-op players use throughout the campaign. The knife's trick shot window is the shortest in the campaign, so practice the timing on regular catches before you take it into a Boss arena. ### Gun and trick shots The gun is the cleanest setup for landing a trick shot during the desert Boss's burrow cycle. The gun's trick shot window is longer than the knife's but shorter than the sniper's, and it pairs well with a co-op spotter who can call the safe window while the gun angler lines up the angle. ### Sniper and trick shots The sniper is the cleanest setup for landing a trick shot during the rocks Boss's post-roll settle window. The sniper's trick shot window is the longest in the campaign, but the chamber cycle cuts the rate of fire in half compared to the gun tier. Plan your shots around the chamber cycle rather than the trick shot window. ### Explosives and trick shots Explosives are the cleanest setup for landing a trick shot during the volcano finale's post-eruption settle window. The explosive tier's trick shot bonus is the largest in the campaign, but the cooldown after each shot is also the longest. Treat the explosive trick shot as a setup rather than a spam.
FAQ
What are the weapon tiers in How to Fish?
The weapon tier path is fists, knife, gun, sniper rifle, and explosives. Each new weapon unlocks as you clear islands and beat the gate Boss at the end of each hub.
Can I skip a weapon tier?
No. The tier chain is enforced by the per-island Boss check, so skipping a tier means the gate will refuse to start until you backtrack and earn the missing tier.