- Exquisite Fishing Beginner Guide: Focus on the core loop of catching, selling, and upgrading to reach deeper ocean biomes.
- Ocean Progression: Start in the Calm Ocean for free, then save gold for the Rocky, Turbulent, and Dark oceans.
- Gear Synergy: Always pair the correct Hook with the specific Gift required for special creatures like the Mermaid or Shark.
- Gold Farming: The Angler at 300m in the Calm Ocean is the best early-game source of gold (10,000g).
- Scene Unlocks: Most special scenes require reaching a specific depth with a unique equipment loadout.
Core Mechanics and Gameplay Loop
The Exquisite Fishing beginner guide starts with understanding the fundamental loop that drives your progression. Unlike traditional fishing simulators, this game combines precision lure guidance with a strategic economy. You begin your journey on a humble boat, tasked with navigating the depths to secure increasingly rare and valuable sea creatures.
Video Highlights:
- Casting Mechanics: Learn how to control the strength and direction of your initial throw.
- Lure Guidance: Strategies for maneuvering the hook past common fish to reach special targets.
- Hook Meter Management: How to keep a target engaged until the catch is secured.
- Selling & Upgrading: A tour of the shop interface and early-game priority items.
To succeed, you must master the Hook Meter. When a creature becomes interested in your lure, a meter will appear. You must keep the creature engaged by staying within its proximity until the meter fills completely. Once caught, you must reel the line back to the surface to claim your prize. Selling these catches provides the gold necessary to purchase stronger hooks, specialized gifts, and faster boats.
Avoid spending gold on every item in the shop immediately. Focus only on the hooks and gifts required for your next target creature to maximize your progression speed.
| Mechanic | Description | Primary Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Casting | Launching the lure into the ocean | Reach specific depth milestones |
| Attracting | Using gifts to lure special creatures | Fill the Hook Meter |
| Reeling | Bringing the catch back to the boat | Secure gold and scene unlocks |
| Selling | Converting fish into game currency | Fund boat and gear upgrades |
Ocean Biomes and Depth Milestones
Progression in Exquisite Fishing is gated by four distinct ocean biomes. Each biome requires a specific boat to access and offers a unique range of depths and creatures. As a beginner, your primary objective is to earn enough gold to move from the free Calm Ocean to the lucrative Dark Ocean.
Calm Ocean (Starting)
- Access Cost: 0g
- Depth Range: 50m - 300m
- Key Targets: Mermaid, Shark, Angler
- Best for: Learning mechanics and early gold farming.
Rocky Ocean (Early Game)
- Access Cost: 1,500g
- Depth Range: 100m - 600m
- Key Targets: Octopus, Anemone, Kappa
- Best for: Unlocking mid-tier hook upgrades.
Turbulent Ocean (Mid Game)
- Access Cost: 5,000g
- Depth Range: 50m - 1,000m
- Key Targets: Whale, Grandpa's Letter
- Best for: Story progression and high-value Sharks.
Dark Ocean (End Game)
- Access Cost: 8,000g
- Depth Range: 50m - 2,000m
- Key Targets: Deep Angler, Omega Catches
- Best for: Final upgrades and gallery completion.
Each ocean increases the difficulty of the reeling process and introduces environmental hazards. For example, the Turbulent Ocean requires a Reinforced Boat to withstand the waves, while the Dark Ocean demands a Golden Boat for maximum depth capability.
Creatures will not appear if you are at the wrong depth, even if you have the correct gear. Use the depth gauge on the side of the screen to position your lure accurately.
| Biome | Required Boat | Entry Cost | Max Depth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calm Ocean | Regular Old Boat | 0g | 300m |
| Rocky Ocean | Regular Boat | 1,500g | 600m |
| Turbulent Ocean | Reinforced Boat | 5,000g | 1,000m |
| Dark Ocean | Golden Boat | 8,000g | 2,000m |
Essential Gear and Upgrade Priorities
Your equipment determines which creatures you can attract and catch. Gear is divided into Hooks, Gifts, and Boats. While boats provide access to new areas, hooks and gifts work in tandem to trigger special encounters and scenes.
Hook Categories:
- Standard Hooks: Regular, Good, and Reinforced hooks for early to mid-game targets.
- Shielded Hooks: Double and Triple Shielded hooks to prevent losing heavy catches like the Whale.
- Specialized Hooks: Drill, Anal Beads, and Hearty hooks for specific creature requirements.
- Endgame Hooks: The Omega Hook is required for the deepest catch in the game.
Special creatures like the Mermaid or Shark will ignore your lure if you do not have their preferred gift equipped. Always check your Fishipedia for requirement hints.
Gift Requirements for Special Catches:
- Diamond Ring: Essential for the Mermaid (Calm) and Shark (Turbulent).
- Striped Pantie: Required for the Shark (Calm) and Whale (Turbulent).
- Box of Chocolates: Used for the Angler (Calm) and Anemone (Rocky).
- Mighty Dildo: Necessary for all Octopus encounters.
- Vibrant Rose: Unlocks deeper Angler and Kappa scenes.
| Item Type | Item Name | Progression Stage | Primary Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hook | Regular Hook | Starting | Mermaid & Angler (Calm) |
| Hook | Double Shielded | Early-Mid | Octopus & Whale |
| Hook | Super Hook | Late | Shark (Turbulent) |
| Hook | Omega Hook | Endgame | Angler (Dark Ocean 2000m) |
| Gift | Diamond Ring | All Stages | Mermaid/Shark/Angler |
| Gift | Pearl Necklace | Mid-Late | Kappa & Mermaid (Dark) |
Step-by-Step Early Gold Farming Route
To progress quickly through the Exquisite Fishing beginner guide, you need a reliable source of income. Following this specific route will allow you to unlock the Rocky Ocean and purchase mid-tier gear within your first hour of gameplay.
The Mermaid Grind
Start in the Calm Ocean with the Regular Hook and Diamond Ring. Target the Mermaid at 50m. She is worth 300g and is very easy to catch. Repeat this 5 times to fund your next gift.
The Shark Upgrade
Purchase the Good Hook and Striped Pantie. Drop your lure to 200m in the Calm Ocean. The Shark rewards you with 2,000g per catch, significantly boosting your bankroll.
Mastering the Angler
Equip the Regular Hook and Box of Chocolates. Dive to 300m in the Calm Ocean. The Angler is the most valuable early target, paying out 10,000g. Farm this until you have enough for the Regular Boat.
Transition to Rocky Ocean
Purchase the Regular Boat for 1,500g. Move to the Rocky Ocean and equip the Double Shielded Hook and Mighty Dildo to catch the Octopus at 100m for 1,500g.
The Angler in the Calm Ocean remains one of the best gold-per-minute targets until you reach the Turbulent Ocean. If you find the deeper oceans too difficult, return to the Calm Ocean to farm the Angler.
Scene Unlocks and Completion Checklist
For many players, the ultimate goal is to complete the Fishipedia and unlock all mature scenes in the gallery. These scenes are tied to specific creature catches under strict conditions. Use this checklist to track your progress as you explore the four oceans.
Early Game Completion Checklist:
- Catch Calm Ocean Mermaid (50m, Diamond Ring)
- Catch Calm Ocean Shark (200m, Striped Pantie)
- Catch Calm Ocean Angler (300m, Box of Chocolates)
- Catch Rocky Ocean Octopus (100m, Mighty Dildo)
- Catch Rocky Ocean Kappa (500m, Pearl Necklace)
- Purchase the Regular Boat (1,500g)
Late Game Completion Checklist:
- Retrieve Grandpa's Letter (Turbulent 1,000m)
- Catch Turbulent Ocean Whale (50m, Striped Pantie)
- Catch Dark Ocean Mermaid (800m, Pearl Necklace)
- Catch Dark Ocean Angler (2,000m, Diamond Ring)
- Purchase the Golden Boat (8,000g)
- Unlock every Omega Hook catch
Grandpa's Letter is located at the very bottom of the Turbulent Ocean (1,000m). You do not need a specific gift for this, but you do need a boat capable of reaching that depth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why is the fish ignoring my lure even when I'm at the right depth?
Most special creatures in Exquisite Fishing require a specific Gift to be equipped in your loadout. Check the shop to ensure you have the correct attraction item for your target.
Q: How do I reach the 2,000m depth in the Dark Ocean?
You must purchase the Golden Boat (8,000g) and equip a late-game hook like the Omega Hook. Standard boats will be crushed or unable to descend that far.
Q: Where is the save file located if I want to backup my progress?
On Windows PC, your save data is typically found in the AppData/LocalLow/PinkySoul/Exquisite Fishing directory.
Q: What is the best way to earn gold for the Golden Boat?
Farm the Shark in the Turbulent Ocean (900m) using the Super Hook and Diamond Ring for 24,000g, or the Angler in the Rocky Ocean for 13,000g.
Always keep an eye on your line tension while reeling. If the line snaps, you lose both the catch and the gold spent on the lure for that attempt.