How to Start Fishing in Core Keeper

For the simplified fishing controls, cast your rod into water, wait for the bite cue, then use the rod again. On a mouse setup with the controls described by players, that means right-click to cast and right-click when the exclamation mark or bite sound appears. Use your assigned action if you have changed the controls.

Make a starter rod

The Wood Fishing Rod costs 5 Wood at a Copper Workbench. If you still need that workbench, its recipe is 8 Wood and 6 Copper Bars at a Basic Workbench.

Make your first catch

Read the bite, then retrieve

1. Select the rodPut a fishing rod on the hotbar. Leave the Legacy minigame disabled.
2. Cast into waterAim at water and use the rod. Default mouse action: right-click.
3. Wait for the bite cueWatch for the exclamation mark or listen for the bite sound.
4. Use the rod againRetrieve when the bite appears. The catch can be a fish or an item.

Stand beside an accessible pool and aim at a water tile before casting.

You may pull up an item instead of a fish. The water type and, for ordinary water, the surrounding biome affect the catch table. Fish splashes identify a spot that produces fish rather than the non-fish loot pool.

Using the Legacy fishing minigame setting

The gameplay settings include a Legacy fishing minigame option. Leave it disabled to use the cast-and-retrieve sequence above. Enabling it adds the reeling minigame. Publisher documentation

Bites but no catch?

Check your timing and fishing power. A rod that works in an early area may not be sufficient for another water type. Try the same action in a previously successful pool to separate a control problem from an equipment requirement.