Our list of the best fishing games on Switch and mobile is the catch of the day when it comes to finding your next trip down to the river. From realistic simulations with a competitive element, to cosy campouts with a warm fire and a few friends, there’s a wealth of different experiences waiting for you to cast out, and potentially chill out, by the water.
If you’d prefer to pick up a five iron rather than a fishing rod, be sure to check out our picks for the best golf games on Switch and mobile. Or, if you prefer your sports a little more high-octane, browse our lists of the best mobile racing games, the best Switch racing games, and the best car games.
With that out the way, it’s time to cast your bait into our list of the best fishing games on Switch and mobile.
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Stardew Valley – Switch and mobile
Ok, so in terms of game progression, Stardew Valley is only a fifth of a fishing game, but that fifth is still much more fun than a lot of full-on fishing titles out there. While the casting mechanic is infamously difficult to adjust to in your first few seasons on the farm, eventually dropping your rod in one of the many lakes or rivers feels like a calm escape from the consistent toil of farming. There’s even a small group of special legendary fish to catch, for when you feel like you’re up for the challenge.
If you need a hand getting used to the bodies of water in Pelican Town, check out our Stardew Valley fish guide for some tips.
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Ultimate Fishing Simulator – Switch
One for the realists, Ultimate Fishing Simulator is a perfect game for the angler who can’t get away at the weekend. With realistic rod controls, a collection of picturesque lakes to cast your reel over, and a diverse population of fish species to tick off your list, this is as close as you’re going to get to the real thing without putting your wellies on.
Admittedly, it might not be one for those who like arcade fishing, as much of the mechanics here are as close as you’re going to get to real-life-angling. Still, for the price, it’s worth finding out how you might fare on an open lake with nothing but a rod by your side.
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Animal Crossing – Switch
Again, we’re pushing it by including Animal Crossing on our list of fishing games, but it’s something you’ll need to do to fully furnish your island’s museum, so we’re counting it.
Not only that, but the fishing in Animal Crossing is probably the best version of what a non-fisherperson imagines the activity to consist of and is a great way to relax in-game while making friends with CJ the fish vendor.
Fishing Clash – mobile
It might not look like it, but fishing is a very competitive sport, and no other fishing game on this list embraces that like Fishing Clash. It’s more arcade-style than others, but if anything, that means there’s more free-wheeling fun to be had with less difficulty learning the ropes.
With online PvP catching competitions, clans to join with your most trusted tackle-pals, and records to break by landing the fattest fish, if you want to prove that you’re the best there is with a rod in your hands, Fishing Clash has you covered. We’ve got you covered too, with our Fishing Clash codes.
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Fishing Star! World Tour – Switch
Jump into a colorful world full of lakes, rivers, and open seas in Fishing Star! World Tour. It might be a little cartoony for the stereotypical angler down in their camping chair, but for anyone with a casual interest in angling, this is the perfect fishing game to learn your craft.
With different difficulty levels, joy-con controls, and countless customization options, there’s a lot of fun to be had. Oh, and you can ever get a special reel controller, just to make it feel that bit more like you’re by the side of a lake looking for something that blub-blub-blubs.
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Stranded Deep – Switch
Stranded Deep takes fishing games back to basics with just a simple wooden rod, and the wide expanse of the ocean to contend with. As you might guess, it’s also a fishing game with survival at its core, and anything you catch will end up in your stomach rather than on your mantelpiece.
The longer you can stay alive on the island, the bigger fish you’ll find, and if you can muster the courage, there are sharks in these waters too. We don’t recommend trying to catch them with just a sharp stick, though.
Fishing Food – mobile
What’s better than fishing for fish? Fishing for burgers. You heard me right. Fishing Food is the downright wackiest title on this list, as you play as a hungry kawaii cat fishing out food from an ocean of pizza slicers, hot dogs, and pink iced doughnuts.
The twist is, that your dinner can talk back, and together you work to find the secrets hiding at the bottom of the ocean of fast food. There’s no realism here, but it’s still a fishing game, and there are some laughs to be had.
Mysteries Under Lake Ophelia – Switch
Okay, so this is a bit of a weird one. Mysteries Under Lake Ophelia is a moodier fishing sim than most, combining an eerie atmosphere with PS1-style graphics to offer the most unsettling experience on our list of the best fishing games.
With over 30 fish to catch, and multiple lures and rods to add to your collection of fishing equipment, the simulation here is quite relaxing. However, there is something of a dark mystery at play, so be sure to keep your wits about you as you explore the murky Lake Ophelia.
Moonglow Bay – Switch
Moonglow Bay is a slice-of-life delight underscored by a narrative that is equal parts tragic and uplifting. Better still, it’s full of fishing. You begin as just an amateur fisherman, stricken with grief, before taking it upon yourself to restore a sense of pride and community to the dilapidated seaside town of Moonglow Bay.
While the fishing isn’t as challenging here as some of the other games on this list, there’s a lot of fun to be had exploring the waters of Moonglow Bay and cooking up meals from the fish you find. It’s something of a cozy game, and we’re always up for a cozy time. For more on this one, check out our Moonglow Bay Switch review.
There you have it, our comprehensive list of the best fishing games on Switch and mobile. If all this talk of lakes, rivers, and open seas has you hankering for an adventure rather than a day of fishing, why not check out our list of the best exploration games while you’re here?