- BGG rank
- BGG #5,314
- BGG rating
- 6.6
Fool!
- 4–8 players
- 15 min
- Complexity 1.1/5
- 2018
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,204
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Fishing
2024
Rules assistance for Fishing
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–5 players
- 40–60 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.9/5
For 3 players
Rules assistant for Fishing
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Fishing is a board game released in 2024 for 3–5 players, 40–60 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Friedemann Friese and its main mechanics are Deck, Bag, and Pool Building and Trick-taking.
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About the game
In Fishing, you try to catch as many tricks as possible over eight rounds, with each card you catch being worth 1 point. You then use your caught cards for the next round — and if you didn't catch enough tricks to fill your hand, you'll draw fresh cards from the ocean stack, which will introduce new cards for you fishers to fight over. In more detail, at the start of each round, you have 8-13 cards in hand, depending on the player count and the round. In the first round, the cards go from 1-10 in four colors. Standard trick-taking rules apply, with players needing to follow the color led and the highest card of the led suit winning the trick. New cards come into play from the ocean stack in waves, with higher-value cards in the four colors, a green trump suit from 1-16, 0 cards that let you snag a card from the trick, and special-powered buoy cards that can always be played into a trick regardless of what you have in hand. With buoys, you can steal the lead or determine which color must lead the next trick, force players to pass cards or lose points; you can even steal all other cards in a trick, ideally netting yourself huge fish for use next round. At the end of each round, score 1 point for each card you caught. Whoever lands the most points after eight rounds wins.
Designers
Publishers
- asmodee
- Swan Panasia Co., Ltd.
- Matagot
- Giochi Uniti
- 999 Games
- Games7Days
- Rio Grande Games
- Lautapelit.fi
- 2Tomatoes Games
- 2F-Spiele
- TLAMA games
- SUNNY BIRD
- Ludofun
Questions and answers
Fishing supports 3–5 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Fishing is 40–60 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Fishing for ages 8 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Fishing has a complexity rating of 1.9 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Fishing belongs to these categories: Card Game, Animals, and Nautical. Its main mechanics are Deck, Bag, and Pool Building and Trick-taking. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Fishing are: Friedemann Friese. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Fishing as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.