
- BGG rank
- BGG #13,633
- BGG rating
- 6.2
Saustall
- 2–4 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 2010

Rules assistance for Gone Fishing!
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

For 2 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Gone Fishing! is a board game released in 2005 for 2 players, 40 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Michael Rieneck.
Who is the best angler? One player takes the role of the two anglers and tries to catch as many fish as possible. The other player takes the role of the fish and with bluff and skill tries to hinder the anglers from catching fish. The angler player decides where to fish, but must do so in the dark (that is, he cannot really see where the fish are), as the fish cards are placed face down. Because of this, he does not know whether he is catching a fish or garbage. Also, when he is lucky enough to catch a fish, he will not know until he lands it how valuable it is. With clever movement of his fish, the fish player tries to get garbage and small fish onto the anglers hooks. After one game, the players switch roles. After two games, the player with the most points is the winner. Gone Fishing! is part of the Kosmos two-player series.
Gone Fishing! supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Gone Fishing! is 40 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 Gone Fishing! for ages 10 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.
Gone Fishing! has a complexity rating of 1.4 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.
Gone Fishing! belongs to these categories: Deduction and Bluffing. Categories describe the theme, setting and style of a game rather than its rules. Filter the catalogue by the same category to find similar games when you enjoyed Gone Fishing! and want something comparable for your next game night.
The credited designers of Gone Fishing! are: Michael Rieneck. 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 Gone 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.