Fish · Creature 28 of 54
How to catch Needlefish
A confirmed endangered-species trade for the Tourist and one of the cleanest Carrot-route choices.
Last verified August 28, 2026
Quick facts
Needlefish at a glance
Quick answer
Catch Needlefish on Desert Island with Standard Lure and the Fishing Rod, then finish the encounter so the base entry can record. The recorded raw base value is 60 coins before killscore, cooking or other modifiers.
Needlefish catch setup
| Island | Desert Island |
|---|---|
| Category | Fish |
| Method | Fishing-rod catch |
| Tool | Fishing Rod |
| Pool / trigger | Standard Lure |
| Raw base value | 60 coins |
| Encounter | No dedicated boss encounter |
How to get Needlefish
- Reach Desert Island. It is stage 3 of the main route and follows the yellow Radar marker.
- Use the Fishing Rod with Standard Lure. Another lure tier is not treated as equivalent unless the documented pool lists it.
- Land the fish in a clear area and defeat it; merely hooking it may not complete the encyclopedia entry.
- Open the Tab encyclopedia after the catch and confirm the base entry before moving to the next directory row.
Do not plan around the base value alone
Killscore, cooking and route use can make a catch more important than its raw coin number. Quest items should be handed in before considering a sale.
Desert Island context
The Standard Lure stage combines an endangered-creature trade, a Carrot-triggered story boss and the optional Grillmaster route.
Unlock: Return the Giant Piranha trophy and follow the yellow Radar marker.
Island route tip
Open the complete Desert Island route →Do not sell the quest fish before the Tourist accepts it.
Drip variant guidance
A Drip is a rare visual/name variant, not a new bait tier. Repeat the ordinary Standard Lure route for Needlefish, watch for a rainbow-colored name and defeat the variant only if the Tab encyclopedia shows a separate empty Drip row.
- Do not buy a supposed universal “Drip lure”; none is documented.
- Confirm the defeat rather than assuming a hook alone recorded the variant.
- Keep long variant farms for collection cleanup after story-critical purchases.
Related creatures
Sources and version boundary
This page records the released-build creature directory and uses original route notes written for this guide. Game identity and update status are checked against Dazed Games' official Steam pages; raw values are shown as reference data rather than guaranteed final sale payouts.
- Official How to Fish Steam listing ↗
- Official Steam announcements ↗
- Site sourcing, extraction count and correction method
Verified for Patch 1.0.10 on . Patch 1.0.10 slightly reduced Anglerfish health but did not announce new creatures or a changed bait route.
Quick answers
Needlefish FAQ
Location, collection method, value, encounter status and tracking answers for this directory entry.
Where do I find Needlefish in How to Fish?
Needlefish is found on Desert Island, stage 3 of the five-island route, in the Standard Lure.
What catches Needlefish?
Use Standard Lure with the Fishing Rod on Desert Island.
How much is Needlefish worth?
Needlefish has a raw base value of 60 coins before killscore, cooking or gambling effects.
Is Needlefish a boss?
No. Needlefish is a fishing-rod catch rather than one of the 11 dedicated encounters.
Does Needlefish need different bait for a Drip variant?
No separate Drip lure is documented. If the Tab encyclopedia shows a Drip row for Needlefish, repeat the normal Standard Lure route, look for a rainbow-colored name and defeat that variant.