Fishing isn't the first thing on everyone's mind when they think about engaging in competitive and intense sports in the real world, let alone in the gaming world. Still, there are plenty of games centered around fishing both as a sport and for hunting, and depending on how skilled you are (and how interested you are in the activity), you can find one that catches and holds your attention for hours.
PlayStation, in particular, offers a wide variety of fishing games in its store, from American-based to global. These games allow you to fish solo if you like the idea of some solitary alone time, or with and against other players who are as passionate about the sport of fishing as you are. If you're the type of person who is looking for a casual game to relax with after work, or the type that feels fishing is an art form all its own, there's definitely a game on PlayStation for you.
10 Reel Fishing: Road Trip Adventure
Reel Fishing: Road Trip Adventure is a great solo fishing game if you want to mix casual fun with lower-stakes competition. There are ten locations you can explore, ranging from deep-sea fishing to freshwater streams, and over 20 species of fish inhabit the various bodies of water you visit.
Time of day and climate can have an effect on what you can find and where, so keep in mind what you're looking for when you hit up each spot. The hardest goal, if you choose to seek it out, is catching the Legendary Fish, but you can always play it more low-key and just chill while enjoying calm indoor fishing.
9 Pro Fishing Simulator
Though Pro Fishing Simulator is really a single-player game, there are online global leaderboards that allow you to be as competitive as you desire while fishing for sport. There are nine different settings to choose from all over the world, and over 79 species of fish to catch while building your career.
Pro Fishing Simulator offers weekly and seasonal challenges that allow beginners to enjoy the game as well as seasoned fishermen. The game also has six different fishing techniques to perfect, from fly-fishing to boat fishing, so climbing the ranks takes skill.
8 Euro Fishing
If you're looking for a more connected online experience, Euro Fishing might be the game for you. In this angling game, you can play online with up to four people in a game at once. Thanks to plenty of add-on DLC features and maps, you're going to get a lot of play out of this game. The settings are real, with some of Europe's most notorious lakes available to fish in, and it's almost entirely dynamic with things like water temperatures, climates, seasons, and even preference of bait affecting the fish you will be catching.
Time of day can also affect what you catch, so it feels just like real fishing as you will have to time your catch. All of this means you're not missing out on any of the experience (other than actually being indoors while fishing). Each body of water has a trophy-worthy fish and catching it will earn you bragging rights among friends.
7 The Fisherman - Fishing Planet
Fishing Planet allows up to five players in the game at once if you're using PS Plus, giving it a slight advantage over other fishing games with multiplayer. It's also designed for fans of fishing by people who enjoy fishing for sport, giving it a truly authentic competitive feel. That said, it has many quality-of-life features that make a newcomer feel just as welcome.
Fishing Planet doesn't make you choose a certain area of the world, as there are 19 different locations between America and Europe and over 140 fish species present throughout. Changing weather, climate, time, and seasons add to the real-world feel of this game, as well as four techniques to use while fishing.
6 Fishing Sim World: Pro Tour
Fishing Sim World: Pro Tour has tons of add-on content to keep this game fresh and feeling new, whether you're playing solo or online with three friends. In career mode, you can join the world of over 100 pro fishermen and compete to earn sponsors, money, and prizes to become the best of the best.
If you're more interested in playing with friends, multiplayer is customizable, allowing you to set up rules within your group. There are also online tournaments to compete in to prove your fishing prowess. With 38 species to catch across 16 settings, all with true-to-life behaviors based on time of day and weather, you're in for realistic and fun fishing.
5 Bassmaster Fishing 2022
Bassmaster Fishing 2022 is your game if you're looking for an intense multiplayer experience. Up to 25 people can join in through PS Plus, but if that overwhelms you, there is single-player, too. There's also a decent amount of add-on content to keep the adventure going while fishing.
You can play as, or against, ten different pro fishermen from the Elite Tour across eight bodies of water, building a career and gaining sponsors. In Elite Tour, you compete to climb the ranking, but it is in online multiplayer where you can compete for a spot on the world leaderboard.
4 Rapala Fishing: Pro Series
Rapala Fishing is a single-player-only game, but it has ranked gameplay and tournaments, as well as daily challenges to encourage your competitive side. Your goal is to become the best fisherman, building up your career and collecting trophies while gaining sponsorships.
Weather changes affect what you catch and when you can find the 17 species of fish represented in the game. As a bonus, if you're the type of player that loves spending a lot of time creating the perfect character, Rapala has a completely customizable character creator for you.
3 Fishing: Barents Sea
Fishing: Barents Sea gives you tough waters to navigate, so playing solo doesn't feel any less competitive or challenging. You can choose between 14 different ships to go out fishing on, and you can fish by line or net, depending on your preference. You're also in charge of keeping track of all the dynamic weather and climates since they affect what you can catch.
Barents Sea uses data from over 20 years to inform its weather systems and the environment's behaviors. Water temperature also changes along with seasons to make it as close to reality as possible.
2 The Catch: Carp and Coarse Fishing
The Catch offers a single-player offline mode and a four-player online mode, so you can make your game as competitive or relaxing as you see fit. This game is about hunting fish, not fishing as a sport, so you're going to need to develop a strategy and your skill to catch all 35 possible species across five bodies of water.
The time of day and weather will change while you play, as well as the way the water flows, creating more challenges for your hunt. There are 125 legendary fish deemed 'bosses' in The Catch, giving you plenty to strive for as you navigate each area.
1 Fishing: North Atlantic
Even though Fishing: North Atlantic is a single-player game, you're definitely not going to miss out on the lively and competitive fun others have with multiplayer games. Set in Nova Scotia, you take on the world of commercial fishing complete with upgradable boats and gear. All maps, fish, and boats featured in the game are based on real-world fishing, so you get to truly experience the life and career of a fishing business.
North Atlantic stays true to the climates and seasons of Nova Scotia, as well, which creates challenges for you to face but also allows you to leverage real-world techniques to the advantage of your business as the game progresses. Unlike sport fishing games, you're tasked with meeting market demands that will apply far more pressure to hit your goals.