How to Fish Weapons List

Every weapon confirmed in How to Fish, grouped by type, with what we know about cost and unlock order. Weapons aren't just for defense — the tool you use to finish off a fish changes how much it sells for, so picking the right one matters as much for your wallet as your survival.

Weapon shop board in How to Fish displaying a pistol, knife, dynamite stick, and brass knuckles hanging on wooden planks — Weapons are sold from wooden shop boards like this one on each island.

How to Fish Weapons List

Community-reported weapon list and approximate shop prices. Prices can change between updates — treat these as a general guide, not a guarantee.
Weapon	Type	Approx. Cost	Notes
Brass Knuckles	Melee	Cheap / early unlock	One of the first melee options available; fast but low damage.
Knife	Melee	Cheap / early unlock	Best early melee choice for damage and speed; a common pick to clear the first island's boss.
Pistol	Ranged	~$50	The first ranged weapon most players unlock, sold on the second island.
Shotgun	Ranged	~$150	Big upgrade in stopping power over the pistol at close range.
SMG	Ranged	Mid-tier cost	High fire rate with decent damage per bullet; a strong all-rounder once unlocked.
Sniper Rifle	Ranged	Higher cost	Highest damage per shot of any gun in the game — best against tougher single targets and bosses.
Assault Rifle	Ranged	Highest cost (late game)	The endgame weapon; expensive, but the strongest all-around ranged option once you can afford it.
Dynamite	Utility	Consumable	Area-damage tool rather than a standard weapon — useful for groups of fish or clearing an area fast.

Melee Weapons

Knife

The Knife is generally considered the best early melee option in How to Fish. It swings fast, does solid damage for its tier, and is affordable enough to buy almost immediately. Many players use it to fight through the first island's boss before they've saved up for a gun at all.

Brass Knuckles

Brass Knuckles are the other early melee option, available from the start alongside the Knife. They hit faster but for less damage per swing, making them a fine backup rather than a first pick.

Ranged Weapons

Pistol

The Pistol is typically the first gun players unlock, usually appearing in the shop once you reach the second island. It's not a huge damage upgrade over melee, but ranged attacks let you fight fish and bosses without getting hit yourself.

Shotgun

The Shotgun trades range for raw close-up damage. It's a common "second gun" purchase and noticeably speeds up killing tougher normal fish and mid-game bosses.

SMG

The SMG is an upgrade path over the Pistol — a much higher fire rate with respectable damage per bullet, making it efficient against fast or evasive targets.

Sniper Rifle

The Sniper Rifle deals the highest damage per hit of any weapon in How to Fish. It's slower to fire, so it rewards accuracy over spray-and-pray, and it's a strong pick for boss fights where every hit counts.

Assault Rifle

The Assault Rifle is How to Fish's endgame weapon — the most expensive gun in the shop and the one most players are saving up for by the final islands. If you're wondering what to work toward once you've got a Shotgun or SMG, this is it.

Utility: Dynamite

Dynamite doesn't fit neatly into melee or ranged — it's a thrown, area-effect tool. It's most useful for clearing several fish at once or dealing with situations a single-target weapon handles poorly.

Weapon Tier Overview

Rather than fixed damage numbers (which can shift between patches), it's more useful to think about How to Fish's weapons in three rough tiers tied to island progression:

Early tier (Island 1-2): Knife, Brass Knuckles, Pistol. Cheap, low commitment, enough to clear the opening bosses.
Mid tier (Island 2-3): Shotgun, SMG. Noticeably stronger, and where most of your early income should be going once the basics are covered.
Late tier (Island 4-5): Sniper Rifle, Assault Rifle. Expensive, endgame-focused purchases worth saving toward rather than buying piecemeal.

Dynamite sits outside this ladder entirely as a utility pickup you'll likely keep in your loadout the whole game, since its area-damage niche doesn't get replaced by a straight upgrade the way single-target weapons do.

Which Weapon Should You Buy First?

Quick answer: buy the Knife first. It's cheap, strong for its cost, and enough to get you through the opening island. Save up for the Pistol next, then the Shotgun — both open up on the second island and make boss fights and dangerous fish much safer to deal with from range.

Beyond the opening island, prioritize whichever weapon unlocks next in the shop rather than hoarding money — How to Fish's economy is built so that regularly reinvesting in gear keeps pace with each island's tougher creatures. For tips on earning money faster to afford these upgrades, see the money & upgrade guide. To see which creatures you'll actually be using these weapons against, check the fish & bosses guide.

Page last updated: 2026-08-27