Food is one of the main resources players should work towards when playing survival games, and Don’t Starve Together is no different. While the mechanics can be different from what players are used to due to the fact that there is a Sanity meter that drops when its dark or there’s fighting, it’s not quite as different as most survival games. Thankfully, there are ample ways that players can find food in the wacky world of Don’t Starve Together.
When players Hunger meter is dropping more rapidly than their farm can keep up with, it’s never a bad idea to fish! This is the perfect way to stock up on food without waiting days. Trapping animals and farming can only last players so long before they need to look elsewhere for a bite to eat. But the mechanics can be trickier for those who are used to Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing fishing, so here’s how players can fish.
Fish For Food & Resources
Not only is fishing great for food, but it’s a way for players to catch up on foraging if they don’t want to walk around for a day. For those wanting to find some extra loot, they can use the fishing rod to reel in Flotsam, which is floating debris found in the ocean from shipwrecks. When players snag these up, they can find Boards, Logs, Cut Grass, Rop, Twigs and even Trinkets like Soaked Candles, an Old Boot, a Sextant, a Toy Boat or a Sea Worther.
Granted the chances of getting theses are lower than the basic loot, but when found they can be exchanged with the Pig King for Gold Nuggets. Also note that catching Flotsam also effects the durability of the fishing rod.
Using The Fishing Rod
Thankfully the multiplayer version, Don't Starve Together, has two water sources players can find to reel in fish. The first are the pongs that can be easily located in the Marshes, Forests and Grasslands. Players can usually find them easily if they bump into frogs along their journey. But the second source is the ocean, which requires a special rod to reel in items.
Basic Fishing Rod
The first thing players need to have when starting their fishing journey is a fishing rod. This survival tool is simple to craft for the basic type, with 2 Twigs and 2 Silk. Players will need a Science Machine before they can craft this, however, so make sure that’s been done first. And like most of the tools in the game, there is a durability to it. The basic fishing rod will only catch up to 9 fish or eel before breaking.
When players reach the pond water source, they will need to equip the fishing rod and then find a spot around the pond, where it prompts them to fish. Click on the pond and wait for the fish to bite. There will be two prompts when fishing. The first will be when the fish bites, it will ask players to click to hook the fish on the fishing rod, and then after this it will prompt the player to click once more to reel the fish out of the water.
It can be finicky for some players because of the timing and needing to click twice but try to avoid spam clicking because if players click on the pond before the fish bite, it will take out their fishing rod, and it will take more time to catch fish.
Sea Fishing Rod
This item is exclusive to Together and provides players a way to fish in the ocean. To craft this item, players will need 1 Board and 6 Silk. There are two slots that players can put in items to improve some mechanics of the rod. The first is Floats, which improves the casting range as well as accuracy. The second is for Lures, which improves how quickly fish come to the rod. Note that this fishing rod is only for the ocean and cannot be used for any ponds.
While Lures and Floats are optional, they are a great way to improve the time spent as well as how many fish players can get on one venture of fishing. For Lures, players will need Berries or Seeds, and Twigs are a great item for Floats. The items needed to improve the fishing rod is inexpensive and can usually be found on the way towards the ocean, so there’s no harm in stocking up.
To fish, players will first need to scout out a location where they see dark shadows in the ocean, the silhouettes of the fish. From there, players will need to cast their line in the water near the fish. This is where the mechanics differ greatly from the pond mechanics.
Pay attention to the rod angle. If it’s low, that means players will need to keep reeling in the fish, but once it gets high in the air, players must stop because the character is struggling to keep the fish hooked. If players keep reeling when the fishing rod is high, the line will snap. Finding the happy medium between the two can be tricky, but after some practice and some good lures, players will be reeling in a bunch of fish in no time.
Catching Bigger Ocean Fish
There isn’t much different when it comes to catching bigger fish. The mechanics are the same, the only thing is that players will need a boat. A boat kit is made from 4 Boards and is located on the Seafaring Tab. For players wanting to use Lures and Floats, they will also need more advanced options which is available to them after crafting the Tackle Receptacle. This costs 1 Driftwood Piece, 1 Bone Shard, and 1 Electrical Doodad. After this is made, players can prototype and craft advanced Lures and Floats.
Don't Starve Together is available now on PlayStation 4, macOS, Xbox One, Linux, Nintendo Switch, and Microsoft Windows.