DREADMOOR Fishing Guide: Bait, Fish & Cargo

Bait and conditions

Dev Diary #2 describes casting, waiting, observing and reacting. Even ordinary fish resist; rare, dangerous catches place greater demands on preparation, equipment and timing. Some species appear only under particular conditions or at certain times of day or night. No species-to-bait combination or probability is supplied.

• Species-to-bait matches have not been established by these sources.
• Catch probabilities and guaranteed combinations remain unverified.

The catch is only one part of the fishing loop

A successful catch can still be lost through storage problems, so capture, hold management and sale should be considered separately. Follow locations and exploration for the places named by the description and official access for legitimate ways to obtain the game.

Official description, not a hands-on test. Sources: DREADMOOR on Steam

A catch is not safe yet

The official store warns that sea creatures can devour each other in the hold. Sorting a catch therefore belongs in the fishing loop. Exact compatibility rules, damage rates and storage layouts need direct verification.

Trading and danger

The store connects more dangerous prey with higher prices offered by traders. That is a broad relationship, not a tested profit ranking. Net value would also need equipment, bait and expedition costs.

Pier fishing and night-time schools

The September playtest announcement adds fishing directly from the pier, with a tutorial on the first attempt. It also says mutated fish schools become slightly more common at night and receive a distinct visual effect. That describes the announced September test changes; it does not specify a probability or guarantee a particular species. Connect these conditions to cargo management before treating a larger catch as a successful return.

Four fish named in official announcements

The March 5 development update describes Softgrazer as a calmer fish and Bristler as a dangerous, valuable predator. The September 4 announcement names Shovelnose and Gleamer as additions to the September 10–14 playtest. These are named development records, not a complete release roster. The announcements do not establish a species-to-bait chart, catch probabilities or sale prices. Matching species images are still being checked before a separate catch index opens.

Official description, not a hands-on test. Sources: 100,000 Wishlists. Thank you! · Celebrating 400k wishlists and Open Playtest (10-14 September)

Selling or processing a catch

Dev Diary #2 explains why a catch matters beyond its sale price: fish can be processed into materials, components and substances that unlock tools, bait and upgrades. Rare catches can open new crafting options and deeper exploration. The July Demo announcement separately names processing and workbench crafting. Read trading and processing for the choice between keeping materials and selling; conversion yields are not specified.

Follow the next question

For the next stages, read cargo management and trading your catch. The first explains the risk after capture; the second follows the catch toward vessel progression.

Fishing is part of an expedition

Dev Diary #2 describes limited safe zones with often-depleted resources. Travelling farther from inhabited areas makes the waters more unpredictable. At night, creatures become more active, water more hostile and visibility lower. A spot familiar by day may feel very different after dark. This is the developers’ intended risk-and-reward design; read boat preparation for the return journey.

What the four named fish tell us

The four named fish above belong to different announcement records. Dev Diary #2 supplies the broader design: rare catches can yield materials that unlock crafting possibilities. It does not assign those rewards to Softgrazer, Bristler, Shovelnose or Gleamer. The September test’s increased night-time mutated schools are a later test change, not a numerical rule for every version.

Frequently asked questions

Answers based on the official sources discussed in this guide.