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Do you have kids in your house that are as obsessed with fishing as I do in mine?
My kids get their love of fishing from their Dad and if they aren’t out on the water fishing then playing a fishing board game is the next best thing.
Fishin’ Time is a board game that we play quite often in my house and I found it at a local thrift store years ago before my husband and I were married.
My kids and husband enjoy playing Fishin’ Time so much, it’s made me wonder what other fun fishing games are out there?
There’s actually quite a few. Many of these aren’t on Amazon or in stores for whatever reason, so make sure to check them on eBay or keep an eye out in your local game store, garage sales, and thrift stores.
Another surprising place I’ve found a couple of these for playing (not for buying though) is at our local library. We just found Fleet and Salmon Run at our last library visit. We plan on checking these games out soon as well as seeing what the other library branches around us have.
One thing I’ve noticed is that many of the fishing-themed games are tournament fishing board games. Each of these tournament-style games has a different way of catching fish and competing to be the winner.
Here are some of the best fishing board games out there!
Fishin’ Time
This is the game that my kids, husband and friends all enjoy!
This game is easy to pick up on and you get to decide how long the game lasts by setting a timer.
The goal is to catch the most fish and the player that has the most weight in fish wins!
You can catch fish by moving your boat onto the tiles with fish icons. Careful though, as sometimes the card you draw will cause you to lose your fishing license, go back to Cranky Hank’s because your boat sprung a leak, and several other scenarios that will set you back such as losing your fishing pole.
Check Amazon or eBay to see if they have a copy of Fishin’ Time available.
Salmon Run
If you prefer to play a game with salmon, Salmon Run might be what you are looking for.
The purpose of Salmon Run is to get your Salmon upstream so that they can spawn. You are in a race against the other players to get your salmon up the stream first.
Something really cool about this game is that you can change up the board each time you play. You are in charge of configuring the board. This should help increase the playability for people who get bored playing the same game over and over again.
Check it out on Amazon or eBay or Target.
If Wishes Were Fishes
Who will get their wishes granted by catching the biggest fish? But beware…not everything is quite what it seems.
This fishing board game is great for family play and involves a little bit of strategy. Perfect for ages 10 and up and the entire game can be played in under an hour.
This game seems to have more copies floating around than some of the others. It looks like both eBay and Amazon has it in stock (at least at the time of this writing).
Swordfish
Swordfish looks like a really fun game.
This game takes place at one of the richest fishing spots in the world – at a place called the Grand Banks.
Not only is the Grand Banks one of the richest fishing spot in the world, but it’s also the location of violent storms.
You hire boats, captains, and crews, purchase any fuel you’ll need as well as bait to catch the fish.
Do you have what it takes to brave the storm and find the richest fishing spot in the entire world? You’ll have to figure out a way to maneuver safely to get those fish…and it’s not going to be an easy feat to pull off.
Created for 2-6 players with an average playing time of 75 minutes, you’ll find that fishing isn’t as simple as it appears to the naked eye.
Check with Amazon or eBay to see if they currently have the game in stock.
Mare Balticum
Mare Balticum looks to be another incredibly fun fishing board game to play.
In this game, you are the captain of a fishing boat trying to catch fish in the Baltic Sea.
You get to decide which fish you want to focus on catching, but there is another option as well – collecting Baltic amber from the ocean. You also get to take your goods and deliver them to the port to sell.
If about 30 minutes tend to be how long you like your games to be, this game is perfect.
Unfortunately, Mare Balticum appears to only be available on eBay at this time.
Fleet
In the next couple of weeks we have the chance to play this game! I know my kids and husband are all excited at the chance.
Fleet is a fishing card game.
In this game you’ll be in fishing in Northern Canada on an unexplored bay. You’ll need to get different fishing licenses, acquire boats, captains, and launching boats and auctioning off your catch.
Each of the different fishing licenses allow you to do different things. For example, you might have a shrimp license and this allows you to get money for every boat you launch or each license you acquire. The many different types of licenses allow you to come up with different strategies on how to collect your licenses.
There is an expansion pack you can add on if you need additional ways to play Fleet.
This game should take you about 30-45 minutes to play.
You can find Fleet at Amazon and on eBay!
Kayanak
This looks like it could be loads of fun for younger kids.
Kayanak is a game about ice fishing. In real life when you are ice fishing you have to break through the ice to catch fish and this game is the same way.
There are two dice you’ll roll – one die will tell you what action you can take and the other one will let you know what the weather is.
You’ll want to keep the weather in mind when doing an action since the weather might impact what you decide to do.
You can find this fun fishing game for kids on eBay and on Amazon.
Fish or Cut Bait
Fish or cut bait is a super fast-paced game that is set on a 45-second timer.
While the timer is going, you roll the symbolized dice and try to catch fish according to how you roll.
There are 10 rounds and at the end of that everyone counts up their catches to see who has more.
The one with the most, wins!
There’s no limit to the number of players that can play (the game even says for 2-99 players) this game as long as they’ve got quick hands and a fun attitude. Great for ages 8 and up but younger may do just fine with some adult assistance.
You can pick up Fish or Cut Bait at Amazon or on eBay.
Coldwater Crown
Coldwater Crown is a fishing tournament game.
You are trying to get the heaviest weight of fish to win.
There are three different locations you can fish in – the river, on the ocean shore and in a lake. Plus, there is an expansion game for this called Coldwater Crown: The Sea.
This fishing tournament is a different way of going about it than Fishin Time and I’m sure all the guys in my house will love it just as much as their beloved Fishin’ Time game.
This game takes slightly over an hour to play. You can find it both on Amazon and eBay.
Fish! Bass Lake
This is another fishing tournament game.
In Fish! Bass Lake, there is an assortment of tackle you need to choose from to bring with you when you go to fish at one of the 5 fishing spots. There are more than 12 fish you can catch, but you need to make sure you have the right bait to catch the fish.
The real winner is the one who can catch the biggest and most fish in the fishing tournament.
Recommended age is about ages 6 and above.
You can find this game on both Amazon.
Freshwater Fly
In Freshwater Fly, not only are you trying to catch the perfect fish but you’re also trying to do so while navigating down a treacherous river. While catching fish is the goal, there’s a lot more to this game than meets the eye.
Be prepared…and hold on for the ride! Great family friendly activity for all ages to enjoy.
You can find this game on Amazon.
Final Thoughts on Fishing Board Games
Who knew that there were so many fishing board games out there?! If you can’t get out on the water for a day of fishing – do the next best thing and pull out a fishing board game to play with the family.
These fishing board games are a great way to have your family and friends sit down and spend some time together while also challenging your mind and emotions. If you find that you’re a competitive board game player, that’s fine – just keep it in “reel” when playing with others!
Have fun trying one, or all, of these fishing board games! They really are a lot of fun and perfect to take with you when you’re traveling as well. Board games at home or on the road are always a great idea!
Do you know of any other fishing board games to share? please share in the comments below.
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