Money runs short fast in How to Fish, and the game hands you far more items than you can afford at any one moment. The result is decision paralysis at the shop. Every purchase has a use, so the real question is order, not whether something is worth buying at all.
Quick answer: Buy the Radar ($10) first, then keep enough cash for weapons and island lures. Grab the Shotgun ($150) early, upgrade Bullet Damage before big bosses, and treat boat engine upgrades as the last thing on your list.
Spend priority order and known costs
The safest way to spend is to clear progression blockers first, then firepower, then comfort upgrades. This table lists the confirmed prices and where each purchase becomes available.
| Purchase | Cost | Where / when |
|---|---|---|
| Radar | $10 | Lighthouse, after unlocking the boat |
| Shotgun | $150 | Early weapon shop |
| First boat engine | $230 | Forest Island |
| SMG | $650 | Around Desert Island |
| Dual Motors | $860 | Rocks Island (fastest engine) |
| Dynamite | $25 | From Forest Island onward |
Buy the Radar and unlock the boat first
The Radar costs just $10 and is the single most important early purchase. Once NPCs start handing you coordinates for other islands, those numbers are useless without it. Buy the Radar after unlocking the boat, and you can follow the trail to the Forest Island and every location that comes after.
Do not hold off on this one to save cash. It is cheap, it removes a hard progression wall, and later boat setups let you keep the Radar permanently mounted instead of equipping it by hand each time.
Fishing rods and island lures you cannot skip
Fishing is the core of the money loop, so upgrade your rod whenever a better Fishing Rod appears. You do not need to own every piece of gear at once. Upgrade when you reach a new island or start struggling with its catches, and keep the rest of your money for weapons and bait.
Each island introduces its own lure for local fish, and those catches are more valuable, especially after cooking them for sale. Buying an island’s lure often pays for that island’s other upgrades.
Note: Boss Lures are separate from ordinary fishing lures and cost much more. Always read the full name before you confirm a purchase, because buying the wrong version wastes a large amount of money.
Weapons: Shotgun early, SMG mid-game, Assault Rifle for the whale
You will fight a lot of bosses, so firepower matters as much as fishing gear. The Shotgun costs $150 and is one of the best early buys. It is a major jump over melee weapons and stays useful across several islands as long as you keep its Bullet Damage upgraded. Its close-range power suits large targets, but pick your moments against bosses that charge or roll at you.
The SMG costs $650 and shows up around the Desert Island. Its rapid fire makes it a strong mid-game option for the Blue Shark and Pufferfish fights. The downside is recoil, so fire in short bursts until you can afford attachments to steady it.
The Assault Rifle is expensive, and its upgrade modules cost even more. You will still need it before the whale, the final boss, so plan your money so this weapon is ready and upgraded by the endgame.
Bullet Damage upgrades and weapon attachments
A stronger gun is only half the picture. Shops sell repeatable Bullet Damage upgrades that raise the damage of the weapons you already own. They grow more expensive each time, but improving a gun you already carry is often cheaper than replacing it, and stocking up on damage before a hard boss pays off.
Attachments make your favorite weapon easier to handle. A gun holds four attachment slots, and filling all four on one weapon unlocks the Fully equipped achievement. The available options are:
- Extended Magazine
- Laser Sight
- Red Dot Sight
- Sniper Scope
- Compensator
- Suppressor
The Extended Magazine is the standout because it lets you fire longer before reloading, which pairs well with the SMG. A Compensator tames SMG recoil, and sights help you track smaller or more distant targets. For the sniper rifle, a suppressor with iron sights is a solid setup.
Extra inventory slots for long runs
Additional inventory slots are one of the best long-term upgrades. Every new slot lets you carry another weapon, lure, piece of food, or quest item instead of leaving guns on the ground. This matters most right before a boss fight, when you may want a weapon, cooked fish, and the required boss bait all at once.
Boat engine upgrades come last
Boat engines make travel faster, but the standard boat can still reach every location, so speed upgrades can wait when money is tight. Prioritize weapons and essential quest items first, then treat engines as comfort spending.
The first engine upgrade costs $230 on the Forest Island and unlocks the Getting an upgrade achievement. Later, the Dual Motors setup costs $860 on the Rocks Island, is the fastest engine available, and unlocks the I am speed achievement. Dual Motors become far more worthwhile late, when you are hopping between islands to finish collections and achievements.
Dynamite as an optional shortcut
For $25 from the Forest Island onward, Dynamite is a fast way to gather fish. Toss it into the water and several creatures surface at once, ready to collect. Blasting fish lowers their sell value, but grilling them afterward applies a price modifier to soften that loss. It is a handy early shortcut rather than the backbone of your income.
How to Fish is not a long game, so there is little need to buy everything. Clear your progression blockers, keep one weapon reliably upgraded, and spend on speed and extras only once the essentials are covered.
