Fishing in Escape From Duckov is simple once you unlock the rod and learn when each species bites. If you’re just starting out or stuck on Pink Goldfish or the early Sardine task, this guide lays out the conditions that matter, the docks that work, and the oddball baits you actually need. If you still need the game, it’s listed on the official Steam store page.
Unlock fishing and learn the minigame
- Upgrade your bunker workbench to level 2 (Advanced Progression II), then craft a Fishing Rod (2x Wood, 1x Steel).
- Equip the rod in your melee slot and attach a bait item from your inventory (worms work fine to begin with).
- Stand on a wooden dock until the fish prompt appears, press F, then press space when the shrinking outer circle overlaps the inner circle to land the catch.
Where to fish (reliable dock locations)
- Ground Zero — Northwestern pond (west of the Northwest Camp): low risk and the most consistent early spot.
- Ground Zero — Eastern pond beside Road Camp: higher enemy traffic, better variety later.
- Warehouse Area — Central dock southeast of the main building.
- Farm Town — The main fishing dock marked on the map.
- Bunker — The basement canal also accepts casts, but species variety is very limited.
Pink Goldfish: the setup that works
Ignore conflicting lists: Pink Goldfish is gated by time, not a specific map or exotic bait.
- Time: Night only.
- Bait: Flexible — earthworms or crafted bait work reliably.
- Location: Warehouse Area is common, but Ground Zero and Farm Town also produce Pink Goldfish at night.
- Weather: Not strict; treat it as permissive. If you see only sardines and grunts, swap bait or hop to another dock at the same time window.
Practical flow: Bring worms, fish any outdoor dock after 22:00, and rotate between Warehouse and Ground Zero if one is slow. Most misses here come from fishing during the day or assuming a specific battery is required.
Sardine (Fishing Novice): stop hunting, go northwest
Brown Sardines are easiest in Ground Zero’s northwest pond and are not time-locked.
- Time: Day or night.
- Bait: Earthworms are sufficient; batteries or a lighter also trigger bites.
- Location: Ground Zero’s northwestern dock is the high-yield spot; east-side docks can whiff.
- Weather: Any — capture rates vary, so bring a stack of bait.
The bait rules (and why “trash” bait matters)
Worms and crafted bait carry most of the “normal” fish, but several species key off items that look counterintuitive and come with harsh debuffs. Use the listed item anyway when a species calls for it — the bite check looks for the bait type, not how “lucky” the rod is.
- Earthworm and “Bait” (crafted from worms and soda crackers): baseline, broad coverage.
- Lighter (Cippo): required trigger for species like Red Bigeye Fish.
- R6/R9 batteries: battery-based bites vary by species; R6 is widely used, but some lists note R9 for specific fish.
- Toilet cleaner: unlocks porcupines and several high-value and storm-gated fish.
Time and weather windows that actually matter
Duckov splits into day (06:00–22:00) and night (22:00–06:00). Weather shows up as sunny/cloudy, rainy, and occasional storms. The basic species rotate between day and night, rain toggles certain bottom feeders, and storms unlock late-list fish. Some species reward paying attention to sun vs. cloud: for example, Red Bigeye Fish heavily favors sunny attempts over cloudy in the same night window.
Key fish setups (quick reference)
| Fish | When | Weather | Bait | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pink Goldfish | Night | Any | Worms or crafted bait | Warehouse / Ground Zero / Farm Town | No special bait required; if slow, swap docks. |
| Brown Sardine | Day or night | Any | Worms, battery, or lighter | Ground Zero (northwest dock) | Northeast dock is inconsistent; stick to northwest. |
| Red Bigeye Fish | Night | Sunny preferred | Lighter (Cippo) | Warehouse Area | Cloudy runs underperform; return on a clear night. |
| Purple Damselfish | Night | Sunny | Worms/bait | Ground Zero / Warehouse / Farm Town | Common night filler when hunting Pink Goldfish. |
| Red Banded Fish | Day | Sunny | Worms/bait | Ground Zero / Warehouse / Farm Town | High frequency at Ground Zero day. |
| Bighead Goldfish | Night | Any | Worms/bait | Ground Zero / Warehouse / Farm Town | Common; good for early quests. |
| Brown‑White Grunt | Night (anytime at Warehouse) | Any | Worms/bait | Ground Zero (NW) / Warehouse | Appears often when sardine hunting. |
| White Flatfish | Day or night | Rain | Worms/bait (GZ) or lighter (Farm Town) | Ground Zero / Farm Town | Low odds at Ground Zero NW; Farm Town prefers lighter. |
| Green Porcupinefish | Night | Any | Toilet cleaner | Ground Zero | Cleaner-gated; ignore the debuff. |
| Azure Galaxias | Day | Rain | Battery (R6 common; some lists note R9) | Farm Town | If one battery type whiffs, bring the other. |
| Greenback Bighead Carp | Night | Rain | Toilet cleaner | Farm Town | Cleaner is the reliable trigger here. |
| Red Goldfish | Day | Sunny | Worms/bait (some lists mark R9) | Warehouse / Ground Zero (NW) | If battery-only lists stall, switch to worms. |
| Golden Fish | Day | Storm | Toilet cleaner | Farm Town | Storm-gated; don’t waste cleaner outside storms. |
| Blue Catshark | Day | Storm | Toilet cleaner | Warehouse Area | High difficulty; expect misses on timing. |
| Red Spotted Grouper | Night | Storm | Worms/bait | Ground Zero / Warehouse | Storm-only; prep stacks of bait. |
Troubleshooting slow sessions
- Wrong window: Many species flip entirely between day and night. Check the table, then set out at 06:00 or 22:00.
- Spot variance: On Ground Zero, the northwest dock consistently lands sardines and several rain fish; the northeast spot underperforms for those.
- Clouds vs. clear: Some night-only fish favor clear skies. If you’re chasing Red Bigeye Fish and it’s cloudy, come back on a sunny night.
- Junk streaks: If you pull baskets or ink repeatedly, change bait first; if that fails, hop to the other outdoor dock on the same map.
With the rod unlocked, Ground Zero’s northwest dock is the best training ground for the timing and your early quest fish. Once you’re comfortable, lean on the night window to bag Pink Goldfish anywhere outdoors, then chase weather-locked and storm species with the “trash” baits that actually make them bite.
