How to Fish: How to Make Your Boat Fly (I’m the Bird Now Achievement)

The boat is how you move between islands in How to Fish, so deliberately launching it into the air feels like the opposite of what the game wants. That is exactly what the I’m the bird now achievement asks for. It sits in the late-cleanup pile for most players, with only a small share of the player base unlocking it, but the setup itself is quick once you know what triggers it.

Quick answer: Buy a stack of dynamite from Island 2, stand near your boat, light it, and throw it directly underneath the hull. The explosion flings the boat skyward and the achievement unlocks the instant it becomes airborne.

What you need before you make the boat fly

You have to own the boat first. It is unlocked at the lighthouse on the starting island after you clear the Spider Crab boss, which is one of the earliest tasks in the game. Once the boat is yours, take it to Island 2.

Island 2 is where dynamite becomes available. You can buy it from the supply crate at the camp for $25, and it doubles as a lazy fishing tool because you can blow creatures straight out of the water without a rod or lure. For the achievement, that same dynamite is the fast route.

Method 1: Launch the boat with dynamite (fastest)

Purchase dynamite from the supply crate at the Island 2 camp for $25. Buy a small stack so you have a spare throw if the first one lands in the wrong spot.

Walk to your boat and stand in front of it on the shore, close enough that a thrown charge will land under the hull rather than out in open water.

Light the dynamite and throw it directly beneath the boat. Aim for the underside of the hull, since the blast has to lift the boat, not just splash next to it.

Lit red dynamite held in first person next to a small boat, with weapon slots and cash in the HUD — Holding a lit charge right beside the boat before throwing it under the hull. Image credit: Dazed Games / via @MonkeyKingHero

Step back and wait for the detonation. The explosion sends the boat high into the air, and I’m the bird now unlocks the moment it leaves the ground. The boat usually comes back down upside down in the water nearby.

The same blast also kills any fish in range, such as Perch, Mackerel, Cod, and Pike, and scatters them onto the beach. You can walk over and pick them up for an easy haul while you are there.

Gameplay showing an interaction prompt above a crocodile-like creature after the blast near the shore — Fish knocked onto the shoreline by the explosion, ready to collect. Image credit: Dazed Games / via @MonkeyKingHero

Method 2: Ramp the boat with the best engine

If you would rather do it under the boat’s own power, you can jump it off terrain instead. This route pairs naturally with the I am speed achievement, which comes from buying the top engine.

Buy the best available boat engine. The final tier gives you enough speed to get real height, and it unlocks I am speed at the same time.

Build up to full speed heading toward a wave, a slope, or a raised edge of land that can act as a ramp.

Hold jump as you hit the ramp so the boat clearly leaves the surface. Once it is plainly airborne, the achievement registers. This is much harder with a weaker engine, so unlock the fastest one first.

Confirm the unlock and reset your boat

You will see the I’m the bird now achievement pop as soon as the boat is in the air, so there is no waiting or turn-in step. The trigger is the boat leaving the ground, not landing safely.

The one drawback is position. A launched boat can land well away from where you want it, sometimes flipped over in the water. If that happens, reload your last save. The boat returns to where it was, but the achievement stays credited, so you do not have to repeat the stunt.

Why the boat fails to fly

Problem	Fix
Dynamite lands in open water, not under the hull	Throw from the shore in front of the boat so the charge drops beneath it
Blast only splashes beside the boat	Aim for the underside of the hull and stand close enough for the throw to reach
Ramp jump barely lifts the boat	Buy the top engine, reach full speed, and hold jump into the wave or slope
Boat lands far from where you need it	Reload your last save; the unlock is kept

Between the two, the dynamite throw on Island 2 is the quickest and cheapest way to get it done, while the engine jump is a good fit if you are already saving for the fastest boat. Either way, once the hull leaves the ground the achievement is yours, and a quick reload puts your boat back where it belongs.