To fish in DREADMOOR, take your trawler to a fishing spot, pick a bait that suits the fish there, and cast right where the fish are breaking the surface. Once something bites, hold the reel button and pull against the direction the fish swims to drain its stamina, while keeping the line tension out of the red until you can land it.
That is the whole loop in two sentences, but the fight has more to it than a cozy fishing game. DREADMOOR is a dark first-person fishing adventure from Dream Dock and Digital Vortex Entertainment, and it entered Early Access on Steam on November 9, 2026. Below is how each step works as of the Early Access launch, plus the habits that keep your catch (and you) alive.
How Fishing Works in DREADMOOR
Fishing is not a side activity here. It is how you earn money, and it feeds the rest of the game. The developer’s own description of the system, in its pinned Steam FAQ, is a first-person, skill-based fight built around fish stamina and line tension, with quick time events (QTEs) at key moments.
Every catch has a use:
- Selling. Traders in the settlements buy your catch, and the Steam page says the more dangerous the prey, the higher the price.
- Processing. Fish can be broken down into materials, components and substances that unlock new tools, bait and upgrades, according to Dream Dock’s fishing dev diary.
- Quests. Story and side quests ask for specific species, such as the predatory Harpooners shown in the store screenshots or the Bloodgill that Father Matthias wants.
Step by Step: How to Catch a Fish
- Sail to a fishing spot. You fish at marked spots on the water, not anywhere you like. Patch notes for Early Access Update #2 even added new Bloodgill fishing spots with a quest marker, so spots are tied to particular species.
- Choose your bait. Different fish want different bait, and the Steam page tells you to experiment. Dream Dock says you craft new lures and tackle at the workbench, from materials you process from your catch and scavenge.
- Cast at the splashes. Aim right at the spot where fish are jumping, not just somewhere inside the area. A cast that lands well away from the activity can sit for a long time without a bite.
- Wait for the bite. Leave the bait still while you wait.
- Fight the fish. On mouse and keyboard, the on-screen prompts read Reel In (hold the left mouse button) and Pull Against the Fish (move the mouse against the fish’s direction). If the fish swims left, pull right, and switch as soon as it turns.
- Reel while it is tired. Draining stamina is what lets you gain line, so reel in while the stamina meter is low, then go back to pulling when the fish fights again.
- Watch the tension. Reeling against a fish that is still pulling raises line tension. Ease off when the meter climbs, let the fish run a little, and wear it down again.
- Land it. Bring the fish all the way in and follow the on-screen prompt.
On a controller, the same two actions appear with your controller’s buttons on screen. DREADMOOR has full controller support on Steam, and Update #1 added native DualSense support, with DualShock 4 working through Steam Input.
Bait, Spots and Timing
Where and when you fish matters as much as how. Dream Dock’s fishing diary makes three points worth planning around:
- Distance means reward and risk. The safe waters near settlements hold only the bare minimum. Better fish sit further out, where the water is more dangerous.
- Day and night change everything. DREADMOOR has a full day and night cycle, and some rare species only show up at certain times or in certain conditions. At night, creatures are more active and visibility drops.
- Predators are the hard catches. Predatory fish are rarer, smarter and test your gear and timing, and some of what you hook may treat you as the prey.
Update #1 also added a danger timer: if you sail into an area your quest progress or boat upgrades are not ready for, a timer starts. Treat it as a hard warning to turn back.
Keep Your Catch Alive in the Hold
Landing a fish is not the end of it. The Steam page tells you to sort your catch and keep an eye on the hold, because sea creatures do not hesitate to devour each other. Keep predators away from smaller fish you want to sell, and head back to a trader before a full hold turns into a smaller one.
Your rod and gear matter too. Crafting is how you upgrade your rod, so once the early quests are behind you, start saving for rod blueprints. If you played the demo during October’s Steam Next Fest, it sat at number 10 on our list of the best Next Fest demos, and the full game builds on the same fishing fight. Coming from a calmer fishing game? Our Stardew Valley fishing guide shows how much gentler that one is.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you fish anywhere in DREADMOOR? No. You fish at fishing spots on the water. Each spot holds particular species, so a quest fish means finding the right spot.
Why is nothing biting in DREADMOOR? Cast closer to where the fish are jumping and leave the bait still. Also check that your bait suits the fish at that spot.
Why did my line break? The line tension got too high. Stop reeling when the tension climbs, pull against the fish to tire it, and reel only while its stamina is low.
Is fishing dangerous at night? Yes. Dream Dock built the night to feel like a different place: creatures are more active, the water is more hostile and you see less. New players should fish by day until their trawler is upgraded.
Does DREADMOOR have quick time events while fishing? Yes. The developer’s FAQ says QTEs appear at key moments in the fight to keep it tense.