Pufferfish Guide – How to Catch & Use Pufferfish

In How to Fish, the Pufferfish is classified as a Boss encounter — not a regular catchable fish. As one of the 12 Bosses in the game, you will need to prepare Boss-specific lures and weapons before engaging it. This guide covers everything currently confirmed about the Pufferfish boss fight, the gear systems that apply to all Boss encounters, and practical tips for taking it down efficiently.

Pufferfish Overview — A Boss, Not a Regular Catch

The most important thing to understand about the Pufferfish is that it is a Boss-class enemy in How to Fish, the 1–4 player physics-based fishing simulator developed by Dazed Games and released on August 20, 2026. Unlike standard fish you reel in with a rod, Bosses require dedicated combat preparation, including special lures to summon them and weapons to defeat them.

The Pufferfish sits among a roster of 12 Bosses in total: Spider Crab, Sunfish, The Old Pike, Giant Piranha, Bing Bong, Blue Shark, Pufferfish, Tuna, Albatross, Goblin Shark, Bowhead Whale, and Mutated Bowhead Whale. Each Boss appears to present a unique combat challenge, and the existence of the Steam achievement "How to Kill a Boss in Under 10 Seconds" confirms that speed and strategy play a significant role in these encounters.

• Pufferfish is one of 12 Bosses — it cannot be caught with normal fishing methods.
• Boss fights involve active combat using the game's Weapons system, not just rod-and-reel mechanics.
• A speed-kill achievement exists, suggesting Bosses can be defeated quickly with the right setup.

How to Summon the Pufferfish — Boss Lures Explained

To encounter any Boss in How to Fish, including the Pufferfish, you need to use a Boss Lure. The game features three tiers of Boss Lures: Beginner Boss Lure, Standard Boss Lure, and Professional Boss Lure. While the exact lure tier required specifically for the Pufferfish has not been confirmed, the tiered system suggests that higher-difficulty Bosses likely require higher-tier lures.

The game world is divided across five distinct islands — Island 1 (Lighthouse), Island 2 (Forest), Island 3 (Palm Trees), Island 4 (Casino Barn), and the Final Island (Volcano). Each island presumably hosts different Bosses, but the specific island where the Pufferfish spawns has not yet been verified. Players should explore each island's waters with Boss Lures equipped to locate it.

• Beginner Boss Lure — Entry-level Boss bait, likely for early-game Bosses.
• Standard Boss Lure — Mid-tier Boss bait for tougher encounters.
• Professional Boss Lure — Top-tier Boss bait, presumably required for the most challenging Bosses.
• Note: The exact lure tier needed for Pufferfish is currently unconfirmed.

Combat Tips — Weapons, Attachments & Killscore

How to Fish features a full Weapons system along with Weapon Attachments that let you customize your loadout for Boss fights. While the specific best weapon for the Pufferfish fight is not yet documented, equipping the right weapon and attachments before initiating any Boss encounter is essential. The game also includes a Cook Gun, which hints that defeated fish and Bosses may have crafting or cooking applications beyond the fight itself.

The Killscore Multiplier is another confirmed mechanic that rewards efficient and skillful play during Boss encounters. Building up your multiplier during a fight likely increases the rewards you earn, so prioritizing clean hits and avoiding unnecessary damage taken could pay off significantly. The achievement "How to Kill a Boss in Under 10 Seconds" further emphasizes that an optimized gear setup and aggressive strategy can make even Boss-tier enemies fall fast.

• Equip Weapons and Weapon Attachments before engaging the Pufferfish.
• Build your Killscore Multiplier during the fight for potentially increased rewards.
• The Cook Gun feature suggests Boss drops may have post-combat utility.
• Playing in co-op (up to 4 players) can make Boss fights more manageable.

What Happens After You Defeat the Pufferfish?

While the exact drops and rewards from the Pufferfish Boss are not yet confirmed, there is strong evidence that defeated Bosses have practical uses beyond just earning points. Notably, Tuna appears in both the Boss list and the Bait list, meaning that at least some Bosses yield materials that can be repurposed as bait or crafting ingredients after they are defeated. It is plausible that the Pufferfish follows a similar pattern.

The Cook Gun mechanic further supports the idea that fish — including Boss-tier catches — can be cooked or processed for additional benefits. Whether the Pufferfish specifically unlocks a unique recipe, provides a rare crafting material, or serves as high-tier bait remains to be confirmed as more community data becomes available.

• Some Bosses (confirmed: Tuna) can be used as Bait after defeat — Pufferfish may follow this pattern.
• The Cook Gun feature implies a cooking/crafting system for defeated fish and Bosses.
• Exact Pufferfish drops and post-defeat uses are currently unconfirmed.

All 12 Bosses in How to Fish

The Pufferfish is just one of 12 Boss encounters spread across the game's five islands. If you are working through all the Boss fights, here is the full roster for reference. Each Boss likely has unique combat mechanics, lure requirements, and rewards, so preparation will vary from fight to fight.

Tackling Bosses in a logical order — starting from early islands and progressing toward the Final Island (Volcano) — is a reasonable strategy, though the game has not confirmed a strict required order. Co-op play with up to 4 players is supported throughout, which can make the tougher Boss encounters significantly easier.