SCUM Fishing Guide: How to Catch Big Fish After the October Update

Fishing in SCUM changed a lot with the Into the Wild October update (1.3.4.0) on October 5, 2026. Big fish now fight back, there are three tiers of Fishing Quests, and a server leaderboard shows who has landed the biggest catch. This SCUM fishing guide explains how the new system works, how to stop your line snapping, and which bugs to avoid while Gamepires works on fixes.

SCUM fishing at a glance

How does fishing work in SCUM now?

The basics are the same: equip a rod with a reel, line, hook and bait, find a fishing spot and cast. What's changed is the fight once a fish bites. According to Gamepires, bigger fish now pull harder from side to side, and the speed you reel at matters. Reel steadily to tire a fish out. Reel too slowly and it gets time to recover.

The updated HUD shows line tension and bait condition during a catch, so keep an eye on both. If tension stays high for too long, ease off before the line breaks.

How do you catch big fish in SCUM?

• Match your gear to the target. Gamepires says bait and equipment choices now matter more, so stronger line and better tackle give you a better chance with large fish.
• Watch the tension meter, not just the fish. Reel when tension drops and give the fish line when it spikes.
• Tire it out. A big fish that's still fresh will keep pulling. Let it run, then reel in while it's tired.
• Look for clues. Birds are back in the October update, and gulls or crows gathering over water can point to an active fishing area. Fishing spots also show a clue effect.
• Try rivers as well as lakes. Hotfix 1.3.4.2 fixed catfish so they can be caught in rivers, not just lakes.

What are SCUM Fishing Quests?

The October update added three tiers of Fishing Quests. They start with simple catches and build up to harder targets. Progress is tracked in your Journal, and completing them earns Fame and cash, with some quests also rewarding fishing gear.

Once you land a big one, check the new server leaderboard to see how it compares with other prisoners' catches. If you're chasing quests, the tips earlier in this SCUM fishing guide matter most for the higher tiers, where the targets are bigger and fight harder.

Image: Gamepires

Why does my SCUM fishing line keep breaking?

Several line-break bugs were fixed in the October update, including the line breaking on the next cast after a catch and gear being lost when a fish was pulled underground. Two issues are still being worked on:

• Walking backwards while pulling a fish ashore can snap the line. Gamepires' advice is simple: don't walk backwards when landing a catch.
• Frame rate can affect reeling. Hotfix 1.3.4.1 fixed reels missing mouse-wheel input at high frame rates, but Gamepires says frame rate can still change how reeling behaves.

Also make sure your rod has a reel fitted before adding accessories. A hotfix stopped players attaching gear to a rod with no reel, which left them unable to fish.

Can you still exploit fishing in SCUM?

No. Gamepires has closed the main fishing exploits. The October update stopped players creating fish of any size and weight, hotfix 1.3.4.1 closed a trick that skipped much of the minigame, and hotfix 1.3.4.2 fixed Radioactive Carp producing far too much Depleted Uranium, which had let players make huge amounts of money. A fishing spot in the radioactive zone that never switched off was fixed at the same time.

Do you need the Specialist Angler Pack?

No. The optional Specialist Angler Pack ($5.99 / £4.99) adds a themed rod, reel, waders, boots, backpack and three emotes, plus a one-off starter supply of bait and tackle per character on each server. Every player can find or craft the same consumables in normal play, so the pack is cosmetic convenience rather than an advantage.

We'll keep this SCUM fishing guide updated as Gamepires fixes the remaining fishing bugs.

Watch the SCUM: Into the Wild trailer

More SCUM and survival guides on iGame Magazine

• SCUM October update patch notes – everything else in the update
• SCUM's journey to 1.0 – how the game got here
• DayZ 1.29 complete guide – another hardcore survival game

SCUM fishing guide FAQ