Cult of the Lamb fishing guide: How to unlock fishing and more

Cult of the Lamb is a roguelike with deep life-sim elements, and no life-sim is complete without a bit of fishing. While the fishing mini-game is straightforward and easy to learn, it won’t be available to you immediately at the start of your adventure. Instead, you’ll need to spend a bit of time unlocking it.

Here’s what you need to know about fishing in Cult of the Lamb, along with how to unlock it and some tips to improve your catch. Further reading

How to unlock fishing in Cult of the Lamb

The Fisherman at Pilgrim's Pass in Cult of the Lamb.

Before you can start fishing, you’ll need to meet a very specific NPC — the Fisherman. You should automatically run into them when venturing through Darkwood, so just keep plugging away through the main quest and you’ll eventually find them.

Once you’ve met the Fisherman, the Pilgrim’s Passage location will open up to you on the World Map. Use the teleporter at your base to head over to the new spot and talk to the Fisherman one more time. This will let you start fishing.

With fishing now unlocked, walk over to the tiny fishing sign to the left of the Fisherman. This is your designated fishing location — simply interact with it and you’ll start the fishing mini-game.

How to fish in Cult of the Lamb

A player fishing in Cult of the Lamb.

If you’ve spent any time with Stardew Valley over the past few years, you’ll be right at home with Cult of the Lamb‘s fishing mechanics. After interacting with the fishing spot, a power gauge will appear on the screen.

This correlates to your casting distance — the more you fill up the bar, the farther out you’ll cast your line. Once a fish bites, it’ll automatically get hooked. From here, it’s a simple matter of keeping your hook inside the green bar that appears on the side of the screen.

The bar will randomly move up and down, and you can adjust your hook position by pressing your designated fishing button (A on Xbox). Keep the hook in the target zone long enough, and you’ll reel in your catch.

Ways to improve your fishing

There’s one excellent way to increase your luck when fishing, although it’s very easy to miss. The Ritual of the Ocean’s Bounty is a Ritual that allows you to catch twice the number of fish as usual and improves the odds of special fish appearing.

These effects last for two days after performing the Ritual. To unlock the ability, you’ll need to introduce enough Doctrines to your cult to reach the third tier of the Sustenance category.

Every fish in Cult of the Lamb

Different shadows in the water while fishing in Cult of the Lamb.

There are three types of fish shadows you’ll see out in the water — Small, Medium, and Large. Each one corresponds to a different group of potential catches.

Small shadows, for example, typically yield Minnows. Medium shadows will net you Salmon or Blowfish. Large Shadows are the most exciting, as these are often where you’ll find Tuna, Octopus, Lobster, Squid, Crab, and Swordfish.

Other things to do at Pilgrim’s Passage

Player conversing with an NPC at Pilgrim's Pass.

Fishing is the main reason you’ll want to head over to the sleepy Pilgrim’s Passage, but there are a couple of other activities that you should check out.

Here’s a quick list:

Fix the Lighthouse: Bring 15 pieces of wood to the Lighthouse to reignite its flames. Doing so will cause the folks inside to worship you and generate Devotion.
Check out Vendors: After fixing the Lighthouse, two new vendors will set up shop in Pilgrim’s Passage. These offer a variety of decorations for your cult, so bring a few coins and see what’s in stock.
Head to the dock: Another perk of fixing the Lighthouse is that the conspicuous dock in the middle of the map finally becomes usable.

Head out there to have a curious interaction with a devious NPC.
Collect Resources: Berries, trees, and stone outcroppings can all be found at Pilgrim’s Passage.

So, if you need a few extra resources to complete your build, be sure to head over and see if there’s anything available.