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Fishing
Solarpunk has no fish — its lakes are a resource you mine. A magnetic rod (or an automated drone) pulls Algae, ore and salvage out of the water to feed your tech.
How fishing works
There are no fish in Solarpunk. Fishing is a resource-retrieval mechanic: you cast a magnetic rod into a lake and reel up whatever it attracts — mostly Algae, ore and salvage, with the occasional non-magnetic item caught on the line.
Casting drops a swimmer (bobber) onto the water. When it dips, pull to land the catch. Every lake draws from its own loot mix, so what you reel up shifts from island to island. Prefer to stand back? The Algae Drone automates the whole loop.
Fishing tools
Two tools cover the lakes — a hand rod you cast yourself, and a drone that farms algae for you. Both are unlocked through Research.
A magnetic fishing rod that pulls resources out of the water. Sometimes non-magnetic items get stuck on it too.
Craft at the Crafting Table. Cast near water, watch the drifting swimmer, and pull the moment it dips to land a catch.
An automated drone that patrols a lake and retrieves algae on its own, docking to drop it into its inventory.
Needs a power connection. Produces roughly one Algae every two minutes — no clicking required.
What you catch
The magnetic rod pulls from a pool of resources. These are the items it can land:
A note on odds: each lake is assigned its own weighted loot table when a world is generated, so the exact drop chances differ between lakes and between save files. Rather than print one world’s numbers as if they were universal, the list above shows everything the rod can reel up.
Why fish? Algae powers your tech
Algae is the reason fishing matters: it’s the core ingredient in Circuitboards, the gateway to electrical devices and automation.
Frequently asked questions
How do I fish in Solarpunk?
Research the Magnetic Fishing Rod, craft it from 5 Sticks, 2 Stone and 4 Iron at the Crafting Table, then cast it into any lake. A swimmer drifts on the surface — pull the instant it dips to land the catch.
What do you catch when fishing?
The rod is magnetic, so it mostly retrieves Algae plus resources and salvage like iron ore and clay — and sometimes non-magnetic odds and ends (leaves, sticks, saplings, stray crops) snag on it too. Each lake has its own mix, so catches vary between islands.
Are there fish to catch?
No — Solarpunk has no fish species. “Fishing” is a resource-retrieval mechanic: the magnetic rod pulls materials, not fish, out of the water.
How do I automate fishing?
Research the Algae Drone (costs 1 Electrical Component) and build it from 10 Iron, 10 Silicon, 10 Copper and 10 Cobalt. Connected to power, it patrols the lake and produces about one Algae every two minutes into its inventory.
What is Algae used for?
Circuitboards. 10 Algae + 5 Copper + 5 Cobalt craft 1 Circuitboard, so a steady supply of fished algae feeds your electrical-tech progression.
Where do I find the Fishing Rod blueprint?
It is guaranteed loot in the Unique chest — exactly 1 of the 30 loot chests each world spawns. See every chest’s table on the Lootchests page.