Escape from Duckov Fishing Guide – Everything You Need to Know

Fishing in Escape from Duckov is more than just a relaxing break from surviving mutant ducks—it’s one of the most important mechanics in the game. Mastering where to fish, which bait to use, and when to cast your line can significantly boost your progress. In this guide, we’ll go through every major fishing detail, from how to unlock the feature to the best weather conditions for rare catches.

How to Unlock Fishing in Escape from Duckov

Fishing becomes available fairly early as part of your normal game progression. You may find fishing-related items or notes before actually unlocking the feature, but here’s what you need to do to start catching fish:

1. Craft a Basic Workbench.
2. From the Workbench menu, unlock “Advanced Progression II.”
3. You can now craft a Fishing Rod using 2 Wood and 1 Steel.
4. Equip the rod in your Melee Slot.
5. Attach bait to the rod by dragging it from your inventory.

Once ready, find a dock or fishing point and press F when prompted. When two circles appear, wait for them to overlap and quickly press Space to reel in your catch.

All Fishing Locations in Escape from Duckov

Currently, there are three known fishing areas in the first zone, Ground Zero, each offering different levels of difficulty and fish variety.

1. Bunker – Safehouse Dock

• Located just below your bunker, accessible via stairs near the entrance.
• The safest place to fish since there are no enemies.
• Limited fish variety due to it being a sewer canal.
• Best for learning fishing mechanics before exploring dangerous areas.

2. Ground Zero – North Mountain Dock

• Found near the northern extraction point, close to a teleport leading to the bunker entrance.
• Minimal enemy presence, making it ideal for peaceful fishing.
• Contains Fishing Note 3, which explains how day and night affect fish spawns.

3. Ground Zero – Road Camp Dock

• One of the most dangerous fishing zones in the early game.
• Filled with duck mercenaries and high-level enemies—recommended only after level 10.
• Offers a better chance of catching Sardines and other high-value fish.
• Great for players with upgraded rods and strong gear.

All Duckov Bait Types

Fishing success heavily depends on the bait you use. Duckov features several types, from simple earthworms to strange “trash” items that attract rare fish.

• Earthworms Basic Dig with a shovel in Ground Zero None Best early-game bait. Always carry a shovel.
• R6 Battery Trash Loot boxes, enemy drops Debuff to Fishing Ability & Luck Used to catch Azure Galaxias.
• Lighter (Cippo) Trash Loot boxes, enemy drops Debuff to Fishing Ability & Luck Used to catch Green Porcupinefish.
• Toilet Cleaner Trash Loot boxes, enemy drops Debuff to Fishing Ability & Luck Used to catch Red Bigeye Fish.
• Upgraded Bait Advanced Craft (2 Earthworms + 3 Soda Crackers) Boost to Fishing Luck Expensive but reliable for better catches.

Bait Farming Tip: Always carry a shovel to dig hiding holes for earthworms. Trash baits can catch unique fish, but avoid using them unless you’re targeting specific species.

Best Bait, Weather, and Time of Day for Each Fish

Fishing success in Duckov also depends on the time of day and weather. Community findings, particularly from Steam user [ESP] Fox, have revealed the following combinations:

• Bighead Goldfish Night Ground Zero, Warehouse, Farm Town Sunny/Rainy Earthworm or Upgraded Bait
• Brown Sardine Day/Night Ground Zero, Warehouse Sunny/Rainy Earthworm or Upgraded Bait
• Brown-White Grunt Night Ground Zero, Farm Town Sunny/Rainy Earthworm or Upgraded Bait
• Greenback Bighead Carp Night Northwest Dock Rainy Earthworm or Upgraded Bait
• Purple Damselfish Night Ground Zero, Farm Town Sunny Earthworm or Upgraded Bait
• Pink Goldfish Night Ground Zero, Warehouse Sunny Earthworm or Upgraded Bait
• Red Banded Fish Day Ground Zero, Farm Town Sunny Earthworm or Upgraded Bait
• Red Goldfish Day Ground Zero, Warehouse Sunny Earthworm or Upgraded Bait
• White Flatfish Day/Night Ground Zero Rainy Earthworm or Upgraded Bait
• Azure Galaxias Day Farm Town Rainy R6 Battery
• Green Porcupinefish Night Ground Zero Sunny/Rainy Cippo Lighter
• Red Bigeye Fish Night Warehouse Area Sunny Toilet Cleaner

Fishing Upgrades and Additional Tips

If you want to reel in rare fish more efficiently, investing in upgrades is crucial.

1. Build a Kitchen in your bunker (unlocked after building the Gym).
2. Talk to Vogo the Cook, who will give you fishing-related quests.
3. Complete quests like Upgrade Fishing Rod and Fishing Novice to boost your fishing skill.
4. Upgrades will improve your timing window and catch rate for rare species like the Red Bigeye Fish or Azure Galaxias.

Extra Tips:

• Craft barrels to increase storage space for your catches.
• Fishing can be a great early-game credit farm, earning up to 800 credits per run if you focus on high-value species.
• Avoid bunker fishing when targeting quest-related fish, as some species do not spawn there.

Fishing in Escape from Duckov may look like a small side activity, but it plays a huge role in long-term survival and progression. Knowing where to fish, which bait to use, and how weather affects each catch can save hours of trial and error.

With patience and a bit of strategy, you’ll master the art of fishing in Duckov — turning this quirky mini-game into one of the most rewarding parts of your journey through its chaotic, radioactive world.