Which Location Is the Third Island?
How to Fish guides do not all number the islands the same way. Game8, IGN, the page matrix, and this site count Lighthouse as Island 1, Forest as Island 2, and Desert or Palm Trees as Island 3. Destructoid excludes Lighthouse and therefore calls the later Rocks destination “Island 3.”
This page follows the five-island game progression and targets the how to fish third island keyword with the Desert stage. Its landmarks are palm trees, a Tourist in an orange life preserver, Standard Lures, the SMG, endangered fish, and Pufferfish. If you are looking for the building-and-casino island, use the Island 4 guide.
How to Unlock Island 3
Complete the Forest quest on Island 2. Gather the required leeches, trade them for Modified Leech, summon Giant Piranha, and return its skeleton to the quest NPC. The newly unlocked destination is described as yellow in one source and orange in another.
Use the Radar from the boat and follow the new marker until palm trees become visible. Solo players should stop to check direction, while co-op teams can let one player navigate. The map guide covers all marker and landmark combinations.
Island 3 Objectives
The required sequence is short but preparation-heavy:
- Talk to the Tourist near a palm tree.
- Obtain the Fishing Rod if needed and equip Standard Lure.
- Catch a Needlefish, Seahorse, or Bowlfish.
- Give the endangered creature to the Tourist for Carrot bait.
- Upgrade the SMG and prepare food.
- Equip Carrot and summon Pufferfish.
- Defeat the boss, collect its Fin, and return it.
Do not equip Carrot until the team is ready. The playthrough transcripts include accidental boss summons and lost equipment, while the written guides consistently recommend upgrades before the fight. Treat the bait as a progression item, not a test cast.
Fish and Baits on Island 3
| Creature group | Verified entries | Bait |
|---|---|---|
| Basic carry-over | Salmon | Beginner Lure |
| Standard pool | Catfish, Clownfish, Sea Urchin, Yellow Boxfish, Angelfish, Bluegill | Standard Lure |
| Endangered | Needlefish, Seahorse, Bowlfish | Standard Lure |
| Optional boss fish | Blue Shark | Standard Boss Lure |
| Special boss | Bing Bong | Coconut |
| Story boss | Pufferfish | Carrot |
The endangered label matters because the Tourist accepts that category. Inspect the catch before selling it and preserve the first accepted fish. The all fish database provides prices and the remaining island pools without mixing them into this quest sequence.
What to Buy and Upgrade
SMG is the repeated weapon recommendation for Pufferfish because it supports continuous fire while moving. Improve bullet performance and recoil control within your budget, then carry food so one poison mistake does not end the entire attempt. Spreading money across several unupgraded weapons is less reliable.
Standard Lure is required to search the endangered pool, and replacing lost lure stock should come before optional gambling. Standard Boss Lure is for Blue Shark and does not summon Pufferfish. Keep the Carrot in a separate mental category from both shop lures.
Inventory space also becomes valuable because Island 3 combines weapon, food, lure, and quest-drop needs. Clear unnecessary early items before casting Carrot. In co-op, nominate one player to carry the bait and later secure the Fin.
How to Beat Pufferfish
Pufferfish rolls rapidly across land, expands as it takes damage, and later leaves purple poison. Strafe in circles, keep trees or the shop between you and long straight rolls, and fire the SMG while moving. Standing still to aim is the most consistent failure shown in the source set.
As it grows, it becomes easier to hit but its trail controls more of the ground. Change your route before poison closes the circle and reload only when terrain has created distance. The focused Pufferfish guide includes a full solo and co-op strategy.
IGN also describes a prepared Dynamite opening, but it is optional and can damage the player. Use it only when comfortable with explosives. A dependable upgraded firearm and movement are supported across more sources.
Common Island 3 Mistakes
Selling the first endangered fish is the most costly non-combat mistake. Needlefish, Seahorse, or Bowlfish can all satisfy the exchange, so inspect before selling. Once the Tourist accepts one, ordinary catches can return to the normal money loop.
Using Standard Boss Lure instead of Carrot summons the wrong type of encounter. Both lures are available around the same progression stage, but only Carrot is tied to Pufferfish. Check the equipped bait text before casting.
After victory, do not leave with the Fin still on the ground. Return it to the Tourist to add Island 4 to the Radar. A missing red marker is usually an incomplete handoff, not a navigation bug.
Optional Activities on Island 3
Blue Shark is an optional boss fish caught with Standard Boss Lure, while Bing Bong is listed with Coconut. Neither replaces the Carrot-and-Pufferfish story chain. Attempt them after the required upgrades if they are needed for collection, and check the boss hub before spending the lure.
The island’s ordinary Standard Lure pool also makes it a useful place to fill several encyclopedia gaps together. Record normal and Drip entries separately, preserve endangered fish until the Tourist exchange is complete, and sell only the remaining ordinary catches. This keeps collection, money, and progression from competing for the same first successful catch.
Players can also prepare food and finish SMG upgrades before leaving. That investment continues to help on Island 4 even if a Sniper Rifle is later added for Albatross. Avoid gambling or optional fights until the red Radar marker has been secured.
What Happens Next
The new red destination is Island 4, known as Rocks, Barn, or Casino Island. It introduces Professional Lure, Tuna, Sniper Rifle, casino gambling, and Albatross. Open the Island 4 walkthrough before selling the Tuna that its quest requires.