Ultimate Fishing Simulator® news & patch notes

Ultimate Fishing Simulator began as a small prototype and a big dream in late 2015. We launched in Early Access on Steam in 2017 and released the full version in 2018. Since then, we have consistently expanded the game with new mechanics, maps, features, and DLCs, improving it year after year.

At the start of 2024, we set out on our boldest adventure yet: creating a completely free Remastered version. For our small team, it has been a mountain to climb. Every day, we chase a single vision - to deliver a richer visual and gameplay experience while preserving the heart of the original. I’ve lost track of how many times we’ve switched Unity versions, rebuilt maps, or wrestled with lighting, skies, and water. Updating a project this old is like playing whack-a-mole: fix one thing, and ten more pop up. The technical debt was daunting, but we’ve conquered it, and now the Remaster is finally nearing the finish line.

Thank you for sticking with us over the years and for being patient as we worked on changes behind the scenes. These efforts are finally coming together in Ultimate Fishing Simulator®. We know it’s a big ask, but it would mean so much if you could vote for Ultimate Fishing Simulator in the Labor of Love category this year.

Going back to the Remaster backstory...this project has changed a lot over time. Every meeting brings new ideas. There’s always someone, often me, who still wants to make things better. We keep brainstorming ways to make fishing feel more natural, and we have plenty of wild ideas for future maps or even jokes about prehistoric fishing DLC. That drive to keep improving is what keeps the game going.

Performance and FPS are always on our minds. There are some limits we just can’t get past, and I think we may have promised before that the Remaster would match or even beat the original’s performance on low settings while looking better. I’m not sure if we’ll fully reach that, but I can promise that optimization is a top priority and we’re giving it our all. Unity can be a heavy engine, but that’s not an excuse. We’re still working hard to improve every frame.

I want to remind you that the Remaster will be a free update for everyone who owns the game. The original, classic version will still be available on a separate branch, and we’re even looking into offering it as a standalone free product. That way, you can always return to the familiar feel of the original if you wish.

To wrap things up, we’ve just completed another major overhaul of the skies and weather in the Remaster. Check out the latest screenshots below. Next on our list: winter maps and icy, crisp weather to challenge your fishing skills on frozen lakes.

Thank you for every hour spent in Ultimate Fishing Simulator!

Hello Everyone,

Stage 1 is a huge milestone — the entire map has been rebuilt from scratch. With it comes a brand-new sky system, a new water system, an updated weather system, and fully refreshed fish and gear models. Our goal has been simple: to make the game look and feel better than ever, while maintaining the same smooth performance and frame rate as before.

The Challenges Along the Way

The road to this point wasn’t easy. Along the way, we encountered many surprises - entire features and add-ons stopped working after migrating to the new Unity engine. We had to rebuild and rework them from the ground up to ensure the game remains stable and future-proof. This process took time and effort, but it sets the foundation for all the upcoming stages of the Beta.

STAGE 1 Limitations

Please note that in this stage, Multiplayer and the Trophy Lodge are not yet available, and the player level is currently capped at Level 5. Progress between the BETA and standard game is separate - each version uses its own save files, so your progress will not transfer between them. The only exception here is that you can load Cloud Saves in BETA, but progress made there will not override anything in the default game.

Why Your Feedback Matters

Behind the scenes, more has changed than you might notice at first glance. The backend systems of the game have been overhauled to such a degree that your feedback is now the single most important factor. We need to know if everything runs correctly, if nothing breaks, and how you feel about the new changes: the fish models, the weather, the water, and the underwater experience. But the most important information is performance and visuals!

New Underwater Experience

Speaking of underwater, we’ve added new camera controls. By holding Left CTRL, you can now freely rotate the underwater camera, and with the scroll wheel, you can zoom it in or out. Give it a try and let us know how it feels.

The Road Ahead

Stage 1 is only the beginning. We’re committed to improving every part of the game step by step, with your help and feedback guiding us along the way. Thank you for being part of this journey!

Kind Regards,

Ultimate Fishing Team

HOW TO PLAY

BETA is available in two ways. Playtests will run for TWO (2) weeks!

If you are not sure about the BETA code, we suggest playing on the PlayTest app.

• Phase 1 - almost done. We have issues with the skybox, that is affecting not only the sky but also the weather and lightning. We don't like how it looks right now.
• Phase 2 - VR works properly in the new version, which was our plan for Remaster (so it's done). I don't hide that in the future we would like to also focus more on the mechanics and "VR" feeling.
• Phase 3, Phase 4 - in progress. This is the most time-consuming phase. In the beginning, we planned to refresh most of the maps in the current state but it was sometimes just not possible and some of the maps were redone from scratches.
• Phase 5 - 95% of fish models are done. We are missing around 15-20 models to be redone.
• Phase 6 - in progress. Not much to say about it. We aim to finish all equipment remasters by the end of March. We will see how it will go.
• Phase 7 - we didn't start working on it yet.

MAPS

FISHING GEAR

FISH MODELS

TESTING

• Stage 1 - Betty Lake Remastered
• Stage 2 - Powell Lake Remastered
• ...
• Stage X - Greenland Remastered

Join Us - On Discord!

So what does the “remaster” mean at all? What is it? What you can expect?

• Phase 1 - converting the project to the newest Unity HDRP LTS. Implementation of the new water system. New skybox.
• Phase 2 - redoing VR so it works properly on the new Unity version (this one will need a LOT of testing)
• Phase 3 - reworking all base game maps
• Phase 4 - reworking all DLC maps
• Phase 5 - replace all fish models from old to new ones
• Phase 6 - adjustments in gameplay mechanics, improvements in UI/UX, re-doing lures & baits logic (to be more user friendly), improvements in SFX.
• Phase 7 - re-working game networking and adding full multiplayer support so you can see other players.
• … and more but I don’t want to reveal it right now as some things/features are not 100% confirmed, so I don’t want to promise anything.

Welcome to remastered Betty Lake!

So when we will post an update?

Multiplayer

• Full 3D models
• Visible other players catch, rods, fights, animations
• and more! 🙂

The Gem that wasn’t polished - Florida DLC

• It will be updated to HDRP in Phase 3
• We will add 3 more fish species:
  • Sandbar shark
  • Dusky shark
  • Silky shark
  • … and maybe one or two more.
• We will add 10 more lures/baits, only available in Florida DLC that will be dedicated especially to fish in Florida (but will also work on other maps).

Join Us - On Discord!

• Fixed problem with disappearing fish in Level Editor maps

• Fixed Vundu catfish on the Kariba Dam map (the bug only occurred in the French language).

• Fixed St. Zeno teleport
• Fixed Atlantic tarpon on Florida DLC

• Fixed #12 hook on new profiles
• Fixed big fish issue for new players/profiles
• Lowered landing net to 3rd level

Ultimate Fishing Simulator will be remastered! The new version will be available as a FREE UPDATE for everyone!

• Upgrade to the Unity HDRP 2022 LTS
• New water system
• New weather system
• All base game maps redesign
• New water physics
• Full VR rework
• UI improvements
• Controller improvements
• LWR 3.0 + randomizer for all fish in the game
• Gameplay mechanics improvements

• All DLC maps redesign

FULL MULTIPLAYER SUPPORT will be added in 2025 as a FREE UPDATE.

WELCOME ULTIMATE FISHING SIMULATOR VR (app) owners!

But what with your saves and progress in Ultimate Fishing Simulator VR? It's lost?

NO, ITS NOT!

• https://www.virustotal.com/gui/url/f0fecdb405dd82780ac644cd2c9fc3e401a29e45814ccf168e3e8f97808821bf
• https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/356af7f2de6826e500f6442584b14d37794125555855f91f9a3d270719e0066f/detection

Join Us - On Discord!

• Fixed hook size being #4 instead of #12 for "new accounts"
• Fixed problems with fish on Betty Lake for new players

• Increase fishing net size min. weight to 15kg

• Implementation of the new LWR 3.0 for all Florida fish*:
  • Atlantic goliath grouper
  • Atlantic tarpon
  • Black drum
  • Black sea bass
  • Blackfin tuna
  • Blacktip shark
  • Gray snapper
  • Little tunny
  • Red drum
  • Spinner shark
  • Tiger shark
  • Blue Marlin
  • Mahi-Mahi
  • Yellowfin Tuna
• Fixed Blue Marlin not biting (circling the lure/bait)
• Fixed Atlantic Tarpon not biting (circling the lure/bait)
• Fixed Aquarium UI missed text
• Fixed Boat colliders
• Big Tiger sharks show on the water's surface instead of in the hands

Length-Weight Relationship 3.0 (LWR)

Changelog

• Updated LWR for Florida fish species to reflect fish weight properly
• Changes in fish spawns (to cover more areas)
• Fort optimization
• Ports optimization
• Performance optimization
• Fixed Blacktip shark missing in lodge
• Fixed lionfish in the lodge
• Fixed aquarium fish statistics
• Fixed gray snapper in the encyclopedia

• Fixed Blue Marlin black screen;
• Fixed Red Lionfish Trophy Lodge description;
• Fixed Red Lionfish encyclopedia icon;
• Blue Marlin trophy lodge distance extended;
• Tiger Shark trophy lodge distance extended;

Changelog

• New spawning system (Florida);
• Added and changed values in lures & baits for Florida fish species (ex. some of them were listed as a "Best For" but hook size in this didn't even fit fish size) ;
• Added once again Blue Marlin (probably fix for a black screen on catch summary screen);
• Changed fish bait/lure radius distance;
• Changed attracting area radius for lures/baits;
• Changed boat trolling speed to be a little slower;
• Improved loading times (Florida);
• Improved performance (Florida);
• Fixed gray snapper encyclopedia icon;
• Fixed barracuda transparency (trophy lodge);
• Fixed: Pinas Bay, Pinas Bay Ocean, Baikal Lake, Baikal Lake winter not working in French, Polish and Russian languages;
• Fixed add to Aquarium UI;
• Fixed Blacktip Shark in the trophy room,

Spawn points / locations

So what's next?

• Add more spawn points for: Yellowfin tuna, Blackfin tuna, Mahi-mahi
• Fixed the "pause" menu issue for 3 languages: French, Polish, and Russian
• Fixed gray snapper not showing on baits/lures description

• Added missing lures support (ex. Sakura lures);
• Added more fish that can be attracted by Dragonfly, Fly, Maggot, Red Worm, Wax Worms, Leech on Florida;
• Improved efficiency of live bait and cutbait for sharks;
• Added more Blue Marlin spawns on the deep waters.

• The big "catchable" area of Florida requires more fish spawn points without dropping the performance and making loading times longer. This one is a complex task but we have an idea for it right now.
• Gray snapper icon showing black drum in the encyclopedia
• Hook prompt should have few options, so everyone can pick what they can

Important note about Hook Prompt

• Hook is too small
• Hook is too big
• Hook is proper

• Add more fish spawn points in the starting locations & coastal locations
• Fixed Atlantic tarpon

Changelog | 2.3.23.12:221

• Improved hooks/lures/flies size that fit specific fish weight range
• Improved hook prompt popup
• Fixed floor in Trophy Lodge
• Fixed rod stand on Florida
• Fixed boat colliders
• Fixed Tiger shark not being able to be added to the aquarium

What's next?

• More fish spawner/population to the map
• Fixing Atlantic tarpon

• Fixing issue with some lure & baits not working/missing for new fish
• Fixing black screen issue after fish is caught*

• send in-game an F5 bug report

• Send output_log.txt to [email protected].

• Temporary disabled Atlantic tarpon as it caused a crash during the loading of the game (for some players only)
• Decreased Florida DLC loading time by 30-40% (will be more, we are on it)

Game Update | 2.3.23.12:213

• Fixed baits: live bait, cutbait for sharks in Florida
• Added more fish to coastal areas

Game Update | 2.3.23.12:212

• New DLC: Florida
• 11 new fish species:
  • Black drum
  • Black sea bass
  • Red drum
  • Atlantic tarpon
  • Tiger shark
  • Blacktip shark
  • Little tunny
  • Blackfin tuna
  • Atlantic goliath grouper
  • Spinner shark
  • Gray snapper
• New trophy lodge room: Florida DLC
• New achievements for: Florida DLC

We have prepared a unique fishery, based on areas of the Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas Park. Our team prepared 12 new realistic 3D fish models for this DLC,

For a limited time, DLC will be with a 15% discount! So what can I say? See you in Florida folks!

Some screenshots:

Don't forget to join our Discord!

FLORIDA DLC

• 16 fish species (13 new models, 11 new fish species);
• Dedicated trophy room in the Lodge;
• First ocean map in UFS1 with a real bottom made with the help of bathymetric map data.

Meet the REEF fish!

Great barracuda

Red lionfish

Atlantic tarpon

Atlantic goliath grouper

Blue marlin (new model)

Yellowfin tuna (new model)

Blackfin tuna

Little tunny

Mahi-mahi (new model)

Red drum

Black drum

Black seabass

Mangrove snapper

And remember, next week we'll be revealing the reef fish species! You don't want to miss this glimpse into the vibrant and diverse world of reef fishing in our Florida DLC. Tight lines and happy fishing until our next update!

Ps. If you would like to know what is coming next - MEET THE SHARKS!

Spinner Shark

Blacktip Shark

Tiger Shark

• Ultimate Fishing Simulator - Moraine Lake / 终极钓鱼模拟器 - 莫莱茵湖
• Ultimate Fishing Simulator - Kariba Dam / 终极钓鱼模拟器 - 卡里巴大坝
• Ultimate Fishing Simulator - Greenland / 终极钓鱼模拟器 - 格陵兰岛
• Ultimate Fishing Simulator - Amazon River / 终极钓鱼模拟器 - 亚马逊河
• Ultimate Fishing Simulator - Japan / 终极钓鱼模拟器 - 日本
• Ultimate Fishing Simulator - Thailand / 终极钓鱼模拟器 - 泰国

• Ultimate Fishing Simulator - Moraine Lake / 终极钓鱼模拟器 - 莫莱茵湖
• Ultimate Fishing Simulator - Kariba Dam / 终极钓鱼模拟器 - 卡里巴大坝
• Ultimate Fishing Simulator - Greenland / 终极钓鱼模拟器 - 格陵兰岛
• Ultimate Fishing Simulator - Amazon River / 终极钓鱼模拟器 - 亚马逊河
• Ultimate Fishing Simulator - Japan / 终极钓鱼模拟器 - 日本
• Ultimate Fishing Simulator - Thailand / 终极钓鱼模拟器 - 泰国

• Added underwater sound during fish tracking camera in the aquarium
• Fixed the sound of footsteps in the aquarium
• Fixed the trophy room lighting
• Fixed "Keep" button for VR