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Fish Shoal and Bait Behavior

How hundreds of simulated fish follow other fish or the player’s bait.

Quick answer: Individual fish can follow one another or follow bait, forming moving shoals that the player can observe before casting.

What the confirmed data means

Understanding group movement can improve positioning and reduce blind casts. A route guide should mark water visibility and approach angles, not only place a pin on a broad district map.

Official evidence

The optimization article describes hundreds of fish moving simultaneously in colorful groups. Their behavior is simulated per fish, with following responses directed either toward other fish or toward bait.

How to use this information

At release, compare bait types in the same location and observe attraction distance, delay, group separation and whether one fish or an entire shoal changes direction. Keep species and weather conditions constant where possible.

Publication boundary

The official post does not identify bait categories, AI priorities or whether time and weather alter shoals. No best-bait ranking is justified yet.

Related guides

Physical Fish SimulationWhy the fish you see is the same individual you can catch.Glowing Fish Quarter-Resolution RenderingHow fish lighting reduces pixel and VRAM cost for modern GPUs.Fishing SimulationPhysical fish, shoal behavior and the rendering method behind the glowing catch system.

Sources and verification

ION LANDS development update · Official Steam listing

Last reviewed: July 26, 2026 · Independent, unofficial player guide.