Longline fishing in Lofoten Catch: how to catch more cod

In Lofoten Catch you catch cod with a longline. You set the line at a fishing ground, wait at least 6 seconds, and haul it in. The longer you wait, up to 24 seconds, the more cod you get. The far ground and extra bait both make every second count for more.

A real longline is one very long fishing line with many baited hooks on short side lines. Fishers in Norway have used longline fishing for cod for a very long time. In the game, your crew does the hooks: you choose where and how long.

Step by step: set, wait, haul

1. Find a ground. Sail onto a turquoise fish on the small map. You need to be very close to it.
2. Set the line. When the big button says Set longline, press it (F, controller A). The engine goes to stop. An orange dot on the map marks your float.
3. Wait. The button counts down: First bite in 6 s. Then it says Haul 6 kg, and the number grows every second.
4. Haul. Press Haul when you like the number. The crew starts to bring the cod aboard.
5. Watch the deck. The button says Crew bringing aboard with the kilograms still to come. Every 2.5 seconds, up to 4 kg more lands in a fish box. Press Change view to watch.

You can only have one line in the water at a time. You can't set a new line while the crew is still bringing cod aboard.

How much cod do you catch?

The haul grows every second the line waits, until 24 seconds. After that it stays the same. The game rounds down to whole kilograms.

In other words, every second of waiting gives:

• 1 kg on the near ground,
• 1.5 kg on the far ground,
• 0.5 kg more with extra bait.

Your hold fits 48 kg. If there is less room, you only haul what fits. A far-ground line with extra bait that waits the full 24 seconds fills an empty hold in one go.

Near ground or far ground?

Each place has two fishing grounds, two turquoise fish on the map.

The far ground gives more cod and more big cod. Big cod are worth more at the quay; see Selling at the quay. The near ground is quicker to reach, which keeps the cod fresher on the way home.

Extra bait

At the landing you can buy extra bait for 40 kr. The button Buy extra bait · 40 kr shows up when you are near the landing, have at least 40 kr and have no extra bait yet. The hold line then says · Extra bait.

The bait goes on your next line, at whichever ground you set it. It adds 0.5 kg for every second the line waits, so a 24-second wait gives 12 kg more cod. That is worth far more than 40 kr. You can carry only one pack of extra bait at a time.

Without extra bait you still fish: your boat always has its normal gear, free of charge.

Leaving the line to wait

You don't have to sit next to your float. The line keeps fishing while you sail away, for example to sell cod you already have or to buy bait. When you come back, the button says Return to your buoy ● until you are close again, and then Haul.

If you switch to Reinefjorden while your line is in the other waters, or the other way round, the button shows where your line is: The working water · ● or Reinefjorden · ●. Go back there to haul it. The first three places share the same water, so a line set in one of them is still there in the others. See the four places.

How fast does the crew work?

When you haul, the crew lifts the cod over the rail one portion at a time. One cod you see on deck stands for up to 4 kg of your catch.

You can sail while the crew works, so you can already head for the landing. The Powered line hauler is the cheapest upgrade in the workshop.

Common mistakes

• The button says "Steer to a fish on the map" and nothing happens. You are not close enough. Sail right onto the fish.
• Hauling at 6 seconds every time. You get only 6 kg. Waiting 24 seconds gives four times as much.
• Waiting longer than 24 seconds. The haul stops growing. Haul and go.
• Buying bait and then fishing on the near ground with a short wait. Bait pays most on a long wait.
• Forgetting the line. Your float stays out until you haul it. The orange dot on the map shows where it is.

See also

• Selling at the quay: what your catch is worth.
• Tips for skippers: the best plans for a full hold.
• Sailing the boat
• Glossary
• Play Lofoten Catch

• About Lofoten Catch
• All game guides