Is Fishing With Captain Shane free to play?

Yes. The game is free, there is nothing to buy, and signing in is optional. Your progress saves in your browser.

Do I need to download or install anything?

No. It runs in a web browser on a phone, tablet or computer. If you would rather have it as an icon, you can add it to your home screen.

Can I play it on my phone?

Yes. It is built for touch screens as well as desktop browsers. Slide your finger or tilt the phone to aim, press and hold to cast, tap to work the lure and set the hook, and press and hold to reel.

Are the places in the game real spots on Lake Guntersville?

The fishing spots are built from photographs of real places on the lake, including Lodge Point, Town Creek, Honeycomb Creek and The Slews. The bite, the lures and the fish sizes are built for entertainment, drawn from real conditions on the lake rather than being fishing advice.

What do you actually do in the game?

Cast, pick a lure, work it, set the hook and fight the fish, then weigh in your livewell at the scales. There is a tackle shop, daily challenges, bass tournaments, a trophy wall and a Fish Journal that logs what you catch.

Can I book a real fishing trip with Captain Shane?

Yes. Captain Shane Ellis is a working Lake Guntersville fishing guide and runs half-day and full-day guided bass trips year-round. The Book a Real Fishing Trip button on this page goes straight to him.

🎣 Book a Real Trip

How to Play

Aim: move the mouse to swing your cast. Left, center and right are different kinds of cover.
Aim: slide your finger left or right. Left, center and right are different kinds of cover.
Cast: press and hold anywhere to charge, let go to throw it. A longer hold reaches deeper water.
Cast: hold Click or Space to charge, release to throw it. A longer charge reaches deeper water.
Pick the lure: open the Tackle Box (T). A Hot tag means the fish want that bait for this cover and today's conditions. Check the Fishing Report (F) for the water temperature, wind and what is working.
Work the lure: after it lands, tap the screen when the marker is in the green. A steady rhythm brings the bite faster.
Work the lure: after it lands, click when the marker is in the green. A steady rhythm brings the bite faster.
Set the hook: tap the instant the ! shows up. On a topwater, wait for the weight first.
Set the hook: click (or Space) the instant the ! shows up. On a topwater, wait for the weight first.
Fight him: press and holdhold click to reel. When he runs or jumps, let go so the line does not break.
Keep or release: your livewell holds five keepers of 14 inches or more. A bigger fish culls your smallest.
Weigh in: take the livewell to the scales for cash and bonuses.
Move around: open the Map (M) to run to another spot. Each one fishes differently, and water that is dead at noon can come alive at dark.
Tackle Shop (B): spend your winnings on rods, reels, line and lures. Better gear lands more of what bites.
Tournament: from the menu, for prize money. Six boats, 6 AM to 3 PM, best five fish. You need an account to enter, because the result goes on the leaderboard.
Journal (J): every species you have landed, your Angler's Log of goals and their rewards, the daily challenge, and your Photo Archive.
Snapshot: right click on the water to take a photo signed by Captain Shane. Save it, or tap Copy Link to send a friend a page where they can try the game too.
Tilt to aim: turn your phone left and right to swing your cast. On an iPhone, tap Allow when it asks about Motion & Orientation. If you missed it, reload the page and tap Start again.
Inspired by the real lake: the bite, the lures and the fish sizes here are built for entertainment. They are drawn from real Lake Guntersville conditions, but a day on the actual water comes down to conditions, skill and plenty no game can model. Out there, follow your state's fishing laws.
Retrieve: hold click while waiting (or press R) to reel the lure in with no bite.
Retrieve: press and hold while waiting to reel the lure in with no bite.

Fishing With Captain Shane — a free Lake Guntersville bass fishing game

Loading Fishing With Captain Shane…

getting the boat ready

Book a Real Fishing Trip

Tap to start. Sound on for the best ride. About the game ↓

A free Lake Guntersville bass fishing game you play in your browser

Fishing With Captain Shane is a free 3D bass fishing game made by Captain Shane Ellis, a fishing guide on Lake Guntersville in Alabama. Cast, work your lure, set the hook and fight the fish at photo-based spots around the lake, like Lodge Point, Town Creek, Honeycomb Creek and The Slews. It runs in the browser on a phone or a computer. Nothing to download or install.

How to play

Aim and cast. Pick left, center or right cover, then hold to charge your cast and let go to throw it. A longer hold reaches deeper water.
Pick a lure. The Tackle Box marks the baits the fish want for that cover and the day's conditions. The Fishing Report shows water temperature, wind and sky.
Work the lure. After it lands, tap or click when the marker is in the green. A steady rhythm brings the bite faster.
Set the hook. Act the instant the exclamation mark shows up. On a topwater bait, wait for the weight first.
Fight the fish. Hold to reel. When it runs or jumps, let go so the line does not break. Watch the tension bar.
Weigh in. Your livewell holds five keepers. Take them to the scales for cash and bonuses, then spend it in the tackle shop.
Move on. The Map runs you to another spot on the lake. Each one has its own cover and its own fish, and the time of day changes what is biting.
Fish a tournament. Six boats, 6 AM to 3 PM, heaviest five fish takes the prize money. Tournaments need a free account, because the result goes on the leaderboard.

Controls

On a phone or tablet: Slide your finger or tilt the phone to aim. Press and hold to cast, tap to work the lure and set the hook, and press and hold to reel. Works held upright or sideways.
On a computer: Move the mouse to aim. Hold click or Space to cast, click to work the lure and set the hook, and hold click to reel. T opens the Tackle Box, F the Fishing Report, M the Map, B the Tackle Shop and J the Journal. R reels an untouched lure back in, and a right click takes a signed snapshot.

What is in the game

Lake Guntersville scenery, with day, dawn, dusk and night, and changing weather.
Largemouth, spotted, smallmouth and other bass, plus a Fish Journal that logs what you catch.
A tackle shop with lures that work better or worse depending on cover and conditions.
Daily challenges, bass tournaments, a trophy wall and a photo archive you can share.

Free, and made for phones

The game is free to play. Your progress saves in your browser, and signing in is optional. It is built for touch screens as well as desktop browsers, and you can add it to your home screen if you like.

Fish the real lake with Captain Shane

The game is made by Captain Shane Ellis's Lake Guntersville fishing guide service. When you are ready for the real thing, you can book a Lake Guntersville bass fishing trip with Captain Shane and see the guided fishing trips he offers. He runs trips for anglers who drive in from towns all over Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia, from Huntsville, Decatur and Birmingham to Nashville, Chattanooga and Atlanta.

Common questions

Is Fishing With Captain Shane free to play?: Yes. The game is free, there is nothing to buy, and signing in is optional. Your progress saves in your browser.
Do I need to download or install anything?: No. It runs in a web browser on a phone, tablet or computer. If you would rather have it as an icon, you can add it to your home screen.
Can I play it on my phone?: Yes. It is built for touch screens as well as desktop browsers. Slide your finger or tilt the phone to aim, press and hold to cast, tap to work the lure and set the hook, and press and hold to reel.
Are the places in the game real spots on Lake Guntersville?: The fishing spots are built from photographs of real places on the lake, including Lodge Point, Town Creek, Honeycomb Creek and The Slews. The bite, the lures and the fish sizes are built for entertainment, drawn from real conditions on the lake rather than being fishing advice.
What do you actually do in the game?: Cast, pick a lure, work it, set the hook and fight the fish, then weigh in your livewell at the scales. There is a tackle shop, daily challenges, bass tournaments, a trophy wall and a Fish Journal that logs what you catch.
Can I book a real fishing trip with Captain Shane?: Yes. Captain Shane Ellis is a working Lake Guntersville fishing guide and runs half-day and full-day guided bass trips year-round. The Book a Real Fishing Trip button on this page goes straight to him.

Inspired by the real lake: the bite, the lures and the fish sizes in the game are built for entertainment. They are drawn from real Lake Guntersville conditions but are not fishing advice, and a day on the actual water comes down to conditions, skill and plenty no game can model. Out there, follow your state's fishing laws, wear a life jacket and fish with a licensed adult or guide.

Bass Tournament

How to Play

Settings

Paused

Tackle Shop

Fish Journal

Fishing Spots