There are many daily tasks for players to engage in while playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Trees can be shaken to collect fruit, bugs can be caught in nets, and beaches can be scoured for shells and message bottles. Players will also spend a large amount of time casting out a fishing line in New Horizons' rivers, ponds, and oceans as they work to collect the seasonally changing fish lurking below the water's surface. However, for those who have been playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons since its release, the introduction of new fishing mechanics would likely be a welcome update.

Currently, there are 80 fish species available to catch in New Horizons. These fish appear in bodies of water as shadows that range in size from small to large. To catch fish, players simply cast a line in the direction of the shadow and wait for a bite. While certain fish are available all year long, many species only spawn during certain months of the year. Some fish also only appear at specific times of day, requiring players to plan carefully in order to capture every type. Fish can be donated to the Museum, sold, or used to decorate an Animal Crossing house or outdoor space.

Related: Star Fragments Animal Crossing: New Horizons Should Add

While Animal Crossing: New Horizons has been out for over a year, little has been done to improve the fishing mechanics. While players can engage in the New Horizons Fishing Tourney several times a year, and purchase or craft more durable rods to allow longer fishing sessions, the act of fishing has stayed frustratingly basic. To improve this, Nintendo could consider adding a fishing update, introducing new ways to fish, new species to catch, and even special fishing locations for Mystery Island Tours.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons Needs Fishing Boat DIY Recipes

A player fishes in the ocean on the beach in Animal Crossing: New Horizons

A fishing boat could be used to fish in the waters farther out around a player's island. These spots are already accessible while swimming, but players can only dive under the waves, not cast out a fishing rod. The DIY recipe for a boat could be obtained through helping Animal Crossing's Gulliver, or by collecting a certain number of fish species. To add incentive, new fish could be added that can only be caught by sailing out to these more distant locations. New Horizons could also implement a fishing trap mechanic, allowing players to build small traps to place on the beach or by ponds. These could be harvested once a day and provide a limited number of random fish.

Another way to freshen up fishing would be to add new islands to the Mystery Island Tours in New Horizons. Using the Dodo Airlines, players could travel to islands designed to use newly crafted boats, or the islands could be home to fish species only accessible on these islands. This would also give players new incentives to go on Mystery Island Tours, especially if they have already found all the Animal Crossing villagers they want, and no longer need to travel to gather crafting resources. Updating fishing in Animal Crossing: New Horizons would be a great way to freshen gameplay while expanding a mechanic that has been lacking in content since the game's release.

Next: What New Activities Animal Crossing New Horizons' Update Should Add