Object of game is to catch all of the fish on a players card. First player to fill his card with matching fish cards wins the game.
Each player is given a PLAYER CARD (the large cards identifying 12 fish). These cards are numbered 1 to 12. FISH CARDS (the small cards picturing up to 144 individual fish) are selected with numbers matching the players cards to be used in the game. Fish cards are shuffled and placed face down into the "POND" (the pond is the center of the playing table, or a box or bowl), so that players cannot see them. The game is started when the player to the left of the dealer declares "I am fishing for a ________" (he names one of the fish on his players card). The other players say "FISH FOR IT". The player then draws a fish card from the pond. If he is lucky and "catches" a fish he asked for, he gets another turn. If he "catches a fish shown on his player's card, but did not ask for it, he may keep it but does not get another turn. Gameplay continues until one player catches all of the fish on their player card.
There is an alternate game given. A poem, facts about fish, facts about fishing.