Install MelonLoader 0.7.3 using the official installer, point it to your How to Fish folder, then download the Advanced Mod Menu from Nexus Mods. Extract the zip and drop the mods folder into your game directory. Launch the game, press Backspace to open the mod menu, use arrow keys to navigate, and Right Shift to toggle features. Cheats include god mode, infinite money, auto-perfect reels, unlock all skins and islands, and damage multipliers.
What the Advanced Mod Menu Actually Unlocks
Before you touch any files, you need to know what you’re getting. The Advanced Mod Menu from Nexus Mods is a single-player cheat framework that gives you full control over How to Fish’s core systems.
Here’s the complete feature set:
- God Mode – Take zero damage from any source
- Infinite Money – Never worry about currency again
- Auto-Perfect Reels – Every catch lands perfectly
- Unlock All Skins – All cosmetic options available immediately
- Unlock All Islands – Every location accessible from the start
- Damage Multipliers – Scale your fishing and weapon damage output
- Additional fishing and weapon options – Tweak the game to your preference
My rule is simple: this mod replaces grinding with choice. You decide what stays challenging and what becomes trivial.
The Installation Route I Actually Use
The setup takes about five minutes if you follow the sequence exactly. I’ve seen players break their installs by skipping steps, so here’s the order I stick to every time.
| Step | Action | Critical Detail |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Close the game completely | Steam overlay and background processes included |
| 2 | Install MelonLoader 0.7.3 | Use the official installer only |
| 3 | Point installer to your How to Fish folder | Let it complete the full setup |
| 4 | Download Advanced Mod Menu from Nexus Mods | Verify you have the latest version |
| 5 | Extract the zip file | Use a proper archive tool, not Windows built-in |
| 6 | Drop the mods folder into your game directory |
Ensure the DLL lands in the correct subfolder |
| 7 | Launch the game | The mod loads automatically |
Warning: MelonLoader version 0.7.3 is a hard requirement. Newer versions may not be compatible with the Advanced Mod Menu’s current build.
Tip: After step 3, launch the game once before installing the mod. This lets MelonLoader create its folder structure cleanly, which prevents path errors later.
How I Navigate and Enable Cheats In-Game
Once the game launches with the mod loaded, the controls are straightforward. Here’s the exact input sequence I use:
- Press Backspace to open the mod menu
- Use arrow keys to move through menu items
- Press Right Shift to toggle or activate the highlighted feature
- Enable the cheats you want from the list
The menu organizes cheats into logical categories. I typically enable god mode and infinite money first, then adjust damage multipliers based on how I want to play that session.
Important limitation: Some features, particularly full god mode, work best when you are the host. If you’re joining someone else’s session, expect reduced functionality on certain toggles.
Note: Auto-perfect reels is the one cheat I’d recommend enabling immediately. It removes the frustration of losing rare fish to timing mistakes and makes the core loop far more enjoyable.
What I Learned From My First Install
When I first set this up, I made two mistakes that cost me time. First, I used an outdated MelonLoader version because I grabbed whatever was on top of the download page. The mod refused to load. Stick to 0.7.3 exactly.
Second, I initially dropped the DLL file directly into the game root folder instead of inside the mods folder. The game launched fine but showed no mod menu. The mods folder structure matters — the DLL needs to sit inside it, not beside it.
If you press Backspace and nothing happens, check both of those things first. They account for nearly every installation failure I’ve seen.
