Catching Critters and Fishing in Hello Kitty Island Adventure

The first time I tried to scoop up a butterfly in Hello Kitty Island Adventure, I missed three times in a row and then watched it drift off like it was laughing at me. To be honest, there are more times that I contemplate rage quitting than I thought there would be in our beloved HKIA. Catching critters and fishing both feel like calm little breaks between friendship quests and once you get into the rhythm, they become a strangely addictive part of island life.

Let’s start with tools. You’ll need the Net for catching critters and the Fishing Rod for, well, fishing. You won’t have them right away, but they’re both easy to unlock as you play. The Net comes from the Open the Nature Preserve quest early on, and the Fishing Rod arrives later through the Keep It Reel quest once you’ve hit Friendship Level 3 with Badtz-maru.

Catching critters is simple once you’ve practiced a bit. Approach slowly, watch their patterns, and swing the Net at just the right time. Butterflies, dragonflies, and bees love the sunny flower areas, while beetles and little crawly guys prefer trees and rocks. Some rare critters only show up when it’s raining, which feels unfair but also adds to the thrill.

Fishing works on the same “patience and timing” logic, just with water instead of wings. Often times you can see the fish floating near the surface, that’s your cue that a fish is nearby. Cast your line, wait for the bobber to dip, then reel it in. Early on, you’ll mostly catch smaller fish, but as your friendships deepen and you unlock new biomes, rarer species start showing up. There's also been an update where lures can be added to catch specific creatures.

The time of day matters. Daytime tends to bring out butterflies and bees, while the evening belongs to fireflies and nocturnal beetles. Fish also vary by time and location, mornings and evenings are your best bet for the bigger ones, and each region has its own lineup. It’s the kind of thing that makes you think, “I’ll just check one more pond,” and suddenly an hour’s gone but you've caught that Summer Sole you were looking for, finally.

Once you’ve caught a few, you actually have options. Critters and fish can be donated to the Nature Preserve, gifted to friends to raise their Friendship Levels, or saved for crafting specific furniture sets! Some villagers even have favorites, so keeping extras on hand isn’t the worst idea.

So that’s critters and fishing in a nutshell. Nothing fancy, just a good way to zone out and feel like you’re actually part of the island instead of sprinting through it. Some days I catch everything in sight, and some days I just let the butterflies win. Catch a few critters, reel in a few fish, repeat. That’s island life.