Magnetic Fishing Game with Articulated Pieces

This is a fun fishing game for 2 to 4 players.  Printed parts required for the game are 1 shark, 1 treasure chest, and for each player, 7 fish and 1 fishing rod/lure.  The lure contains a magnet, and the objects (fish and treasure chest) contain a screw that is attracted to the magnet.

The fishing rods are printed in two pieces (handle and tip) that are then pressed together.  The two pieces are friction-fit and are keyed so that they only go together one way.  There are two styles of rod tips, straight (solid) and flexible (articulated); print whichever type you prefer.  The straight tip is obviously stronger and may be more appropriate for young players (or players with aggressive fishing techniques…such as hitting each other).

2025-07-11 Update: Per request, added “child-friendly“ versions of the fish and shark.  These new models are one-piece (non-articulated) and have rounded fins and tails rather than sharp points on the ends.

Suggested Game Rules:

Setup:

• Each player picks a color set
• Place the shark, treasure chest, and each player’s seven fish into a box with sides high enough to prevent the fish from being seen by the players

Rules of Play:

• Players take turns fishing, pulling out one item, and collecting only their own color fish (all other items are put back in the box)
• The box is shaken after each turn to shuffle the fish
• The first player to catch the treasure chest, or collect 5 of their own fish, wins the game
• If the shark is caught, the player must return all of their collected fish back to the box

Required Parts:

• 5x5mm magnets: quantity depends on the number of color sets that are printed (one magnet for each lure).  I used these magnets: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JNT512N
• M3x6mm Socket Head Cap Screws: each color set requires 7 screws (1 for each fish), plus 1 screw each for the shark and treasure chest.  The screws must be attracted to magnets, so use plain steel screws (not stainless steel, brass, nylon, etc.).  I used these screws: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CYG7G9MZ
• String for the fishing poles

Printing Notes:

• Print using PLA at 0.15mm layer height, 0.4mm nozzle, and 15% infill.
• Supports are generally not required for any of the parts, but depending on the filament, it might be beneficial to add supports to the fish tails.  Organic supports with automatic generation worked well and were easy to remove; supports have been included in the .3mf files.
• The rods seem to be adequately sturdy with 2 perimeters.  If you want to make them even stronger, feel free to increase the perimeter count to 3 or 4.
• Please don’t use the .bgcode files that have been provided (always slice your own files for your specific printer, filament, environment, etc.).  The files were included to provide a reference for approximate print time.

Assembly Instructions:

1. Press the 5x5mm magnets into the lures.
2. Insert the keyed tab of the rod handle into the slot on the rod tip.  Some force may be required push the two pieces together (it is intended to be a snug fit).
3. Thread the screws into the mouths of the fish and the top of the treasure chest.  Tighten the screws with a hex wrench until the screw head is flush with the plastic surface.
4. Using a piece of string approximately the length of the rod, attach the lure to the rod; this is a good opportunity to practice your knots (I used a fisherman’s knot on the lure, and a bowline knot on the rod).