GTA 6 Fishing and Hunting Overhaul: No More Fish Fries, Focus on Fun and Money

Fishing in Grand Theft Auto VI will be a strictly catch-and-release pastime, Rockstar North’s Rob Nelson told YouTuber TGG, according to a new GameSpot report. Players won’t be able to keep or consume their haul—unlike Red Dead Redemption II, where angling fed directly into survival and crafting. “It didn’t fit this game,” Nelson said, emphasizing that fishing in GTA 6 is mainly for fun, not sustenance or profit.

Instead, fishing will revolve around challenges and collectibles. Rockstar is leaning into the activity’s recreational side, reflecting the game’s modern setting. With Jason and Lucia living in a world full of fast food and supermarkets, there’s no need to eat your catch. That said, diet will still matter: eating in GTA 6 can make your character gain weight, a system that ties into gym-based mechanics. Excess calories can, apparently, be converted into visible muscle if you put in the work.

Hunting has also been reimagined. Unlike fishing, hunting animals is a viable way to make money in GTA 6, according to Nelson. The hunting system is unlocked via a friend of Jason’s, though YouTuber TGG speculated that this character has yet to be revealed in any official footage. This approach is a departure from Red Dead’s immersive, survivalist hunting, instead framing animal encounters as side hustles within Vice City’s broader criminal economy.

There’s more crossover with Red Dead in one respect: both fishing and hunting allow players to “inspect” animals, a nod to Red Dead Redemption 2’s naturalist documentation. You’ll be able to get up close, check out the local wildlife, and add entries to your collection, but don’t expect to run a bushmeat business from your safehouse.

Petting dogs is confirmed, too. Players can interact with canines by petting, inspecting, or even scolding them—an oddly granular approach for GTA, but one that builds on the animal interaction systems established in Rockstar’s last two games.

GTA 6 launches November 19 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. While the new hunting and fishing systems may not appeal to everyone, they mark a clear shift from Red Dead’s simulationist design, emphasizing variety and character over realism.