The eighth update for Fishing Sim World is now available to download on PC, PlayStation and Xbox One! The highlight of this update is the introduction of three new species of fish – the muskie, tiger muskie and longnose gar. Full notes are as follows; * Introduction of muskie, tiger muskie and longnose gar into the appropriate lakes * Game localised into Chinese * Fixed boat being unable to turn when not moving due to colliding against an object in multiplayer * Other minor multiplayer fixes * Localisation bug fixes * Improved boat audio * Updated Gigantica Main Lake select screen to ensure species list includes Bream and Tench * Fixed the image in customisation for Fitzgerald Stunner rod as was displaying the Vursa rod * Updated the species list in Grand Union canal to include roach * Improved lake selection image for Gigantica * Fixed cast bar in basic casting mode still showing when cast has been reset * Fixed game occasionally crashing when scrolling through items in the shop quickly * Boat now glides to a stop when switching to fishing during use of the trolling motor * Improved bass swimming animation in anglers log We are also working very hard on our next update which is another significant one for all players. Current highlights for this update include; * Improved bass fighting including bass jumping out of the water * New equipment from three new licensed partners * Adding Duckett, Missile and Bill Lewis wraps available to the Bass Cat Puma boat * Localisation fixes * Audio improvements

Save on a selection of Train Simulator add-ons with our Weekly Deals!

Just Trains are bringing the complex, bustling and authentic Frankfurt U-Bahn network to Steam and Dovetail Games stores.

Sometimes, I think that I lose sight of what angling is all about… a few hours of relaxation, outdoors in pleasant surroundings, with a few fish for company. Instead, I end up taking everything (including the kitchen sink) loading the barrow until my back can’t take any more, and trudging off across the fields to set up photography shots for social media clients, sponsors or whatever, so this week, I went back to my childhood in an attempt to find some joy again, to try and remind myself exactly why I go fishing… I picked up a small two wheel trolley recently, after spotting it going cheap (free in fact) and was determined to thin out my tackle to fit. A bucket doubled up as a seat, I took a zip up unhooking mat with scales, tripod and landing net within, and a small rucksack, which were all bungy-corded to the frame, and I carried my rod bag over my shoulder to travel as light as I could and still get the required images for later in the week. With everything secure, I locked the van, crossed the busy road, and walked off across the meadow to the local canal. I usually take a lure rod and bag of lure kit when I hit the cut, but for the first time in many a year, I wanted to fish it properly, with maggots and everything! The trolley made navigating the meadow easy, and within a few minutes, I’d arrived at my destination, a boat turning area, to find I was the only angler in sight; perfect. Quickly spying a grassed area off the towpath, and therefore out of the way of speedy lycra-clad fitness freaks on wheels and nosey dogs, I parked the trolley, and removed my 11’ float rod, which was quickly twinned with a 3000 series reel, both from the Sonik stable. Whilst preparing, I threw in a handful of maggots and a small nugget of groundbait, before selecting a canal dart float, and tackling up, attaching a size 16 hook to nylon. A plummet was slipped over the hook and lowered into the track to see just how deep it was. I found about 3’ of water, shallowing off quickly little more than a couple of rod lengths from the bank, and a pronounced hole where boatowners obviously gunned their engine to swing the boats around before retracing their steps. The extra power had stirred a clearly defined depression, so I was keen to target a definite feature as canals can often be devoid of anything to attract fish in certain areas! I plumbed up an inch or so over depth and added a number 8 shot to drag the bottom and keep the float still; otherwise, it was dotted down to show less than an inch of bright red tip. A pair of maggots were nicked onto the hook, and the rig was swung out, line sunk, and I sat on my bucket like a chubby garden gnome to see what was within the swim. I had less than a minute to wait, the float lurching as a fish picked up the bait before sliding away. Surprised by the speed of response, I missed it, so dropped the float back in and watched as it failed to settle. I deduced that the maggots had been taken on the drop and was pleased to feel a small fish hooked when I lifted the rod. A plump silvery roach of a few ounces was the result, and I was pleased with that! After an hour, during which I’d continually flicked in odd maggots and yet more groundbait, a trio of boats had added colour to the swim and I’d picked off a steady number of fish as the float repeatedly slipped under. Most were roach, some as tiny as an ounce, others almost half a pound, before I hooked into the first of series of chunky hybrids all over the pound mark. After two hours, my total bag stood at around fifteen pounds, maybe more, and I then started to pick up perch, obviously attracted by prey fish in the swim. I had noted perch striking at fish elsewhere in the swim but had only caught tiny sergeants before the first of a better stamp of fish appeared. I spent three hours at the bank side, sharing it with a swimming grass snake, a constantly darting kingfisher, and a gaggle of elderly walkers who wanted to watch for a while, and do you know what? I thoroughly enjoyed it! A short session haul of perhaps 25lb from any canal is not to be sniffed at, and I was very surprised to find out that plenty of the fish were of some quality too, and it helped me see that fishing IS about fun, not Facebook ‘likes’ or constantly bombarding other anglers with social media posts, but instead is about nature, solitude, and a bit of time away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Sometimes, I think it fair to say that many anglers forget that, and sometimes lose their focus… I know I do, but now when I feel a bit jaded, I think a trip to the canal, with a pint of maggots and some floats will refresh my mind… just like when I was a kid!

Now the festivities are over and we’re well into 2019, Let's see how things have been going and discuss some interesting things we've been working on.

Revisit the Austrian Alps in the form of RSSLO’s Tirol: Brenner – Kufstein route, which is available now on the Steam and Dovetail Games stores!

Prepare to glisten under the Spessart Sun with Train Sim World: Main-Spessart Bahn, which is coming soon in all its scenic wonder!

Explore over 100 miles of scenic coastline today with the North Wales Coastal: Crewe – Holyhead route extension, which is available now for Train Simulator!

Now available, Union Pacific Scenario Pack 01 delivers contemporary and challenging UP railroading!

The key to catching carp in Fishing Sim World is connecting all the dots to ensure you are fishing effectively. Here’s how; 1. Use your eyes When you arrive at the lake, look across the water for fish shows. These can be one of two things, either the fish crashing out of the water or bubbles coming up to the surface. Either of these indicate where the fish are and where you should be casting. 2. Use the correct rig The rigs in the game are best used over one of the three bed types found on the lake bed – silt, weed or gravel. When you have chosen the rig you want to use, find that type of lake bed to fish over. It is not effective to use a silt rig and be fishing in weed. 3. Use the correct bait Similarly to the rigs, the baits tell you how they behave in the water and how big they are. Ensure that the bait you are using matches the rig in terms of presentation and size. For example, you don’t want to be fishing a large sinking bait on a small (say size 8) rig when fishing over weed as the fish won’t find it! 4. Use your spod rod You’ve seen where fish are, you have a rig and bait that match the lake bed so now you just sit back and wait for it to happen? No – equip your spod rod and cast out free offerings to the fish – this will attract the fish in the area and draw more in from further afield. 5. Work your swim he final tip – work the area of water that your swim covers. You’ve seen the fish show in the vicinity but they may not be moving a great deal and you have cast 20 yards away from where they are. Start off by casting to the left of your swim and then keep recasting slowly moving more and more right across the water until you find where they are. Good luck!

The key to catching bass in Fishing Sim World is to ensure you are fishing effectively. Here’s how; 1. Use your sonar or watch the water - When you are driving along the lake in your boat, you’re sonar is giving you information on the current depth of the water and it is showing fish icons when you pass over any. The sonar is located under the middle of your boat so if you pass over fish, turn round and go back to the spot that you located them. If you are fishing from the shoreline, look for splashes and ripples in the water. 2. Consider the weather - The weather conditions and light levels are going to play a huge part in what lures will be most effective. Clear skies will favour the shiny or metallic coloured lures such as the Rat L Trap Chrome Blue Black. Cloudy conditions favour brighter colours such as the Rat L Trap Red Crawfish. 3. Fish the right depth - The lures in the game operate at different depths of the water and you need to choose the correct lure based on what depth you have seen the fish showing at on your radar. There is no point fishing for them near the surface if the radar showed they were at the bottom of 30ft of water. 4. Use the correct retrieval - The lures have different retrieval methods associated to them based which can be seen in their explanation when you select them. Ensure you use one of the appropriate retrieval methods to ensure they lure is attractive as possible to the fish. 5. Work your swim - The final tip – work the area of water that your boat covers. You’ve seen the fish on your radar but they may have moved off slightly. Start off by casting to the left of your boat and then keep recasting, slowly moving more and more right across the water until you find where they are. Good luck!

Signing up for Dovetail Live makes you eligible to receive rewards in Fishing Sim World. To receive an exclusive Dovetail Live boat and t-shirt simply register or log in to Dovetail Live and go to the online menu to receive your rewards.

Gigantica Road Lake is the fourth add-on lake for Fishing Sim World and completes the Quad Lake Pass. The Road Lake takes us to the famous Gigantica complex in France with a fully licensed venue recreated in stunning detail. Just like the Main Lake the carp in here are big and will fight hard. Digitally recreated in stunning detail, this 30-acre lake is famous for the amount of action you are guaranteed due to its high stock of fish. The average weight of carp in this lake is well over 30lbs, with plenty of 40 and 50lb Carp to go after. The crown jewel of this lake is ‘3 scales’ at over 64lbs. While the venue is predominantly a carp lake with around 900 carp present, you will still be able to grab your spinning rod to catch one of the small number of pike up to 15lb. For those of you that like to catch your trophy fish, there are 50 of them on offer here. Get out there and see if you can catch your new personal best. Gigantica Road Lake is available now on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Steam. PlayStation 4 Europe [https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/product/EP2866-CUSA12376_00-FISHSWROADLAKE00] PlayStation 4 US [https://store.playstation.com/en-us/product/UP3004-CUSA12494_00-FISHSWROADLAKE00] Xbox One [https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/p/fishing-sim-world-gigantica-road-lake/br56h5h39phj?activetab=pivot:overviewtab] Steam [https://store.steampowered.com/app/973612/Fishing_Sim_World_Gigantica_Road_Lake/?beta=0] Dovetail Store [https://store.dovetailgames.com/eu/product/527361/fishing-sim-world-gigantica-road-lake]

The January season of the Dovetail Fishing League has now ended and with the scoring completed we can reveal the winners of Angler of the Month on each platform. Below you will find the winner for Angler of the Month on each platform as well as the winners for each series. Xbox One * Big Bass Tour - UnbilledIvy5646 * Carp Championship - bobcin3 * Match Series - H1TMAN 5NAP * Predator Challenge - H1TMAN 5NAP Angler of the Month - H1TMAN 5NAP PlayStation 4 * Big Bass Tour - PhillyBass-1965 * Carp Championship - TokerKato * Match Series - AV_HappyTek * Predator Challenge - AV_HappyTek Angler of the Month - AV_HappyTek PC * Big Bass Tour - UndeadFrog * Carp Championship - MR.O COMPUTER * Match Series - hernanslt * Predator Challenge - UndeadFrog Angler of the Month - UndeadFrog Congratulations to the series and season winners and good luck to everyone in the February Dovetail Fishing League season. The events for this week are as follows: * Big Bass Tour - Lake Johnson, sunrise * Carp Championship - Waldsee, afternoon * Predator Challenge - Manor Farm, morning * Match Series - Bergsee, night

Thomson Interactive’s latest Swiss narrow gauge release, the RhB Enhancement Pack 3, brings the classic ABe 4/4 III railcar to Train Simulator!

Coming soon to Train Simulator – an extension of the scenic North Wales Coastal route that takes it all the way to Holyhead!

In response to your important feedback, we have today released an update for the GWR Pannier Tank Pack on behalf of Victory Works.

Bossman Games’ expertly recreated LMS Rebuilt Royal Scot Class has come to the Steam and Dovetail Games stores for nostalgic Stanier action!

In response to your important feedback over the holidays, we have today released an update for Train Sim World on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

Having tried a method I dislike immensely last week, zig rigs, I’ve tried another one this week that I enjoy just as little… the pellet waggler! I’ve had a couple of the new Sonik Sports SKSC commercial fishery rods sent down to me, an 11’ feeder and matching pellet waggler rod, so thought I’d better get out and give the float rod an outing on a local club lake. I wasn’t looking forward to a day of arm aching, constant casting and catapulting, as I much prefer a more sedate day on the bank, but sponsors needs must… Until last week, I didn’t even own a suitable float for pellet waggler fishing, instead having a tube full of stick floats, bodied wagglers and crystal quills, so after putting in an order with Premier Floats, I was delighted to receive a set of four floats of differing weights which would be suitable. In truth, the delivery wasn’t exactly what I’d ordered, but a quick phone call rectified the issue, and I thought I’d mention their excellent customer service as it deserves praise; if you are looking for a great company to deal with, give them a call! I wanted to fish at around fifty yards, so selected a loaded float of 10g, slipped on a couple of float stops, and attached a pre-tied mono hook link terminating in a size 10 barbless hook with a pellet band. As soon as I’d arrived, I started flicking a few pellets every thirty seconds or so, hoping to see a swirl as hungry carp answered the dinner bell, and after fifteen minutes, I noted the first bow wave as carp moved in… I opted to use Spotted Fin 8mm Premium Coarse pellets, available in a 3kg pouch, which have a uniform sink rate, and fast breakdown. I didn’t particularly want carp grubbing around on the bottom, so these pellets fit the bill perfectly, and a single pellet was banded to the hook then cast out beyond the baited area. I quickly fired out a few more freebies, and wound the float back into the target area. Pre-loaded, it cocked immediately, and then just as quickly shot out of sight; first bite! I struck to set the hook, and the new rod picked up the line quickly to connect with the first double figure carp of the day; easy! I was able to quickly shift the fish away from the other carp seeking the falling pellets, and swiftly got it to the net, lifted it onto the mat, removed the hook and returned it after a quick snap, all within a minute; pellet waggler fishing is fast and furious! I commenced the regular (monotonous) cycle of catapult, cast, catapult, and within ninety minutes, had banked five double figure carp, and lost one to a hook pull, which wasn’t a bad return. Of the five carp landed, a couple of them already had pellet hooks embedded in their mouth, indicating that anglers weren’t really prepared for double figure carp. It’s well known that the fish in this particular lake go to around 20lb, so if you are fishing for similar specimens on your lake, then please gear up for them. I was using 10lb line straight through to an 8lb hook link, which in a water with few in any snags was safe, so why do anglers still insist on using flimsy hook links and mainlines which obviously won’t cope? Beggars belief really. Personally, I’d rather a few carp shy off the bait than hook them, and then be snapped to leave fish trailing line. In fact, on a later session, I even had a carp in my swim trailing not only the hook link, but also the mainline and pellet float! Very poor angling by someone… After two hours, I’d had enough. Pellet waggler isn’t really my style, I find it a bit labour intensive, and when I’m trying to relax, I prefer something a little more relaxing. I’d caught enough fish to prove the rod, and if you are a match or pleasure angler looking for a pellet waggler rod that won’t break the bank, then the new SKSC range, coming in at just £39.99 should surely be on your check list. Match it with an SKSC reel too, and for less than £75 you have a functional, good quality set up for your session. They do the job well, provide fun fishing, and easily handle double figure carp; what more can you ask for?

On Monday we will move in to the fifth and final week of the Dovetail Fishing League Season for January. Time to make that final push to climb the season leaderboards. The events in each series are shown below. * Big Bass Tour - Lake Arnold, sunset * Carp Champion Ship - Gigantica, afternoon * Predator Challenge - Lake Boulder, afternoon * Match Series - Grand Union Canal, morning If you don't own Lake Arnold you will get one 1-hour attempt on the lake. Those that own it will receive 3 attempts as normal. Good luck everyone.

Romantic Railroads’ mighty DR BR 44 has arrived for yesteryear heavy hauling!

Challenging gradients and towering peaks feature aplenty in RSSLO’s Tirol Austria route, which is coming soon to the Steam and Dovetail Games stores

The weather conditions continue to upset my fishing plans, I’m itching to get back onto the river banks, but can’t justify barbel fishing when the water is so low. As a result, I headed back to one of my favourite waters, Rode Pool, on the Stoke-on-Trent Angling Society card in search of tench and bream, but with an eye out for an opportunity to bag my first carp from this very tricky water… I arrived just as the sun started to fleck the horizon with pinks but was dismayed to find that I’d already been beaten to my intended spot! One other angler on the lake, and he was sitting where I wanted to be; typical! We had a brief chat, before I retired to the other end of the lake, choosing peg 1, one of my least favourite areas, but the wind was pushing hard into the other end of the lake, and taking a huge amount of algal bloom with it, coating the water is a paint-like green slick which I didn’t fancy cleaning off my gear later! It’s a two-rod only water, so I set up a pair of 3lb test curve rods, twinned them with the huge spools of my trusty Sonik Tournos 10000’s, and prepared myself to launch a cast about 140 yards to where I could see carp cruising. I won’t lie, my cast fell about 35 yards short, a mix of average casting technique and a crosswind, and I felt the lead plug solidly into silt; not ideal. I tightened up, and pulled to release the lead, before winding in to try again. Again, I fell way short, but this time the lead seemed to settle on good ground, so I left it in situ as I realised I was never going to get near the intended spot. Baited with a Spotted Fin Smokey Jack bottom bait, and tipped with a small yellow wafter, I was confident that if carp were hungry, they would find it. A few freebies were sticked out over the top, and I went about my second rod. I know The Method works extremely well here, so the usual tri-lobe feeder was slid up the line, wrapped in Spotted Fin Classic Corn groundbait, studded with 2mm pellets, and an 8mm wafter banded onto the hook. This went out into open water near a submerged bar, and I sat back to wait. On the hour, every hour, the method feeder was retrieved and reloaded, but after 5 hours, I hadn’t had a single indication on either rod! Earlier activity had quietened down, with fish no longer to be seen rolling on the surface, and it appeared that they had indeed followed the wind. Eventually, a bleep and a typically stuttering run saw a bream of around 4lb banked, then another, and then I lost a slightly bigger fish, and that was it; nothing further all day, still no carp, and it was soon time to pack up. I found out subsequently that despite my misgivings, I was the only angler of six to have caught… scant consolation for such a poor day, but at least it wasn’t a blank! I returned a couple of days later, determined to fish better and catch more. Both rods were set up with a method feeder, but this time crammed with Spotted Fin Super Sweet Blend groundbait, one with a tiny wafter hook bait, the other with two grains of corn on the hair. Both were lobbed out quickly and left to settle. Once more, I intended to recast every hour, but I didn’t really get chance. After a quiet first hour, in which I identified another bar to the right hand side of the swim, I moved the rods slightly left, and started to get interest straight away in an area devoid of silt or leaf debris. My first fish tripped up over the corn, as did my second, then the third picked up the wafter to give me a total of 3 big bream on the bank. A fourth fish fell to the corn, so I swapped the other rod over to yellow grains, and from then on rarely had them out together for more than 20 minutes! It went a bit mad, and by mid-afternoon, I’d tallied 16 bream and a trio chubby tench, as well as losing 3 more due to having (unheard of on this water) double takes! Usually, the wafters out perform any other bait on this particular lake, but just for once, after ringing the changes, I opted to fish the humble grain and it paid off. I’ve got absolute belief in the groundbait too, the sweetness proving a definite attractor for the hefty bream which reside within, and flecked through with 2mm Smokey Jack pellets, it makes an irresistible mix which seems to work consistently. Once more, I caught more than anyone else on the lake, and I think I know why; confidence in your bait is much of the battle on tricky waters, and I’ve got complete confidence in mine! Get on the Fin!