Customer Reviews

Let's Go Fishin'

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(30)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

My son was two when he got this for Christmas. It says 4 and up on the box,but I thought we'd give it a try. 4 might be the age when they can understand playing it as a game with a winner, but my two-year-old has no problem catching fish on his own.

The first time we took this out of the book, he played it for two solid hours! He loves to catch a fish and then tell you what color he caught and have you catch the same color. We also count them - "How many red fish did you catch? 1-2-3!" He's taken it to all his grandparents' houses and played it with anyone who will. He has played it every single day since Christmas.

I deducted one star because the fish are pretty thin plastic and even though we're careful, it's only a matter of time until we step on one and break it. It doesn't come with any extras. Also, for some reason, the box is really tight around the game and putting the game back in the box can cause the fishes' mouths to pop off (you put them right back on).

Overall, this was one of his favorite toys this Christmas.

To clear up a few things: 1) The game uses 1 C battery, not 2 AAs. 2) There is no music as stated in the product description. 3) The fishing pole and fish are not magnetic as in other, smaller, wind-up versions of this game.

My biggest complaints are that it spins a little too fast, which means that the fish don't keep their mouths open for very long. And because the fishing pole is two plastic pieces with a small cone/cup shaped plastic knob (which is only a little smaller than the fish's mouths) instead of a magnet on a string as in the small, wind-up versions, catching fish isn't all that easy. It's not terribly hard, as I got the hang of it in a few minutes, but it's definitely not as easy as in the magnetic versions.

Lastly, the reason some people have trouble putting the game back into its box is because some of the fish are still in their "up" positions (sticking up, with their mouths open). You just need to rotate it manually until all fish are in their "down" positions. But be sure to only rotate it the way the thing normally rotates, though, otherwise you might damage it.

Also, I saw this at Target for less money.

My 2 year old granddaughter just loves this game. "Fishing time," she says. She has us (or whoever will listen) get it out two or three times a day. She catches the fish with the opposite end of the pole, but hey it works for her! She never seems to get tired of playing it and can play all by herself too, which is good for busy households. Grandpa and I like playing with her too! Good for eye hand coodination!

Length:: 1:26 Mins

This toy is cleverly designed. The fish goes around, and it even opens and closes its mouth to bite the bait. How neat! They make it happen with a ingenious trick so that nothing would go wrong -- the fish's mouth won't get stuck shut, for example, and catching a fish is so easy, a baby can do it. Even though it warns about small parts, I don't see anything small enough to swallow here, so it's perfectly safe for those under 3, in my opinion. My boy is 4 and took to the game right away. The price is very reasonable; most other toys like this costs twice as much. Even I had fun with it for a little while. Five stars to the designer!

I bought this because I remember playing this game when I was younger. Unfortunately, the concept is great, but the product is poorly made. They should have magnets on the fishing pool hooks instead of hooks that you have to angle at a particular way to catch the fish. My son is 2 and he ended up trying to drag the fish out of their holes. Also, the battery door screw doesn't screw in, so we have to tape the battery door. I should've returned it, but figured it wasn't worth the hassle for the price. Many made in China products are much better made than this one.

The version of the game I have differs from the product description in that:
- It has no music (Thank Goodness! Hooray! Thank-You, Thank-You, Thank-You!)
- The fish are a solid colour where this picture shows they have white jaws.
- It very inconveniently uses one c size battery rather than two AA batteries.

We find this game quite fun. I actually looked for it on Amazon right now to buy it as a gift because my son received it as an xmas gift. I was surprised to see it was only $6.
Educational? - I guess this helps kids improve co-ordination, concentration and colour recognition.
Durability? - Well, I would not rate this as particularly durable because it is just a plastic, battery operated toy that doesn't allow for all that much imaginative play. My son has pulled the eyes off several fish because they are just stickers. However, it doesn't feel so flimsy that I hesitate to give it as a gift.

How it works: This game has a heap of little plastic fish travelling in a circle with their mouths opening and closing. Their teeth are sharp enough to hurt a little if you were inclined to stick one on your finger and clamp it shut. All players use a plastic 'fishing rod' with a 'hook' to catch as many fish as possible. The hook stays in the fish's mouth when it closes so you can lift up the fish. I prefer this over a magnet system. I like how it is not just a matter of lifting up a fish but also a challenge to hook the fish when it's mouth is open.

What makes this game so good is that it is reasonably challenging for an adult so your kid can see you miss, and it is reasonably do-able for a kid. My 2 1/2yo has no trouble catching the fish.

The opening and closing of the plastic fish mouths makes an awful racket. If you are all sitting together to play the game you don't really realise how noisy it is, but one person could not watch TV or dance to a CD if someone else is playing this game in the same room. I was surprised to see whatever previous version the product description is for had music because you would either never hear it or it would be VERY loud. And a short piece of music played over and over and over for the time it takes a toddle/pre-schooler to hook all the fish would drive me mad! :-)

Ultimately, for the price, you are getting a pretty cool game. I'm sure someone could make a more expensive version that is quieter and has the fish opening and closing their mouths a little more spaced apart rather than the two points in the game where they all open their mouths and the two points where they all have their mouths closed. (You end up turning the game around so the fish open in front of your kid and close in front of you). Also, a more convenient battery size and painted or moulded eyes would be nice for a pricier model. And, of course, I would pay quite a lot more for a Made in the USA version or a model made of recycled-recyclable plastic or a biodegradable material.

Fun, does go a little too fast for my slow butt- my kid beats me every time. I do want to mention here that thirty years ago this game was magnetic and quieter- just in case someone is interested in obtaining an older one from ebay, garage sales, etc. And...there is a Disney-oriented version of this game under the Disney name, right next to this version on the shelf at Wal-Mart in my neck of the woods, so compare the two before making any purchase. Last but not least, my daughter has PDD-NOS (high-functioning autism), and the noise of this game sometimes bothers her (hence the above title).

I had this game when I was a child, so when I saw it recently at Target I bought it for my son. The age recommendation starts at 4, but I think this game is great for children even a little younger. My son just turned 3 and he's already a pro! It's great for hand-eye coordination, counting and colors. We make a little game out of not just catching the fish, but catching three green in a row, etc., so we can work on our math at the same time.
With this game the "pond" turns in a circle around the main base, and 21 fish move up and down, opening and closing their mouths, while it turns. It turns fairly quickly, so each player has a pretty limited amount of time in which to sneak in and "hook" a fish. The main page says this plays "Row, row, row your boat", but mine has no music. The box looks exactly the same as the one pictured here - maybe the music was something offered in earlier games.
Either way, this is a terrific game for families to play together. My son absolutely loves it, and I can have fun too!

This preschool toy is a must have for preschooler developing eye hand coordination. The aim of hooking the fish is simple and easy to play. Need two players and the development of the skill ensures the chance that you can succeed. Teaches taking turns and patience and great as a play date game.

My little 2 year old loves this toy! She asks me to get it out for her over and over. The version we have we bought from a yard sale and we have lost some of the pieces, so I am going to buy it again for her birthday. She has loved playing with this for atleast a year and has a great time with it all by herself and if you have other kids like me, you know this is a great thing at times! I think it is great for her eye hand coordination.