Big Bass-style pokies are fishing-themed games where the real action happens in free spins: fish symbols carry cash values, and a fisherman wild “reels them in” by collecting those values when he lands. The series comes from Pragmatic Play, developed with its partner studio Reel Kingdom, and has grown into a large family of online titles. Here’s how the collector loop works and what to watch on the paytable.
Origins of the series
Pragmatic Play released the original Big Bass Bonanza with Reel Kingdom as a 5x3 reel game. The fisherman acts as a wild in the bonus round, and landing more fishermen during free spins levels the feature up, adding spins and multipliers. The franchise has since branched into many follow-ups, including a Megaways version and Big Bass Bonanza 1000, so features differ from game to game.
The collector loop, explained
Base game
In the base game you’re mostly spinning standard reels and looking for scatters. Fish symbols showing money values may appear, but in the classic format the payoff from them is tied to the free spins round.
Triggering free spins
In Big Bass Bonanza 1000, as described at its 2025 launch, three to five scatters award between 10 and 20 free spins. That version also has a random “hook” feature that can sometimes award the bonus when only two scatters land.
Collecting values
During free spins, each fisherman wild that lands collects the value of every fish money symbol on screen. In Big Bass Bonanza 1000 those values range from 2x to 1,000x the bet. A screen full of fish with no fisherman pays nothing from the collect feature, which is why the round can feel uneven.
Retriggers and levels
Fishermen collected during the round are counted. In Big Bass Bonanza 1000, every fourth one retriggers 10 extra spins and steps the money multiplier up: 2x, then 3x, then 10x.
| Stage | What happens | Reality check |
|---|---|---|
| Scatters | Start the free spins | Can take a long time to land |
| Fish money symbols | Show cash values | Only pay when a fisherman collects them |
| Fisherman wild | Collects all fish values on screen | Often fails to appear in a round |
| Level-ups | More spins and higher multipliers | Higher levels are rarely reached |
Volatility, RTP and version differences
Collector games concentrate much of their return into the bonus round, so expect long stretches of small or no wins in the base game. Many free spins rounds will also pay less than you staked to reach them.
RTP is a long-run theoretical average, not a prediction for one sitting. Pragmatic Play games are often supplied with several RTP options, and the operator decides which applies. Because there are so many Big Bass versions, check the info screen of the exact game you’re playing for its RTP, its maximum win and how its retriggers work. Our how to play pokies guide covers reading a paytable from scratch.
Where you’ll find this style
Big Bass is primarily an online series. Land-based casino machines come from manufacturers like Aristocrat with their own libraries. Hold-and-spin collector features are common on the floor too; our page on Lightning Link-style pokies explains that format. We haven’t verified any Big Bass game at SkyCity Auckland, and floor mixes change, so check in person.
For online play, New Zealand is moving to licensed online casino gambling under the Online Casino Gambling Act 2026. The DIA says unlicensed operators must stop offering online casino gambling to New Zealanders from 1 December 2026. Licensed operators will have to offer spending limits, and autoplay won’t be allowed. We don’t vouch for any particular site; see online pokies New Zealand for the wider picture.
Safer-play tips for collector games
- Don’t stay on a game because the fish values on screen look large. Uncollected values aren’t owed to you.
- Set a loss limit before starting and stop when you hit it, whether or not the bonus has landed.
- Treat a bonus round as part of your budget, not a way to win back losses.
- Check whether a version includes feature buys and what they cost before pressing anything.
- Free, confidential support is listed on our responsible gambling resources page, or call Gambling Helpline Aotearoa on 0800 654 655.