Here are some things I'd like to see changed in the current game.
1. Adjustable reel speed - we currently only have reel speeds 1-4 to choose from. It would be much better to have more control over your reel speed too keep your lure at a desirable depth. So maybe have up to 20 different reel speeds.
2. Retrieves for lures- The retrieve system needs a revamp where certain lures need to be used in a certain way for them to be most effective and true to how they're used in real life.
EXAMPLES:
- Spinners and Spinnerbaits are most effective using a straight retrieve. I've fished my entire life using these lures and have never heard of anyone twitching or using a stop and go retrieve. But, these lures are almost impossible to use with a straight retrieve due to limited reel speed selection. You're either dragging the bottom or they come to the surface. That should not be the case.
- Buzzbaits to be most effective using them on top of the water. After all they are a top water lure and they should be used as such to be most effective. Buzzbaits are also designed to reach the surface of the water very quickly (due to their blade design), even if reeling slowly. Currently you can jig a buzzbait like a bass jig, again that's not true to how this lure is used at all in real life.
- Jerkbaits need to be traditional jerkbaits not rattletraps/lipless crankbaits called jerkbaits. So change the name from the current Jerkbaits to lipless crankbaits and give us actual jerkbaits. There should also be a selection of jerkbaits that either float, suspend (at various depths) or sink. These lures should also be most effective when using a twitching retrieve.
- Walking and Popping lures need to actually be walked or be popped to be most effective. Not silly things like walk or pop the lure twice and then straight retrieve it. A lure should always be most effective using it the way the lure is intended to be used in real life.
3. Competitions - I think just about everyone agrees competitions need a revamp. Amateur comps need to be either done away with or make it so both amateur competitions and regular competitions can be played at the same time. It's pretty frustrating when you only get to play a couple days a week and there are 3 amateur competitions in a row leaving higher level players with no competitions to do for 6 hours. Then for all 3 amateur competitions to be canceled due to lack of participants.
4. Competition rewards - It was a good thing to make it so you could win 1 of 4 different prizes if you were to place top 3 in a competition. Where the idea fell flat was when they made it random on what reward you are given. There's nothing more frustrating than mastering a competition, finally winning it and given a prize reward that you've already won or it's basically useless. Competitions are already hard enough to win to begin with (some harder than others) and the randomized prize system basically gives you a 25% chance of actually being rewarded the prize you want. I'd say most decent players on average get top 3 in 10% of the competitions they play in, so that's 1 out of every 10 times they play in a competition they might actually get a top 3. So 10% chance of actually placing top 3 and then only a 25% chance of winning the prize that the player actually wants. It would be much better if you could select 1 of the 4 prizes you want manually, rather than the game randomly choosing 1 of the 4 prizes for you. (it doesn't seem that random to me, I'm always getting the prizes that I already have a abundance of or are pretty much useless).
5. A fatigue system - There should be a fatigue system in this game. For example if you're using a heavy carp reel on a spinning rod, your player should become fatigued quicker than someone using a light spinning reel on a spinning rod. Why even show the actual weight of the reel if there's not a fatigue system in the game that actually punishes you for using the wrong type of reel for the setup you're using. No one in their right mind is going to using a heavy spodding reel on a spinning rod, it would be quite heavy and awkward, leaving your spinning setup uncomfortably unbalanced. For example people like to use the Kraken with the Zeus, but the Kraken is a carp reel and is considerably heavier than the Thunderspin. If you're out there casting lures over and over with a big heavy carp reel, your arm and hands are going to fatigue much quicker than if you're using a lighter more low profile reel like the Thunderspin that's actually balanced with the rod that you're using (the Zeus). This isn't a huge deal, but is definitely something to think about.
6. Fix the kayaks - Is there anyone that actually enjoys using the kayaks? Your stamina bar depletes way too quickly making it frustrating to use on bigger maps. I love the idea of kayak fishing, I do a lot of it in real life but it's just not enjoyable the way they implemented them into the game. The biggest issue is how fast your stamina depletes, it literally takes less than 20 seconds to deplete all your stamina while rowing quickly and 40 seconds if you're rowing normally. You should be able to paddle your kayak at max speed for several minutes, not just a few seconds.
7. Setting and unsetting your anchor - You should be able to set your anchor and unset your anchor at anytime, whether you're hooked to a fish, standing on the deck or in the cockpit. Maybe some people disagree with me on this one, but in modern bassboats and other fishing boats, setting and unsetting a anchor is nothing more than pushing in a button and a lot of times the access to the button is from the deck, not the cockpit.