Fishing slot games don’t seem to be going out of style just yet, and with that in mind, Hacksaw Gaming has finally dipped a toe into the genre with Marlin Masters. Since it’s their first time around the fishing block, this release goes for the usual fish-and-collect setup with cash marlin symbols, a collector fisherman, and three bonus features that escalate the multiplier potential. It's built around a 5x4 grid and doesn’t stray too far from the usual format, but does offer some subtle twists.
Thematically, it plays it safe. You’re perched on a wooden fishing boat, staring down into a cartoonish sea, and the background bobs gently while you spin. Marlin Masters skips the usual Hacksaw extremes and instead aims for broad appeal. The soundtrack hums with an easy-going, tropical vibe, while the animations keep it clean. The fisherman character shows up when needed, often carrying a personal multiplier. No eccentric mascots, no horror overtones, just a middle-of-the-road fishing trip.
The symbols split into your usual suspects. The lower pays are the 10 through A royals, all potentially awarding modest wins, while the premium symbols are four fish in various shades. At the top of the paytable sits the Wild anchor symbol.
Symbol | Payouts for 3, 4, and 5 of a kind |
10 | 0.20x, 1.00x, 4.00x |
J | 0.20x, 1.00x, 4.00x |
Q | 0.20x, 1.00x, 4.00x |
K | 0.20x, 1.00x, 4.00x |
A | 0.20x, 1.00x, 4.00x |
Yellow Fish | 1.00x, 4.00x, 10.00x |
Green Fish | 1.00x, 4.00x, 10.00x |
Red Fish | 2.00x, 6.00x, 15.00x |
Blue Fish | 2.00x, 6.00x, 15.00x |
Anchor Wild | —, —, 20.00x (for 5 of a kind) |
This mechanic powers the base game and all features. Marlin symbols can land with coin values between 1x and 1000x. These values potentially pay out when three or more Marlins line up on a payline, or when at least one Fisherman lands anywhere on the screen. Each Fisherman collects all visible Marlins and may apply a personal multiplier to the total. Fisherman multipliers range from 1x to 20x, and multiple Fishermen can collect in the same spin.
Triggered by landing three scatter symbols, Reel It In awards 10 free spins and introduces a progressive feature called the Marlin Progress Bar. Every time a Fisherman lands, regardless of whether it collects anything, the bar advances. After every four Fisherman symbols, the game upgrades and grants an extra 10 free spins. The upgrades improve the minimum multiplier on all future Fishermen: starting with x2, then x4, and finally x10 if you make it far enough.
This version kicks in with four scatters and gives you 15 free spins. It’s similar to Reel It In but starts stronger. Fishermen begin with at least a x2 multiplier, and the progression ladder also comes with 15-spin boosts instead of 10. The upgrades also boost minimum multipliers to x4, x10, and x15 across three levels.
Land five scatters and this special round begins with 10 free spins. In this mode, every spin is loaded: you’re guaranteed to get at least one Marlin and one Fisherman per spin. Marlin symbols also only show values of x5 or higher.
Marlin Masters runs on a 5x4 grid and uses 14 fixed paylines that always pay left to right from the first reel. Only the highest potential win per line pays out, and combinations must follow the payline structure. The online casino slot doesn’t change its mechanics between base and bonus games, but could add a few features depending on which bonus mode is active.
If you're into fish, features, or familiar mechanics, these other slot games at BetVictor casino might be worth checking out:
Hacksaw Gaming didn’t reinvent the fishing slot, but then again, they didn’t need to. Marlin Masters knows where it’s going. The fact that it offers three different bonus options gives it more variety than most others in the genre. The potential payout system with multipliers feels fair and consistent, and the decision to let Fishermen show up during the base game does a lot to keep things engaging. The only thing that might slow some down is that progression in the bonus game doesn’t always happen quickly. Still, for an online slot that stays in its lane, this one reels in a solid catch.