FarmVille Goes Fishing: Zynga introduces Angler's Pond

This week FarmVille launched a brand new fishing themed mini farm appropriately named FarmVille Angler's Pond. The release is immediately available to all farmers (Level 5 and above) and there's no early or paid access that requires Farm Cash. It's free and open to any farmer willing to get started in their very own angling adventures.

Get ready, let's go fishing!

What is Angler's Pond?

Angler's Pond is not actually a farm per say. Think of it as a new FarmVille experience, a more detailed mini-game within FarmVille. It's the first of its kind, in that it's a mini-game that requires us to "travel" from one of our FarmVille farms to get there. Think of it as FarmVille Sunflower Meadows, but with it's very own unique agenda that you won't find on any other FarmVille farming space or destination farm. The Angler's Pond feature can be found towards the bottom of the left side of your FarmVille farm. Simply click on the Angler's Pond to travel to FarmVille's first fishing destination.

Once you arrive in Angler's Pond, animals or an open space to grow your favorite vegetables will not greet you. There's no elaborate video introduction or storyline of restoring to glory. Angler's Pond is mostly just that- a pond inviting you to dabble in the sport of fishing. The space is centered around a well-stocked pond filled with a variety of fish. A ridge of trees and forestry outline the borders, yet there are no surprises of FarmVille farms to come in the horizons. A Fishing Lodge and Bait Shop for keeping track of your fishing progress and purchasing bait or tackle are ready and open for business- no construction projects required. I like this already.

Angler's Pond offers the hard-working farmers of FarmVille a place to relax and partake in some lazy leisure days by the pond. You cast your Rod exactly where you want, with a simple click on the pond. No touching worms or shrimp or some other bait necessary. Clicking on the pond, you'll cast your Rod exactly where you want it to end up and with each cast you'll have a chance at catching a fish and adding one to your collection set. Each time you cast, it will use up a Worm (or other bait) whether you actually catch a fish doesn't matter. And what happens when you run out of bait? That's a new can of worms that we'll talk about below.

Switch & Bait

FarmVille is tricky and because they suspect that some farmers might trade in their tractors for days filled with fishing. They've throttled our fun in the disguise of the Worm bait that's required to catch fish. The Worm bait functions similar to energy needed in other Zynga games such as Water in FarmVille 2. You can't go fishing without Bait and Bait isn't free. Fishing is also a game of patience and this applies in FarmVille as well-- your supply of Worms will eventually regenerate over time. You can expect to receive one free Worm bait about every five minutes. Perhaps, fishing is just too much fun because I know some people would click fish all day if given the chance even if its in the confines of FarmVille.

This FarmVille fishing excursion is free after all, but alas, there are some exceptions. Besides the bait requirement, there are also some specific collections that you will need to spend Farm Cash to gain access. Currently, only the Basic collection and Boots collection are accessible using normal non-Farm Cash equipped rods. There are three other fishing collections including the Trout, Salmon, and Bass collections which each require their own specific rods, respectively. For example, the Trout collection requires that anglers are fishing with a special Trout Rod. If you are unwilling to purchase a Trout Rod, you won't be able to catch any of the fish featured in the Trout collection.

FarmVille Fishing Frenzy

Despite some flaws that FarmVille players will be quick to judge, Angler's Pond offers a nice escape from the tumultuous tasks of FarmVille farming and questing. It's a nice change of scenery and I can't believe I am saying this, but it's something new to do in FarmVille (and that's a difficult thing to be with their current production schedule). Who said this was a game just about farming? Sure, some of the features are unavailable without spending Farm Cash, but that's never stopped FarmVille players from farming before. It will be interesting to see if Zynga goes down the "mini expansion" route and introduces more experiences as little in-game excursions found off the side of our FarmVille farms. Imagine the possibilities. Anything is fair game in FarmVille...even fishing. This fishing frenzy could inspire an onslaught.

Will you go fishing in FarmVille? What do you think of FarmVille Angler's Pond so far?

Angela Morales created and manages FarmVille Freak, the largest FarmVille fan site, which provides news, tips and in-game updates for Zynga's Facebook farm game as it happens. She is also the co-author of FarmVille For Dummies book. Yes, it exists.