Welcome to the complete Dredge game guide where we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to dominate the seas, fish like a pro, dredge up valuable relics, upgrade your boat, and survive the ever-looming horror of the night in Dredge. Whether you’re just starting out or aiming for 100 % completion, this walkthrough will cover from beginner basics to end-game secrets so you can sail confidently.
1. Getting Started – First Hours & Beginner Tips
1.1 Your Landing at Greater Marrow
When you begin Dredge, you’ll awaken in the coastal town of Greater Marrow after a storm. The tutorial—or first pursuit “A Fresh Start”—introduces you to the core mechanics: fishing, dredging and returning to town before darkness.
Key tasks:
- Leave the dock and head towards a “Disturbed Water” patch to fish your first catch.
- Return to town before nightfall to avoid excessive panic and hazards.
- Sell your fish to the Fishmonger and meet the Shipwright for basic upgrades.
1.2 Core Mechanics: Fishing & Dredging
Fishing
Fishing is the lifeblood of Dredge. You spot Disturbed Water with your Spyglass, determine the biome (coastal, shallow, oceanic, etc.), then press the right button(s) in the fishing minigame to get your catch.
fishing tips — for example:
- Use the Spyglass early to spot good fishing spots.
- When you get a yellow marker in the minigame you’ll catch a “trophy fish” which is larger and more valuable.
- Don’t stock up fish and sail indefinitely—fish will spoil in your hold if you stay out too long.
Dredging
Dredging is another pillar: it lets you pull up scrap metal, cloth, trinkets, research parts, and relics from “Shapes in the Deep” locations.
dredging strategy — key strategy:
- Always keep an eye out for bubbling patches or clusters of debris in the water.
- Some dredge spots are one-time only, especially relic or quest-related items.
- Scrap and metal spots will replenish after some in-game days (so you can revisit).
1.3 Day-Night Cycle & the Panic Mechanic
One of the most distinctive systems in Dredge is the day-night cycle: daytime is relatively safe; nighttime comes with risks.
how to survive night panic — here are critical tips:
- If you remain out when night arrives, your panic meter rises. That leads to hallucinations, phantom attacks, rocks appearing out of nowhere, and worse.
- You can manage panic by returning to dock and sleeping for 2 hours or reading books that reduce panic accumulation.
- If you want to fish at night (which you will need to for certain species) prepare your boat with better lights and keep a fast engine so you can outrun threats.
2. Progression & Boat Upgrades – Building Your Vessel for Success
2.1 Meeting the Shipwright & Dry Dock
After completing the first few objectives, you'll meet the Shipwright in Greater Marrow and unlock the Dry Dock for major upgrades.
boat upgrades guide — main upgrade paths:
- Engine: improves your sailing speed so you can cover more ground and escape dangers quicker.
- Hull: upgrading the hull increases your boat's durability and allows you to withstand collisions/attacks.
- Lights: essential for night exploration — better lights reduce panic rise and increase visibility.
- Equipment slots: you’ll need to balance slots between fishing rods, crab pots, trawl nets and other gear.
2.2 Research Parts & Materials
Materials gathered via dredging or quests are used to craft upgrades.
Key advice:
- Prioritize gathering scrap metal, cloth, wood early—they’re used in most upgrade trees.
- Research Parts are rarer; save them for key upgrades (especially late-game).
- Don’t simply sell every material; some will be needed for future expansions or required upgrades.
2.3 Fishing Gear & Side Equipment
Beyond boat upgrades, your fishing capability depends on rods, nets, crab pots and other gear.
best fishing gear Dredge — tip list:
- Choose the correct rod for the biome and fish species (some fish only spawn with specific gear).
- Crab pots and trawl nets work passively: deploy them and while you do active fishing, they gather fish or items.
- Books (read aboard your vessel) provide passive buffs to speed, panic resistance, sell price, etc. Collect and read them as you progress.
3. Fishing & Dredging Strategy – Efficient Earnings & Rare Finds
3.1 Maximizing Profit from Fishing
Fishing efficiently not only funds your upgrades but helps you survive.
profit fishing strategy — do the following:
- Head to high-value biomes (oceanic, hadal) once your gear allows.
- Target trophy fish when you get yellow markers—they yield high profit.
- Avoid staying out with spoiled fish—sell often.
- Use crab pots/trawl nets for steady income while you explore.
3.2 Dredging for Materials & Relics
When dredging, prioritize spots that yield high‐tier materials or quest items.
rare relic dredging spots — keep in mind:
- Relic dredge spots are unique and essential for story progression and unlocking endings.
- Some metal/cloth spots respawn; some don’t. Make note and revisit.
- When exploring new regions, mark dredge hotspots on your mental (or physical) map.
3.3 Fishing & Dredging at Night
Night-time offers access to rare fish and dredge spots—but comes with higher risk.
night fishing guide — tips:
- Equip high brightness lights and upgrade engine speed so you can escape rapidly.
- Keep panic low: avoid reckless diving or deploying nets far from safe harbors.
- If panic rises too fast, head to dock and sleep; it's smarter to reset than lose resources.
4. Exploration & Quests – Uncovering Secrets & Story
4.1 Main Pursuits & Side Quests
The main story threads (Pursuits) in Dredge drive you through zones and unlocks.
quest walkthrough — the approach:
- Complete “A Fresh Start”, followed by “Grotesque Fish”, etc., sequentially.
- Side quests reward Research Parts, rare gear, books—don’t ignore them.
- Some side quests change or disappear if you ignore them too long—complete them timely.
4.2 Good Ending vs Bad Ending
If you want to see the good ending of Dredge, you must collect all five relics and deliver them to the Collector, following certain quest steps.
how to get good ending — steps:
- Find Key, Music Box, Ring, Necklace, Pocket Watch relics via dredging and quests.
- Deliver them to the Collector at the correct time.
- Avoid missing any relic—once you finish the game without them you’ll get the bad ending.
4.3 Mapping Biomes & Rare Species
Use the in‐game encyclopedia and note different biomes: Coastal, Shallow, Oceanic, Volcanic, Mangrove, Abyssal, Hadal.
rare fish locations — tip:
- For each fish species (especially aberrations) check what rod/gear/habitat is required.
- Some rare fish only spawn at night or after certain story progression.
- Use mixed bait (if unlocked) to spawn varied regional fish even at odd times.
5. Advanced Tips & End-Game Strategy
5.1 Managing Panic and Nighttime Threats
anic mechanic explained — remember:
- Always have a clear escape path.
- Don’t push too far when your boat is under‐upgraded: collisions or monster hits can sink you, losing progress.
- Use books that reduce panic rise or restore faster.
- Use foghorn to scare away birds that steal your catch when panic is rising.
5.2 Efficient Route Planning & Resource Optimization
best route strategy — idea:
- Plan your route around resource-rich spots and profitable fishing zones to minimize downtime.
- Combine dredge and fishing stops so you’re not repeatedly returning to dock just to sell.
- Upgrade hull and engine so you can explore new biomes sooner; earlier exploration yields high-tier materials.
5.3 100% Completion & Collectibles
100% completion guide — focus on:
- Catching every normal fish variant and every aberration form.
- Visiting every dock, completing all side quests, finding every secret dredge spot.
- Make a checkpoint near major milestones (e.g., before large upgrades) so you can reload if you want to try for alternate outcomes.
5.4 DLC & New Biomes
If you own expansions like The Pale Reach (the polar biome) or The Iron Rig, they introduce new fish, zones and upgrade paths.
DLC guide — tip:
- Ensure you have solid boat gear before venturing into the new biome.
- The DLCs often add more rare fish, so prepare your fishing gear accordingly.
- Some new quests tie back into main game storylines—do them in sequence to avoid missing content.
6. Step-by-Step Walkthrough (Beginner to Mid-Game)
Here’s a detailed progression plan you can follow:
- First Escape & A Fresh Start: Fish in the Marrows region, sell to Fishmonger, meet Shipwright. Use the boat, stay in safe waters.
- Upgrade Basics: Get first engine/light upgrades. Use scrap and cloth you dredge early.
- Explore Nearby Biomes: Move into Shallow and Coastal zones; deploy crab pots and trawl nets.
- Night Fishing Introduction: Venture out at dusk for rare fish; manage panic; return when needed.
- Unlock Dry Dock: Visit Dry Dock for hull upgrade and unlock more gear slots.
- Complete Side Quests & Build Research: Prioritize side quests for parts/books. Read books for passive buffs.
- Dredge Relics: Locate and dredge Key, Music Box, etc. Begin main relic quest.
- Mid-Game Exploration: Go into Oceanic and Volcanic zones; upgrade to catch high-tier fish and dredge rare metal.
- Night Risk Mastery: By now your boat should handle medium night threats; venture deeper and longer.
- Relic Delivery & Endgame Prep: Collect all relics, upgrade gear for final zones, aim for good ending.
- Completionist Mode: Catch all fish/aberrations, visit all docks, 100% map completion, finish DLC if applied.
7. Common Pitfalls & How to Avoid Them
- Leaving fish to spoil: Don’t hold on to catches too long—sell often.
- Ignoring panic and night threats: Under-upgraded boats get caught easily.
- Overfishing one spot only: Spots deplete, return later or survey new areas.
- Skipping quests: Some side quests disappear or affect endings—complete early.
- Missing relics for good ending: If you miss one, you’ll trigger the bad ending.
- Using wrong gear for fish/biome: Check encyclopedia entries to know what you need.
8. Final Words
By now you’ve got everything you need for a powerful journey through Dredge. With this guide you’ll be ready to apply the Dredge fishing tips, Dredge dredging strategy, follow the Dredge boat upgrades guide, and understand Dredge how to survive night panic. This means you’ll not only progress smoothly but maximize fun, profit, and content completion.
Set sail, brave the dark waters, uncover ancient relics, and bring your ship back to port triumphant.
