Ice Bass vs Blast the Bass, Big Bass Bonanza, Fishin' Frenzy and Big Bass Splash.
Five fishing-themed games, one comparison. We line up Ice Bass from Belatra Games against Blast the Bass, Big Bass Bonanza and Big Bass Splash from Pragmatic Play, and Fishin' Frenzy from Blueprint Gaming. RTP, max win, bonus mechanics, licensing and casinos for UK players, in one table, five short profiles and an honest verdict.
What Is a Fishing-Themed Slot? A Quick Introduction
A short primer for anyone new to the genre. Five games, one shared idea, reels and a bonus round built around a catch.
Fishing-themed slots follow a familiar structure. Five reels spin, symbols land across fixed paylines, and scatter symbols trigger free spins or a dedicated mini-game. Ice Bass adds its own twist with a Fishing Mini-Game that carries up to nine separate boosters, but the underlying reel-and-scatter foundation matches the rest of the category.
The genre is well established. Blueprint Gaming's Fishin' Frenzy brought the format to a wide audience years before Pragmatic Play's Big Bass Bonanza turned it into one of the most played slot families worldwide after its 2020 release. Today the category includes Big Bass Bonanza, Big Bass Splash, Fishin' Frenzy, Blast the Bass and its winter sequel Ice Bass. Rounds rarely take more than a few seconds, and RTP typically sits between 95 and 97 percent.
The appeal sits in the bonus rounds. Fishing slots concentrate most of the excitement into free spins and collect features, which makes the category popular and, at higher volatility settings, a real test of bankroll management.
What Every Fishing Slot Shares
- Reel grid: Five reels across fixed paylines in most titles
- Bonus round: Free spins or a fishing mini-game triggered by scatters
- Spin time: 2 to 4 seconds
- RNG: Independently tested on every release
- Mobile first: Browser play, no download
The Leading Fishing Slots of 2026 at a Glance
Nine data points, five games. The table below will not replace an actual session on the reels, but it gives you the key facts before your first deposit.
| Game | Developer | RTP | Max Win | Key Feature | Volatility | Spin Time | Mobile | Demo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Bass | Belatra Games | 96.07% | 5,000x* | Fishing Mini-Game + Hot Mode | High | ~3s | Yes | Yes |
| Blast the Bass | Belatra Games | 97 % | 4,000x | 1 | High | ~3s | Yes | Yes |
| Big Bass Bonanza | Pragmatic Play | 96.71 % | 2,100x | 1 | High | ~3s | Yes | Yes |
| Fishin' Frenzy | Blueprint Gaming | 96.5 % | 1,000x | 1 | Medium | ~3s | Yes | Yes |
| Big Bass Splash | Blueprint Gaming | 97.5 % | 5,000x | Splash Multiplier Feature | High | ~3s | Yes | Yes |
* The 5,000x max win on Ice Bass is the figure Belatra Games quotes for its standard build, reached through the Fishing Mini-Game's top boosters and the Fisherman Wild's x100 multiplier combined. Individual casinos can apply their own wallet caps to real payouts, so 5,000x describes the game engine's ceiling rather than a guaranteed payout at every operator.
Worth clarifying: Ice Bass has nothing to do with a generic ice-fishing template used by smaller studios. It is Belatra Games' own winter sequel to Blast the Bass, built around the same fisherman character and the same underlying engine, not a reskin from an unrelated developer.
Ice Bass - 96.07% RTP and a Fishing Mini-Game with 9 Boosters
Ice Bass from Belatra Games follows the same fisherman who starred in Blast the Bass, now cast into a winter setting on frozen water. The reels run on a 5x4 grid across 20 paylines, and RTP sits at 96.07 percent, in line with the rest of the category. Rather than a single free-spins round, the game centres on a Fishing Mini-Game carrying up to nine boosters that can lift a catch before it lands in your balance.
Two details set it apart. First, the Fisherman Wild collects fish values and applies multipliers from x2 up to x100 during the feature, so one strong catch can shift the entire round. Second, landing five scatter symbols triggers Hot Mode, a heightened state that raises the frequency of bonus triggers for the rest of the session. Players can also pay a Bet+25% surcharge to improve their odds of reaching the mini-game.
Ice Bass carries a Buy Bonus option across two cost tiers, letting players pay a fixed multiple of the stake to jump straight into the Fishing Mini-Game or into Hot Mode. The demo mode runs without registration at every casino listed on this page.
Who should play it: Players who enjoyed Blast the Bass and want the same character in a new setting, plus anyone who values a Buy Bonus option and a multi-tier wild over a plain free-spins round.
Ice Bass Specifications
Buy Bonus tiers: the lower-cost tier jumps straight into the Fishing Mini-Game, the higher-cost tier jumps straight into Hot Mode.
Blast the Bass by Belatra Games - the Original Fisherman
Blast the Bass is the slot that introduced the fisherman now starring in Ice Bass. Belatra Games built it on the same core engine, set in a summer riverside scene rather than a frozen lake, with a single fishing mini-game instead of the newer Hot Mode. It remains the natural reference point for anyone comparing the two titles side by side.
RTP runs at roughly 95.8 percent, a touch below Ice Bass, and the max win reaches 4,000 times the stake. The reel layout matches its sequel at 5x4 across 20 paylines, though the bonus mechanics are simpler: there is no Bet+25% surcharge and no separate Hot Mode, just one fishing feature triggered by scatters.
Belatra Games certifies its titles through MGA-recognised testing labs rather than publishing a separate licence number per game. Blast the Bass appears at most of the operators that also carry Ice Bass, since the two share the same back-end.
Who should play it: Anyone who wants the original version of the character before the winter sequel added Hot Mode and the higher-cost Buy Bonus tier.
Blast the Bass Specifications
Distinct feature: a single fishing mini-game without Hot Mode, and no Bet+25% surcharge option.
Big Bass Bonanza by Pragmatic Play - the Genre's Best-Known Name
Big Bass Bonanza is the game most players picture when they hear fishing slot. Pragmatic Play released it in 2020 on a 5x3 grid with 10 fixed paylines, and it became one of the most played titles in the category within a year. The fisherman wild collects cash prizes during free spins rather than applying a straight multiplier.
RTP runs at 96.71 percent, the highest of the games compared here, and the max win reaches 2,100 times the stake, lower than Ice Bass despite the higher RTP. Volatility runs high: most sessions land well below the average, with occasional free-spins rounds paying far above it.
Availability across UK-facing casinos is broad. Pragmatic Play holds MGA and UKGC certification for its content, and Big Bass Bonanza appears at the large majority of operators that carry any fishing slot at all, including several of the casinos listed on this page.
Who should play it: Players who want the highest RTP on this page and do not mind a lower max win ceiling in exchange for it.
Big Bass Bonanza Specifications
Pragmatic Play also runs Big Bass Splash and Big Bass Amazon Xtreme in the same family. Big Bass Bonanza offers an ante-bet option that doubles scatter frequency for a higher stake.
Fishin' Frenzy by Blueprint Gaming - Studio Trust
Fishin' Frenzy comes from Blueprint Gaming, now part of Light & Wonder and one of the longest-running names in UK slot content. The Big Catch edition released in 2019, refreshing the original format with the same core idea: reel through fish symbols, land three or more scatters, and enter a free-spins round with escalating catch values.
RTP sits at 96.02 percent, close to the middle of this comparison. Volatility runs lower than Ice Bass or Big Bass Bonanza, so wins land more often but the ceiling is lower too, capping around 1,000 times the stake in the Big Catch build. Free spins can retrigger, which keeps sessions running longer on a modest bankroll.
Blueprint Gaming holds UKGC and MGA certification, the same standard as its sister studio Red Tiger under the Light & Wonder group. Fishin' Frenzy appears widely across UK-facing casinos, including most of the operators on this page, and its mobile build is among the smoothest in the category.
Who should play it: Players who want lower volatility and a smaller bankroll swing per session, without giving up a genuine free-spins bonus round.
Fishin' Frenzy Specifications
Distinctive feature: free spins can retrigger, and the Big Catch multiplier grows with every fish collected during the round.
Big Bass Splash by Pragmatic Play - the Beach Holiday Sequel
Big Bass Splash comes from Pragmatic Play, the studio behind Big Bass Bonanza, and swaps the riverbank for a beach holiday pier. The reels run 5x3 across the same fishing symbols and collect mechanic as its older sibling, but a Splash Multiplier climbs through the free-spins round independently of the fisherman wild, so a long run of free spins can stack value in a way Big Bass Bonanza's plain wild collect cannot.
RTP runs at 96.71 percent, tied with Big Bass Bonanza for the highest in this comparison and above Ice Bass's 96.07 percent. Max win reaches 5,000 times the stake, matching Ice Bass for the top figure on this page. Rounds run about 3 seconds, in line with the rest of the category.
Availability sits a notch behind Big Bass Bonanza's. JooCasino, Melbet and 22Bet carry the title, Lucky Dreams and GG.Bet have not added it yet. Demo runs without registration at every casino that lists it. The game itself is MGA and UKGC certified at studio level, though the casinos on this page hold a Curaçao Gaming Authority licence instead.
Who should play it: Players who enjoyed Big Bass Bonanza and want a beach-holiday reskin with a rising multiplier layered onto the same collect mechanic, plus anyone chasing the joint-highest max win on this page.
Big Bass Splash Specifications
Distinct feature: the Splash Multiplier climbs during free spins independently of the fisherman wild, and the max win ties directly with Ice Bass at 5,000 times the stake.
Ice Bass vs Big Bass Bonanza - The Decisive Duel
Ask a UK player to name a fishing slot and Big Bass Bonanza is usually the first answer. Ask which one packs the most bonus mechanics and Ice Bass takes it. Two games, two different strengths.
Ice Bass
- RTP: 96.07%
- Max Win: 5,000x
- Mechanic: Fishing Mini-Game
- Volatility: High
- Control: Bet+25% surcharge option
- Look: Fisherman on frozen ice, winter setting
- Release: 2026
- Studio: Belatra Games
- Strength: Fishing Mini-Game with 9 boosters + Fisherman Wild up to x100
- Weakness: Newer to the market, smaller casino footprint than Big Bass Bonanza
Big Bass Bonanza
- RTP: 96.71 %
- Max Win: 2,100x
- Mechanic: Fisherman Wild Collect
- Volatility: High
- Control: Ante-bet option available
- Look: Fisherman on a riverbank, classic Big Bass visuals
- Release: 2020
- Studio: Pragmatic Play
- Strength: Highest RTP on this page (tied with Big Bass Splash) + widest casino availability
- Weakness: Lower max win ceiling than Ice Bass (2,100x vs 5,000x)
Our verdict: Big Bass Bonanza wins on RTP and brand recognition, tied with Big Bass Splash at 96.71 percent and available at nearly every operator on this page. Ice Bass wins on bonus depth, with nine boosters in its Fishing Mini-Game, a Fisherman Wild that scales up to x100, and a joint-highest max win of 5,000 times the stake. Players who want a familiar, widely available game may prefer Big Bass Bonanza. Players who want more mechanics to engage with tend to prefer Ice Bass.
Which Fishing Slot Has the Best RTP? Big Bass Bonanza and Big Bass Splash Lead
RTP (Return to Player) is the most useful long-term indicator across these games. Over 10,000 rounds, a single percentage point makes a real difference to your balance.
| Rank | Game | RTP | Difference vs Ice Bass | Expected Loss per £1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Bass Splash (Pragmatic Play) | 97.5 % | - | £33 |
| 2 | Big Bass Bonanza (Pragmatic Play) | 96.71 % | -0.79 % | £33 |
| 3 | Fishin' Frenzy (Blueprint Gaming) | 96.5 % | -1.0 % | £40 |
| 4 | Blast the Bass (Belatra Games) | 96.0 % | -1.5 % | £42 |
What this means: Spread £1,000 evenly across rounds and you'd expect to lose about £33 on Big Bass Bonanza or Big Bass Splash, against £42 on Blast the Bass. That £9 gap per £1,000 wagered looks small on its own, but it adds up over months of play. An active player turning over £500 to £1,500 a night gives up roughly £5 to £15 more per session on the lower-RTP title.
Caveat: RTP is a long-run figure. Within a single session the swings run far wider than this gap. Five hardcore rounds can wipe out a balance or double it on any of these games. RTP only evens out across thousands of rounds.
Where to Play These Fishing Slots - JooCasino, Melbet, Lucky Dreams, GG.Bet and 22Bet
Five Curaçao-licensed operators cover the five games in this comparison between them. JooCasino and Melbet carry the complete lineup, the other three come close.
| Casino | Licence | Ice Bass | Blast the Bass | Big Bass Bonanza | Fishin' Frenzy | Big Bass Splash | Bonus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JooCasino | Curaçao | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 50 Free Spins, No Wagering |
| Melbet | Curaçao | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 50 Free Spins on selected slots, min £10 deposit |
| Lucky Dreams | Curaçao | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | 100% deposit match up to £100 + 88 Free Spins |
| GG.Bet | Curaçao | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | 100% deposit match up to £100 + 50 Free Spins |
| 22Bet | Curaçao | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | 100% deposit match up to £200 + 50 Free Spins |
JooCasino carries the full five-game lineup and backs it with the strongest welcome offer on this page: fifty free spins with no wagering requirement. Curaçao licence, round-the-clock live chat, and Visa, Mastercard and crypto deposits that clear within minutes.
22Bet stands out for a £200 deposit match, the largest on this list, and covers four of the five games including Big Bass Splash. E-wallet payouts typically clear within a few hours, and KYC checks complete on the first day.
Melbet is our value pick. KYC finishes in under two hours, a GBP wallet avoids conversion fees, and code MELBET50 unlocks fifty free spins on selected slots, including Ice Bass, with a minimum ten-pound deposit. All five games in this comparison are available.
GG.Bet covers three of the five games, missing Blast the Bass and Big Bass Splash for now. Curaçao licence, a hundred-percent deposit match up to £100 plus fifty free spins, and a straightforward verification process.
Lucky Dreams leans on its deposit match: a hundred percent up to £100 plus 88 free spins, though Big Bass Splash isn't in its catalogue yet. Curaçao licensed, with support available seven days a week.
UKGC Status - Which of These Games Carry a UK Licence?
The quick answer: none of the five casinos on this page hold a UK Gambling Commission operator licence, though three of the six games are built to UKGC certification standards by their studios.
Since 2005 the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) , based in Birmingham, has regulated online gambling for operators serving Great Britain. Its legal basis is the Gambling Act 2005, which requires licensed operators to run independently tested games and offer deposit limits and self-exclusion tools to players.
None of the five casinos we list here, JooCasino, Melbet, Lucky Dreams, GG.Bet or 22Bet, hold a UKGC operator licence. All five hold a Curaçao Gaming Authority licence instead, a different regulatory route with its own testing and dispute-resolution rules but without the UKGC's specific deposit-limit and self-exclusion requirements.
That distinction carries down to game level too. Pragmatic Play and Blueprint Gaming, the studios behind Big Bass Bonanza, Big Bass Splash and Fishin' Frenzy, hold UKGC supplier certification and place those same titles at UKGC-licensed sites elsewhere. Belatra Games, the studio behind Ice Bass and Blast the Bass, does not currently hold that certification. Either way, the five casinos on this page all operate under a Curaçao licence, not a UKGC one.
For a UK player this is not a grey area. Curaçao-licensed sites are legal to use and widely available, but they sit outside the UKGC's specific protections, so setting your own deposit limits and self-exclusion tools is worth doing rather than assuming the operator handles it for you.
Studios weigh up UKGC certification game by game, based on where they expect most of their players to be. Until Belatra Games pursues that route, Ice Bass and Blast the Bass will keep sitting outside the UKGC framework, available through Curaçao-licensed operators like the five listed on this page.
UKGC status of all six games
- Ice Bass: no UKGC licence
- Blast the Bass: no UKGC licence
- Big Bass Bonanza: UKGC-certified game, but no UKGC licence at these casinos
- Fishin' Frenzy: UKGC-certified game, but no UKGC licence at these casinos
- Big Bass Splash: UKGC-certified game, but no UKGC licence at these casinos
- Correct as of: 11.03.2026
Source: gamblingcommission.gov.uk public register. Not legal advice, consult a professional if in doubt.
Get help
- BeGambleAware - national support and information
- GamCare - free advice and support
- Gamblers Anonymous UK - peer support meetings
- National Gambling Helpline: 0808 8020 133 (free, 24/7)
- Gambling Therapy self-exclusion support
Practical Rules
- Set daily deposit limits in your casino account.
- Never play with money set aside for rent, food or debt repayments.
- Set a loss limit before you start and stick to it, rather than deciding mid-session.
- Check your net balance at the end of each month.
- If it stops being fun, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133. 18+ only.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which fishing-themed slot has the best RTP?
What is different between Ice Bass and Blast the Bass?
Is Ice Bass better than Blast the Bass?
Which of these games pays the highest max win?
Is Ice Bass regulated by the UK Gambling Commission?
Which casino carries the most of these fishing slots?
Which fishing slot suits beginners?
Conclusion: Which Game Suits Which Player?
Across five games, Ice Bass leaves this comparison with the richest feature set. Nine boosters in the Fishing Mini-Game, a Fisherman Wild that scales up to x100, Hot Mode, and a Bet+25% surcharge option give it more moving parts than any other title here, and its 5,000x max win ties Big Bass Splash for the highest ceiling on the page. Big Bass Bonanza remains the best-known name and shares the top RTP with Big Bass Splash at 96.71 percent, a solid pick for players who want a familiar, widely available game. Blast the Bass suits anyone who wants the original, simpler version of the same fisherman character. Fishin' Frenzy's lower volatility keeps sessions steadier on a smaller bankroll.
None of the five casinos we list, JooCasino, Melbet, Lucky Dreams, GG.Bet or 22Bet, hold a UK Gambling Commission licence. All five operate under a Curaçao Gaming Authority licence instead. JooCasino, Melbet and 22Bet cover the widest spread of games between them. Start in demo mode, set a deposit limit before you play with real money, and call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 if it stops being fun. 18+ only.