Social game
The Fisherman
One of you is bluffing. The Fisherman has one cast to catch them.
A social deduction game. The fisherman must find the impostor before they blend in with the knowers.
- 4–12 players
- About 15 min
- Ages 10+
- Play on your phone
Free, no sign-up. Open it on a TV or laptop and everyone joins from their phone.
The idea
What is The Fisherman?
The Fisherman is a bluffing game you play out loud. Every round the host screen asks a strange question, like what people used before toilet paper. The Knowers see the secret answer on their phones. The Impostor sees only question marks and has to invent something believable on the spot. The Fisherman listens to everyone and then casts the net. Catch the Impostor and the Fisherman scores. Accuse an innocent Knower and that Knower scores instead.
Step by step
How to play The Fisherman
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Every round, the phones deal secret roles. One Fisherman, one Impostor, and everyone else is a Knower.
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The Fisherman reads the question out loud. Knowers see the secret answer on their phone. The Impostor sees only "???".
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Going around the group, everyone says their answer out loud. The Impostor has to make one up and sound convincing.
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The Fisherman picks who they think the Impostor is and locks in the guess.
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Catch the Impostor and the Fisherman gets a point. Every innocent player accused gets a point. Roles rotate, and the most points after the last round wins.
How many players?
4–12
players
Each round needs a Fisherman, an Impostor and at least one Knower, so 3 players can technically play. With 4 to 8 the Impostor has a crowd to hide in, and the bluffing gets really good.
Tips & tricks
How to win at The Fisherman
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Knowers: don't make it too obvious. If the Impostor hears the answer first, they can copy it.
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Impostor: listen to the others before you answer. Their answers are your best clues.
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Fisherman: each innocent player you accuse earns them a point, so cast carefully.
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Answers that are a little odd but not crazy are the Impostor's best friend.
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Watch faces, not just words. Laughing too early gives a lot away.
Where it shines
Perfect for…
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Parties
Great fit
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Family time
Great fit
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Classrooms
Not the best pick
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Work teams
Great fit
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Video calls
Great fit
Questions
The Fisherman FAQ
How many players do you need for The Fisherman?
At least 3 (a Fisherman, an Impostor and one Knower), but it's best with 4 to 8 players so the Impostor has people to hide behind.
Can we play The Fisherman over a video call?
Yes. Everything is said out loud, so it works well on Zoom, Meet or Teams. Share the host screen and everyone joins from their phone.
Does the Impostor score points?
The Impostor wins by not getting caught. Every time the Fisherman accuses someone innocent, that player scores instead, so a good bluff hands points to the others.
Do players need to download an app?
No. Players scan the QR code on the host screen with their phone camera and play in the browser. No app, no account.
Is it free?
Yes, every game on Grouparty is free to play.
Ready to play The Fisherman?
Open a room, put it on the big screen and share the QR code. You'll be playing in under a minute.