Big Bass Bonanza vs Fishin’ Frenzy: Features Compared
Big Bass Bonanza and Fishin’ Frenzy both use a fisherman to collect displayed fish values during free spins. Their similar imagery hides different progression: Big Bass tracks collected wilds towards extra spins and multipliers, while the exact Fishin’ Frenzy edition determines its collection and retrigger rules.
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Reviewed by Brian TaylorPublished: August 2026
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Big Bass Bonanza vs Fishin’ Frenzy: head to head
| Big Bass Bonanza | Fishin’ Frenzy | |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | Reel Kingdom (Pragmatic Play) | Reel Time Gaming (Blueprint Gaming) |
| First released | Original online release: 2020 | Established Blueprint online family; distinguish later editions |
| Layout | 5 reels × 3 rows, 10 fixed paylines | 5 reels × 3 rows, 10 fixed paylines |
| RTP | Check the installed configuration; 96.71% is a listed original setting | 96.12% shown in the historical original help image below |
| Volatility | A volatility label does not predict session length | A volatility label does not predict session length |
| Max win | Use the exact game’s paytable and total-stake unit | Use the exact game’s paytable and total-stake unit |
| Signature feature | Collect fisherman symbols towards more spins and higher multipliers | Cash-fish collection during free spins; no retrigger in the cited original rules |
| Family size | Original, Megaways, Hold & Spinner and other separate releases | Original, Even Bigger Fish, Win Stepper and other separate releases |
The original games share a five-reel, ten-line format, but the free-spin progression is different. Big Bass Bonanza counts fisherman wilds towards extensions and multiplier stages. The original Fishin’ Frenzy rules cited here explicitly say free spins cannot retrigger. Later titles in either family can change both the grid and bonus, so a shared fishing theme does not settle the rules.
The more useful question is what the bonus asks you to follow. In Big Bass Bonanza it is the fisherman counter and its stage. In the original Fishin’ Frenzy it is the cash-fish values collected during the awarded sequence. Neither distinction establishes which game will make a particular balance last longer. A lower maximum or a “medium” label cannot supply that promise.
Big Bass Bonanza: count the fishermen
In the original Pragmatic Play listing, three, four or five scatters award ten, fifteen or twenty free spins. Fisherman wilds collect the fish values visible with them. Collecting four fishermen awards another ten spins and moves the sequence to the next multiplier stage: 2x, then 3x, then 10x. The counter is therefore part of the bonus progression, not just decoration around the reels.
As an arithmetic illustration, fish values totalling £6 would produce £12 at a 2x collection multiplier, or £18 at 3x. Those numbers explain multiplication; they are not a prediction of which fish will land. A £6 total and a 3x stage are separate pieces of information, and the counter advancing does not guarantee a larger raw fish total on the next spin.
Fishin’ Frenzy: collect the visible fish
The original player instructions describe three or more bonus scatters opening free spins. A fisherman landing during the feature awards the prizes of the fish in view. The document states that this free-spin feature cannot retrigger. That gives a concrete contrast with Big Bass Bonanza’s count-driven extensions, without making a claim that one session is steadier.
The historical help image above shows the fisherman symbol and fish prizes together. It is evidence of that version’s collection rule and displayed return, not evidence that a later Jackpot King, Christmas or Big Catch release is identical. A cash value printed on a fish and a standard line-winning symbol perform different jobs; read the collector result separately from any ordinary line award.
What an equal stake comparison can tell you
Start with total stake, rather than the small coin or line value. At 5p on each of ten lines, a spin costs 50p. A 100x total-stake award would therefore be £50; 100 times a 5p line stake would be £5. A maximum cannot be compared fairly until its unit is clear, and a cash cap is a third kind of figure.
Return and volatility answer different questions. RTP expresses a theoretical long-run share of wagers returned. It does not state how often a bonus occurs, how quickly a counter advances or how long a deposit lasts. The pattern of results can vary widely around that average. Compare the mechanics first, then read the particular configuration’s paytable and limits.
Choose by the bonus rule you want to compare
| Comparison | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A bonus with explicit multiplier stages | Big Bass Bonanza original | The fisherman counter can extend spins and advance the multiplier |
| A fixed original feature without retriggers | Fishin’ Frenzy original | The cited original rules end free spins when the award runs out |
| A different reel arrangement | Compare named sequels | Megaways and Even Bigger Fish change the win structure |
| Collector mechanics beyond the originals | Compare Hold & Spinner with Win Stepper | Held values and repeated collections are different developments |
The wider families
The Big Bass Bonanza sister games guide and Fishin’ Frenzy sister games guide give broader family navigation. Read the title suffix carefully: a Megaways edition changes how combinations are counted, while a Hold & Spinner or Win Stepper edition develops the collector feature. Neither the number of catalogue entries nor one sequel’s maximum is a reliable way to decide which original has the more suitable rules for your comparison.
Four sequels that change the comparison
Big Bass Bonanza Megaways
Megaways changes the original line calculation to a changing reel arrangement. Its supplier listing awards ten to twenty-five free spins from three to six scatters and retains the four-fisherman extension stages. It is the closer sequel for someone comparing that progression on a different grid. The Megaways name identifies a win structure, not a promise of bigger or more frequent wins.
Big Bass Hold & Spinner
Hold & Spinner adds a held-money-symbol feature to the fishing setting. That adds a different state to follow from an ordinary fisherman counter: symbols can remain in place through respins. Do not infer the trigger, reset rule or prize cap from the original Big Bass title. A retained position and a multiplier stage are different forms of bonus progression.
Fishin’ Frenzy Even Bigger Fish
Even Bigger Fish expands to six reels and 4,096 ways. Cash fish can appear across the reels and the fisherman collects on the sixth reel, according to Blueprint’s description. The collector’s position is part of the comparison, along with the change from ten lines to ways. This is a separate title; its wider grid should not be pictured or described as the original five-reel game.
Fishin’ Frenzy Win Stepper Rapid Fire
Win Stepper Rapid Fire instead uses a three-by-three format, with cash symbols on the outer reels and a collector in the middle. Its Win Stepper moves values through a repeated-collection sequence. This is a more substantial change than a seasonal reskin: the screen layout and collection sequence both differ from the original. The short name “Fishin’ Frenzy” is therefore insufficient to identify how a particular release plays.
FAQs
Which is better, Big Bass Bonanza or Fishin’ Frenzy?
Neither has a universal advantage. Compare Big Bass Bonanza’s fisherman-counter progression with the original Fishin’ Frenzy rules, which do not allow free-spin retriggers. A choice of mechanics does not predict a longer or profitable session.
Which has the higher RTP?
The listed original figures are 96.71% for Big Bass Bonanza and 96.12% in the Fishin’ Frenzy help image. Confirm the setting in the actual game. Long-run return percentages cannot forecast one session or be transferred unchanged to a sequel.
Are they made by the same studio?
No. Pragmatic Play publishes Reel Kingdom’s Big Bass Bonanza. Blueprint publishes the online Fishin’ Frenzy family with its Reel Time Gaming heritage. A publisher relationship does not make their feature rules the same.
Which family has bigger sequels?
Both families have sequels with different structures and prizes. Compare exact titles and configurations rather than declaring a permanent family-wide winner from one advertised ceiling.
How this comparison was researched
The original comparison’s reference date is 10 July 2026. Original-game rules, supplier listings and the historical Fishin’ Frenzy help image are identified below. An original, a Megaways conversion and a jackpot edition remain separate comparisons even when the fisherman artwork is familiar.
Gambling outcomes are random. Compare the paytable before play and use the limits and support links in our Responsible Gambling guide.
Sources & Verification
- Pragmatic Play’s Big Bass Bonanza listing identifies the original fisherman progression. See the current original-game page and the separate named sequel sources beside their descriptions.
- Blueprint Gaming identifies the online Fishin’ Frenzy family. The original player instructions hosted by Loto-Québec explicitly distinguish its non-retriggering free-spin sequence. That document describes its operator configuration, not every later sequel or UK interface control.
- The Gambling Commission maintains records for Pragmatic Play (Gibraltar) and Blueprint Gaming. A supplier record does not confirm a particular casino’s licence, game availability or installed return setting.
For wider navigation, see the Big Bass Bonanza family guide and Fishin’ Frenzy family guide. This comparison does not use an estimated family count to declare a winner. The relevant unit is the exact game and its own rules.