Le Fisherman is the Golden Squares engine with two new tools: an Epic Rainbow that fills the whole grid with special symbols, and a Big Catch Bar that upgrades Rainbows during free spins. Hacksaw Gaming released it in February 2026, with Smokey out on the lake and bonus rounds named On Thin Ice and Smokey Under Water. It plays on a 6×5 cluster pays grid, Coins are collected by Buckets (a 3×3 area) or Global Buckets (the whole grid), and all three bonus games start with 10 spins. RTP is 96.33% in the top version, volatility is 3/5, and the max win is 15,000x.
This information covers how Buckets differ from Global Buckets, what each Big Catch Bar level does, the three bonus games and the Buy menu.
Le Fisherman characteristics
On paper Le Fisherman sits between Le Bandit and Le King: the same grid, a 15,000x cap and a reworked collector system.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Provider | Hacksaw Gaming |
| Release | February 2026 |
| Game type | Video slot, cluster pays |
| Grid | 6 reels × 5 rows |
| Win system | Clusters of 5+, horizontal or vertical |
| RTP | 96.33% (lower operator versions exist) |
| Volatility | 3/5 (Hacksaw rating) |
| Max win | 15,000x the stake |
| Minimum stake | €0.10 |
| Activators | Rainbow and Epic Rainbow |
| Collectors | Bucket (3×3 area) and Global Bucket (whole grid) |
| Free spins | Three bonus games, 10 spins each, all with the Big Catch Bar |
| Bonus Buy | Five options, 3x to 500x (where permitted) |
Le Fisherman vs Le Bandit
The core loop is the same: wins mark Golden Squares, a Rainbow activates them. The differences are in what gets revealed and how it is collected.
| Le Bandit | Le Fisherman | |
|---|---|---|
| Collector | Pot of Gold, collects everything in view | Bucket (adjacent 3×3) and Global Bucket (whole grid) |
| Clovers | One type, x2 - x10 adjacent | Green (adjacent) and Gold (whole grid), x2 - x20 |
| Top coin | Gold Coin, up to 500x | Diamond, 150x to 500x |
| Super activator | None | Epic Rainbow: special symbols on every position |
| Free spin booster | None | Big Catch Bar, four levels |
| Free spins | 8 or 12 | 10 in every round, plus 5 per Bar level |
| Max win | 10,000x | 15,000x |
Le Fisherman summary
Le Fisherman takes the Le Bandit loop and makes position matter. In the original, one Pot of Gold sweeps up everything on screen. Here the basic collector, the Bucket, only reaches the eight cells around it, so a Bucket in the middle of a busy patch is worth far more than one stuck in a corner. The Global Bucket is the exception that reaches the whole grid, and it is the symbol that turns several small collections into one big one.
The second change is the Epic Rainbow, which ignores Golden Squares altogether and fills every position on the grid with special symbols. That gives the base game a much bigger single moment than Le Bandit has. The third change, the Big Catch Bar, belongs to the free spins and turns them into a progression: each level makes the Rainbow do more.
Theme, design and sound
Smokey goes fishing. The premium symbols are fishing gear and the catch itself: fish, anchors, hooks, floats and a fishing hat, with card royals as low symbols. The bonus names (On Thin Ice, Slippery When Wet, Smokey Under Water) set the icy, watery tone.
The interface follows Hacksaw's portrait-first layout. The Big Catch Bar sits outside the grid during free spins, so you can always see how close the next level is, which makes the free spins easy to follow.
RTP, volatility and max win
The top RTP is 96.33%; casinos can run lower versions, shown in the game's info screen. Volatility is 3/5 on Hacksaw's scale. The max win is 15,000x, most realistic in Smokey Under Water, where the Bar starts at its top level.
| Stake | Max win (15,000x) |
|---|---|
| €0.10 | €1,500 |
| €1.00 | €15,000 |
| €10.00 | €150,000 |
How to play Le Fisherman
The base game spin follows the familiar Golden Squares order.
- Set the stake from €0.10.
- Spin. Five or more matching symbols touching horizontally or vertically form a win and clear.
- Golden Squares. Winning positions are highlighted.
- Rainbow. A Rainbow activates the squares after wins are collected. An Epic Rainbow fills every position with special symbols instead.
- Collect. Clovers multiply, then Buckets and Global Buckets collect.
- Scatters. 3, 4 or 5 FS start the three bonus games.
Le Fisherman symbols and what they do
Coin values are multiples of the total stake. The in-game paytable shows cluster payouts at your stake.
| Symbol | Name | Type | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Fish, Anchor, Hook, Float, Hat | Premium | Fishing-themed symbols; the fish is the top payer. Pay for clusters of 5+. |
 | A, K, Q, J, 10 | Low | Card royals, the lowest payers. |
 | Rainbow | Special | Activates all Golden Squares after wins are collected. |
 | Epic Rainbow | Special | Reveals special symbols on every position on the grid, then activates them. |
 | FS symbol | Special | 3, 4 or 5 start On Thin Ice, Slippery When Wet or Smokey Under Water. In free spins, every fifth FS raises the Big Catch Bar. |
 | Bronze, Silver, Gold Coins | Revealed | Bronze 0.2x - 4x, Silver 5x - 20x, Gold from 25x. |
 | Diamond | Revealed | The top coin, 150x to 500x. |
 | Green Clover | Revealed | Multiplies nearby Coins and Buckets by x2 to x20. |
 | Gold Clover | Revealed | Multiplies every Coin and Bucket on the grid by x2 to x20. |
 | Bucket | Revealed | Collects Coins, activated Buckets and Global Buckets in the 3×3 area around it. |
 | Global Bucket | Revealed | Collects every Coin, activated Bucket and Global Bucket on the grid. |
Worked example (illustrative values). A Rainbow reveals a Bucket in the centre of the grid with a Silver 10x, a Bronze 2x and a Green Clover x3 next to it, plus a Gold Coin 25x on the far edge. The Clover lifts the Silver to 30x, and the Bucket collects 30x + 2x = 32x. The Gold Coin sits outside the Bucket's 3×3 area, so it pays its own 25x: 57x in total, or €5.70 at €0.10. A Global Bucket anywhere on the grid would have gathered all of it into one total instead.
Epic Rainbow
An Epic Rainbow reveals special symbols on every position on the grid, not just on Golden Squares, and then activates them like a normal Rainbow. In practice it means a full board of Coins, Clovers and collectors in one go, even on a spin that marked few squares. It is the base game's biggest single event.
The Big Catch Bar
The Big Catch Bar is active in On Thin Ice and Slippery When Wet. It starts at level 0 and rises one level for every fifth FS symbol that lands during the round. Each level reached also adds 5 free spins.
| Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | An activated Rainbow turns into a Green Clover |
| 2 | An activated Rainbow turns into a Global Bucket |
| 3 | An activated Rainbow turns into a Gold Clover |
| 4 | A Rainbow or Epic Rainbow lands on every spin, and turns into a Gold Clover after activating |
The levels stack the value of each Rainbow: by level 3, a Rainbow not only activates the grid but also leaves a whole-grid multiplier behind.
Le Fisherman bonus games
All three rounds start with 10 free spins. What changes between them is how long Golden Squares last and where the Bar starts.
On Thin Ice (3 FS)
Golden Squares stay highlighted until a Rainbow activates them, and the Big Catch Bar builds from level 0 through the round.
Slippery When Wet (4 FS)
Golden Squares stay highlighted even after activation, so each new Rainbow pays the grid built so far, while the Bar strengthens those Rainbows as it climbs.
Smokey Under Water (5 FS)
The Hidden Epic Bonus. The Big Catch Bar starts and stays at level 4, so a Rainbow or Epic Rainbow lands on every spin from the first, and FS symbols cannot land. It is the main route to the 15,000x cap and cannot be bought.
| Round | Trigger | Spins | What sets it apart | Buyable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| On Thin Ice | 3 FS | 10 | Squares kept until activated; Bar builds from 0 | Yes |
| Slippery When Wet | 4 FS | 10 | Squares kept after activation; Bar builds from 0 | Yes, 250x |
| Smokey Under Water | 5 FS | 10 | Bar at level 4 all round | No |
Can you buy the bonus in Le Fisherman?
Where permitted, the menu has five options, from a cheap per-spin boost to the most expensive FeatureSpins in the series.
| Option | Cost | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| BonusHunt FeatureSpins™ | 3x per spin | Bonus trigger 5 times more likely |
| Rainbow Trout FeatureSpins | 50x per spin | At least one win and a Rainbow or Epic Rainbow every spin, Coins worth at least 1x |
| Rainbow Epic Drop FeatureSpins | 500x per spin | An Epic Rainbow every spin, Coins worth at least 1x |
| On Thin Ice | Shown in the menu | Direct entry to the 3-scatter round |
| Slippery When Wet | 250x | Direct entry to the 4-scatter round |
Rainbow Epic Drop costs twice as much per spin as a Slippery When Wet buy. At a €1 stake, three Epic Drop spins are €1,500.
Le Fisherman demo vs real money
Hacksaw's Le Fisherman page has a "Try it" button, and many casinos host the same demo. Use it to watch the Bar levels change what a Rainbow does.
| Demo | Real money | |
|---|---|---|
| Balance | Virtual credits | Your deposited funds |
| RTP version | Whatever the host loads | Set by the casino |
| Best use | Learning Bucket ranges and Bar levels | Playing with a set budget |
Le Fisherman on mobile
Le Fisherman runs in mobile browsers on iOS and Android with no download. The Big Catch Bar and the Bucket ranges stay readable in portrait.
How to approach a Le Fisherman session
A few decisions shape a session more than anything else.
- Check the RTP version in the info screen; 96.33% is the top.
- Value the long free spin rounds. Every five FS add a Bar level and 5 spins, so rounds that keep landing scatters grow on both counts.
- Treat Rainbow Epic Drop with care. At 500x per spin it is the most expensive repeating option in the series.
Each spin is random; no staking plan changes the RTP.
Pros and cons
Le Fisherman's strengths are its new tools.
- Epic Rainbow - a full-grid reveal the original never had.
- Big Catch Bar - free spins that visibly improve as they run.
- 15,000x ceiling - 50% above Le Bandit.
The trade-offs:
- Positional Buckets - a badly placed Bucket collects little.
- Top round not buyable - Smokey Under Water needs five scatters.
- Expensive FeatureSpins - Epic Drop costs 500x a spin.
Who Le Fisherman suits
Le Fisherman suits players who know Le Bandit and want more depth in the collection step plus a free spin booster that rewards long rounds. If you prefer the simpler Pot of Gold system, stay with Le Bandit; if you want jackpots on top, try Le King.
Le Fisherman FAQ
Quick answers on the fishing sequel.
What is the RTP of Le Fisherman?
96.33% in the top version. Lower versions exist, so check the in-game info screen.
What is the Le Fisherman max win?
15,000x the stake, or €15,000 at a €1 bet.
What does the Epic Rainbow do?
It reveals special symbols on every position of the grid, then activates them like a normal Rainbow.
What is the difference between a Bucket and a Global Bucket?
A Bucket collects from the 3×3 area around it. A Global Bucket collects from the whole grid.
How does the Big Catch Bar level up?
Every fifth FS symbol during On Thin Ice or Slippery When Wet raises it one level and adds 5 free spins, up to level 4.
Can you buy Smokey Under Water?
No. The strongest buyable round is Slippery When Wet at 250x.
Le Fisherman keeps the series' best-known engine and adds spatial collectors and a free spin power meter. For the game that started it, read the Le Bandit slot information.