Big Bass Bonanza Review

Big Bass Bonanza is the original fishing-themed video slot from Pragmatic Play and Reel Kingdom. Its main attraction is a free-spins round where Fisherman Wilds collect fish money symbols and build multipliers.

Big Bass Bonanza game reels with fishing-themed symbols

Game facts

Developer: Pragmatic Play / Reel Kingdom

Released: December 2020

Layout: 5 reels, 3 rows, 10 fixed paylines

Reference RTP: 96.71%*

Key feature: Fisherman Wild free spins

How to Play Big Bass Bonanza

The original Big Bass Bonanza uses a 5 × 3 reel grid with 10 fixed paylines. A line win comes from matching symbols on an active payline according to the game’s paytable. The paylines cannot be switched on or off, although stake settings may be available on the operator’s version.

  1. Understand line wins. Floats, fishing rods, dragonflies, tackle boxes and card ranks form regular symbol combinations. Paytable amounts depend on the selected stake and game configuration.
  2. Trigger free spins. Landing three Bass Scatter symbols awards 10 free spins; four scatters award 15, and five award 20. The fisherman collection mechanic is central to these bonus spins.
  3. Watch the fish money symbols. In free spins, fish symbols can display money values. When the Fisherman Wild lands, it collects the values of the fish visible on that spin.
  4. Follow the Wild collection meter. Every fourth Fisherman Wild collected awards 10 more free spins and advances the multiplier. The successive retriggers increase the multiplier to 2×, 3× and then 10×.
View the original 10-payline screenshot
Original Big Bass Bonanza screenshot showing its 10 fixed paylines
Screenshot of the 10 fixed paylines from the game’s original rules.

Symbols and Wins

The game’s regular paying symbols reflect the fishing theme. The original screenshot below shows the symbol artwork and the game’s rules screen, which is more useful than a generic payout table divorced from its stake setting.

  • Higher-value regular symbols: the fishing float, rod, dragonfly and tackle box appear among the themed reel symbols.
  • Card-rank symbols: A, K, Q, J and 10 are lower-value symbols used for ordinary line wins.
  • Fish money symbols: during free spins, fish carry values that can be collected by the Fisherman Wild. These are different from standard matching-line symbol payouts.
  • Fisherman Wild and Bass Scatter: the fisherman acts as a Wild and collects fish values during the bonus; Bass Scatters trigger the free-spins feature.
Original Big Bass Bonanza symbols and game rules screenshot
Original game-rules screenshot showing symbols, scatter and wild. Payout figures shown are for the stake displayed in that screenshot.

Free Spins, Fisherman Wilds and Dynamite

Free Spins Trigger

Three, four or five Bass Scatters unlock 10, 15 or 20 free spins, respectively. The base game and bonus mode use the same fishing-themed reels, but fish money values and Wild collection make the free-spins round distinctive.

Fisherman Bonus and Fish Collection

During the bonus round, the Fisherman Wild collects the cash values printed on visible fish money symbols whenever they land together. For example, several fish values can be collected on one free spin if the fisherman appears. The screenshots illustrate the symbols, while the current game rules determine the actual amounts.

Re-Triggers and Increasing Multipliers

The game counts collected Fisherman Wild symbols during free spins. Each set of four Wilds grants 10 additional spins. The first re-trigger introduces a 2× multiplier, the next 3×, and the third 10×. This progression is described on Pragmatic Play’s official game page.

Dynamite Feature

If a Fisherman Wild lands during free spins with no fish money symbols visible, the Dynamite feature can activate. Other symbols may turn into fish carrying money values for the Fisherman to collect. Pragmatic Play described this feature in its original December 2020 launch announcement.

Graphics and Sound

The visual style is built around underwater reels and familiar fishing equipment: floats, rods, tackle boxes, fish and card-rank symbols. The fisherman animation becomes more prominent in the free-spins round, particularly when fish values are collected or dynamite appears. The game’s ocean-inspired artwork and sound effects support the fishing theme, although playback and audio settings vary by platform.

Pros and Cons

Highlights

  • Distinctive fishing theme and straightforward base-game layout.
  • 10, 15 or 20 free spins triggered by scatter symbols.
  • Fisherman Wilds collect fish values with increasing multipliers.

Things to Know

  • Free spins are a random bonus feature, not a guaranteed event.
  • The original game has 10 fixed paylines.
  • RTP and availability depend on the version and operator.

How It Compares With Other Big Bass Games

This review covers the original Big Bass Bonanza released in 2020. Later releases use similar fisherman and money-collection ideas but can change the reel grid, bonus rules and maximum prize. For example, Bigger Bass Bonanza uses a different 4 × 5 layout, while Big Bass Bonanza Megaways has Megaways-style gameplay. Do not assume the same RTP or paylines apply to every title in the series.

For the original game, a 96.71% reference RTP and an approximately 2,100× maximum win are frequently quoted by game directories. Those figures describe the published original version, not a guaranteed player result; check your operator’s in-game help for the actual configuration. Some review sources label volatility differently, so the operator’s rules take precedence.

Where to Try Big Bass Bonanza

This article explains Big Bass Bonanza without hosting a playable slot. Browse our sweepstakes casino reviews and verify current availability and eligibility directly with the operator.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Big Bass Bonanza be played for free?
Some operators offer practice versions of Big Bass Bonanza, subject to regional and age requirements. This guide explains the game but does not host a playable demo.
What is the Dynamite Feature in Big Bass Bonanza?
If the Fisherman Wild lands during free spins without fish money symbols showing, the Dynamite feature can transform other reel symbols into fish with values. The Fisherman can then collect those values.
Are the free spins in Big Bass Bonanza capped?
Three, four or five scatters initially award 10, 15 or 20 free spins. Collecting four Fisherman Wilds during the feature can retrigger 10 extra spins and advance the multiplier up to 10x. The game’s maximum prize and any end-of-round cap depend on its applicable rules; check the version provided by the operator.
Is Big Bass Bonanza optimized for mobile devices?
The game is designed for play on compatible phones and tablets, but the actual experience depends on the operator, browser, device and local availability. The publisher’s game page provides the official demo where supported.
What is the RTP of the original Big Bass Bonanza?
A 96.71% reference RTP is commonly published for the original game. RTP describes a theoretical long-run return across many spins, not a guaranteed result for one session. Other configured versions may differ.
Is Big Bass Bonanza the same as Bigger Bass Bonanza?
No. Big Bass Bonanza is the 2020 original. Bigger Bass Bonanza and Big Bass Bonanza Megaways are separate releases with different layouts and potentially different game rules.

More titles: Game review library.