Le Fisherman

Le Fisherman: Slot Overview

After trying on various cultures across various time periods, there is something awfully inevitable about software provider Hacksaw Gaming's favourite raccoon starring in a fishing slot. The game is Le Fisherman, and it sees the return of Smokey Le Bandit, this time donning wellies and casting off to catch something, hopefully not an old boot. It also sees the return of the Golden Squares concept, which has played a huge part in the series' popularity, complemented by a special epic triggering symbol and a collection bar innovation helping bring a different kind of thrill to the free spins bonus rounds.

Since Smokey's gone fishin', players are treated to an outdoorsy scene rather than having to dodge tourists on the Parisian streets. Smokey is dressed for the occasion in his finest fisherman outfit, yellow boots, rod, wide-brimmed hat, all that, though he does look as cranky as ever, despite finding himself in the sublime grandeur of nature. The world turns icy for the On Thin Ice bonus game, and if you thought you'd seen it all, wait till you catch an eyeful of Smokey all gussied up as a mermaid in the Slippery When Wet bonus, complete with clam shells covering his nips.

Le Fisherman is a cluster pays slot that creates winning combinations when 5 matching symbols are connected horizontally and/or vertically. It's played on a 6x5 gaming grid, and its math model is medium volatile. When betting $/€0.10 to $/€50 per spin, the maximum theoretical RTP is 96.33%.

The pay symbols are 10-A ranks, hats, floats, hooks, anchors, and fish. A 5 OAK cluster win will award 0.1x to 1x the stake, increasing to 10x to 100x when landing 12+ OAK. After a winning combination occurs, all regular paying symbols of the winning type are removed from the grid by the super cascades feature, and new symbols drop down to fill it. Wilds help create wins by substituting all regular pay symbols.

Le Fisherman: Slot Features

The infamous Gold Squares sequence appears in Le Fisherman, as do three bonus rounds and feature buys.

Golden Squares

When winning combinations appear, the positions behind the winning symbols are highlighted as Golden Squares. When a Rainbow symbol lands, it activates Golden Square. Activated Golden Squares reveal special symbols - Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Diamond Coins, Green or Gold Clover symbols, Buckets, or Global Bucket symbols. When an Epic Rainbow lands, it reveals special symbols on all grid positions.

Coins are cash prizes worth 0.2x to 4x for Bronze, 5x to 20x for Silver, 25x to 100x for Gold, and 150x to 500x for Diamond. Moreover, Green Clovers multiply all adjacent Coins and Bucket or Global Buckets by x2 to x20, while Gold Clovers multiply all Coins, Buckets, and Global Buckets by x2 to x20.

Next, Buckets activate, collecting the values of all Coins, other activated Buckets and Global Buckets on adjacent 3x3 squares. Golden Squares reveal new special symbols after being collected by Buckets, and the process repeats. If a Bucket has collected, it does not collect again. After Bucket activations, Global Buckets activate, acting the same way as regular Buckets but collecting all Coins, Buckets, and other Global Buckets.

On Thin Ice Bonus Game

10 On Thin Ice free spins are triggered by landing 3 FS scatters in the base game. It keeps the base game mechanics, but Golden Squares are progressive, so they remain on the grid until activated by either Rainbow symbol. In addition, a Big Catch Bar appears outside the grid. Each time an FS symbol hits, the bar increases by one step. When a Rainbow symbol has activated, it will transform into a special symbol depending on the level reached. The Bar starts at level 0, and every 5th landed FS symbol moves play to the next level. Upon reaching level 1, 2, or 3, after either Rainbow symbol activates, it becomes a Green Clover, Global Bucket, or Gold Clover, respectively. At level 4, a Rainbow or Epic Rainbow is guaranteed on each spin, and after it activates, it becomes a Gold Clover. Each level reached awards +5 free spins.

Slippery When Wet Bonus Game

Landing 4 FS scatters in the base game triggers this feature with 10 free spins, which keeps the mechanics of On Thin Ice. In addition, all Golden Squares are progressive, so they remain on the grid throughout the bonus even after being activated, and the minimum Coin value is 1x. When Epic Rainbow symbols activate, only the Golden Squares that were on the grid before will remain after the full grid activation.

Smokey Under Water Hidden Epic Bonus

The hidden epic bonus and 10 free spins are triggered by hitting 5 FS scatters in the main game. This round keeps the mechanics of Slippery When Wet, and the Big Catch Bar starts at level 4, where it remains. FS symbols cannot land.

Feature Buys

Le Fisherman comes equipped with BonusHunt FeatureSpins at 3x the bet, making it 5 times more likely to trigger a bonus game. Rainbow Trout FeatureSpins cost 50x, and they guarantee at least 1 win and a Rainbow or Epic Rainbow where coins are worth at least 1x. Then there are Rainbow Epic Drop FeatureSpins at 500x, which guarantee an Epic Rainbow lands and Coins are worth at least 1x. Both non-hidden bonus rounds can be bought. On Thin Ice costs 60x while Slippery When Wet is 250x the stake.

Le Fisherman: Slot Verdict

Smokey certainly is a raccoon who gets around. He's tried on a number of different personas as Hacksaw Gaming latched onto the 'Le' popularity and rolled out a variety of different iterations, so it stands to reason that sooner or later, there would be a fishing version, given how outrageously popular this theme is. The game makes a positive first impression, though, and this next step in the Le Bandit series proves that even the well-worn fishing theme can feel fresh given the right mechanics. The visual presentation is a charming one, too, swapping the original's urban grit for the serene outdoors, and Smokey's costume changes from rugged fisherman to underwater mermaid add a humorous twist that keeps the atmosphere buoyant.

Mechanically, Le Fisherman shares a lot that came before, but there are key twists. One is the Epic Rainbow symbol, and if the regular Golden Squares trigger symbol was already desirable, this one raises the appeal several notches, for the simple reason that it reveals special symbols across the entire grid, not just on Golden Squares. It's not for nothing the Epic Rainbow feature buy costs a hefty 500x per spin. Then there are the bonus rounds, which benefit from the intriguing Big Catch Bar, similar in some ways to Le Zeus' Mystery Meter, but by no means the same. Level 4 is the goal, it goes without saying, where every spin drops a Rainbow or Epic Rainbow symbol to trigger sticky Golden Squares, giving gamblers an alluring goal to aim for.

Le Fisherman isn't a regular Big Bass imitator, but an entertaining evolution of Hacksaw Gaming's Le series, capped with winning potential of 15,000x the stake. Whilst much of what is here makes for repeat viewing, fans of Smokey should be able to enjoy the continuity, as they go about attempting to experience its newer elements. As such, players eager for a fishing slot that combines humour, pleasant visuals, and proven gameplay, Le Fisherman is one worth tossing some bait at.