Big Bass Bonanza uses twelve symbols on its 5x3 reels: regular paying symbols topped by the float, a fisherman wild, scatters that open the bonus round, and fish money symbols that carry cash values. The most valuable standard symbol is the float, paying 200x the line stake for five of a kind - £200 on a £1 bet. Everything else the game does grows out of how these groups interact.
This page is a reference for what each symbol does. Exact payout values for every regular symbol are listed in the game's own paytable - open it from the menu inside the game or the free demo - and the figures below are the ones the provider and verified sources publish.
The fisherman wild
The fisherman is the game's wild: he substitutes for the regular symbols to complete wins on the 10 paylines. Scatters are the exception - the wild does not replace them. His important work happens in the free spins round, where landing fishermen collects the values of the fish money symbols on screen, and where retriggers carry multipliers from 2x up to 10x. The details of that round are covered in our big bass bonanza free spins guide.
Money symbols: the fish
The fish are the game's money symbols. In the bonus round each fish appears with a cash value attached to it, and those values are paid when a fisherman wild lands to collect them. Without the fisherman, the values stay on the screen unclaimed. The values themselves vary from fish to fish and are assigned randomly - the in-game paytable describes the ranges the game can show.
Scatters
Scatter symbols are the doorway to the free spins: they count anywhere on the reels rather than along a payline, and landing enough of them is what opens the bonus round. How many appear on any spin is random - in the demo and in real play alike.
Regular symbols and the paytable
The standard symbols follow the fishing theme, from card-style low payers up to fishing gear. The float sits at the top of the regular paytable at 200x the stake for five on a payline. Wins form left to right on the 10 fixed paylines, and the paytable inside the game lists the exact value of every symbol at your current stake - the cleanest way to see real numbers for your bet size, since operator pages often list symbols without values at all.
How the symbols work together
| Symbol | Role in base game | Role in free spins |
|---|---|---|
| Fisherman | Wild - substitutes on paylines | Collects money symbol values; retrigger multipliers run 2x up to 10x |
| Fish (money symbols) | Regular theme symbols | Carry cash values, paid when collected by the fisherman |
| Scatter | Triggers the bonus round | - |
| Float and other regulars | Payline wins, float pays 200x for five | Payline wins continue alongside collection |
The interaction is the whole design: the base game is a straightforward 10-line slot with a published RTP of 96.71% (a 94.02% version exists at some operators) and a maximum win of 2,100x the total bet, while the bonus round shifts the action to collection. Sources rate the volatility between medium and medium-high, which fits a game whose biggest payouts sit inside a feature.
If you want to watch the whole cast in action without staking anything, Pragmatic Play runs on play money; Big Bass Bonanza Free Play: the Official Demo, Explained covers how the demo works. For the full game verdict, see the Big Bass Bonanza slot review: RTP, paytable and free spins.
Frequently asked questions
How many symbols does Big Bass Bonanza have?
Twelve, across four groups: regular paying symbols topped by the float, the fisherman wild, scatters and the fish money symbols.
What is the highest paying symbol?
The float, at 200x the stake for five of a kind on a payline - £200 on a £1 bet. Bigger amounts come from the bonus round's collection mechanic, up to the game's 2,100x maximum.
What does the fisherman symbol do?
He is the wild: he substitutes for regular symbols, and in free spins he collects the values of all visible fish money symbols. Retriggers carry multipliers from 2x up to 10x.
Do the fish pay anything in the base game?
In the base game the fish act as theme symbols. Their cash values matter in the free spins round, where a landing fisherman collects them.
Where can I see exact payouts for every symbol?
In the game's own paytable, opened from the menu in the real game or the free demo. It shows values at your exact stake.
Can symbol knowledge improve my chances?
No. Every spin's outcome is random. Knowing the symbols explains what you are watching; it does not change the odds.
