Overview
Released by Pragmatic Play's Reel Kingdom studio on April 8, 2024, Big Bass Secrets of the Golden Lake reworks the long-running Big Bass series around an Arthurian legend twist - a crowned, shield-carrying fisherman-king standing in for the series' usual angler mascot.
A fishing theme merged with Arthurian legend - a crowned fisherman-king casts his line into a golden lake alongside a frog and the series' usual tackle-box symbols.
Bonus Features Breakdown
Fish Scatter & Free Spins Trigger
Landing 3, 4, or 5 scatter symbols on a single spin awards 10, 15, or 20 Free Spins respectively. An optional Ante Bet raises the total stake in exchange for a 50% boost to the odds of triggering.
Two Free Spins Modes
Before the round begins, players pick a card from a spread of 12. Most reveal the Standard round, while two reveal the Golden Lake round, which strips every regular pay symbol from the reels so only blanks, Money symbols, and the Fisherman Wild can land.
Fisherman Wild & Money Collection
The Fisherman Wild only appears during Free Spins and collects the value of every Money symbol visible on the board when it lands, worth between 2x and 5,000x the stake.
Escalating Retrigger Multipliers
Collecting every fourth Fisherman Wild during a Free Spins round retriggers the feature with extra spins and pushes the collection multiplier up a tier, climbing from 2x to 3x to 10x.
Bonus Buy
Where permitted by local regulations, players can pay 100x their stake for a random Free Spins mode, or 270x to guarantee entry into the higher-variance Golden Lake round.
Betting Range & Jackpot
Total bets run from $0.20 up to $250 per spin. Big Bass Secrets of the Golden Lake doesn't carry a jackpot round - its biggest built-in win comes from the Fisherman Wild's money-symbol collection during Free Spins, capped at 5,000x your total stake.
RTP & Volatility
RTP: 96.07%. Volatility: High.
Our Take
The dual Free Spins mode pick is the real reason this entry stands out from its Big Bass series siblings. Rather than a single fixed bonus round, you're dealt a spread of 12 cards before Free Spins start - most lead into the Standard round, but two lead into the Golden Lake round, which clears every regular pay symbol off the reels so only blanks, Money symbols, and the Fisherman Wild can land. That's a genuinely different risk profile within the same base game, not just a cosmetic variant.
Once you're in either mode, the core mechanic is the same cash-collection formula the series is built on - the Fisherman Wild only shows up during Free Spins and collects every Money symbol's value when it lands, worth up to 5,000x on its own. What's new here is the tiered Bonus Buy: 100x for a random mode, or 270x if you specifically want to skip straight to the higher-variance Golden Lake round rather than leaving it to a card flip.
The escalating retrigger multiplier - climbing from 2x to 3x to 10x every fourth Wild you collect - is the same level-up logic that made Big Bass Splash one of the series' stronger entries, and it's what actually drives the 5,000x ceiling here rather than any single lucky symbol.
The Arthurian-legend framing - a crowned, shield-carrying fisherman-king in place of the series' usual angler mascot - is a fresh coat of paint on a formula that's otherwise recognizably Big Bass. If you've played Big Bass Splash or Bonanza, the underlying mechanics won't surprise you; the mode-pick and tiered Bonus Buy are what's actually new.
Pros & Cons
What We Liked
- Dual Free Spins mode pick (Standard vs. Golden Lake) gives the bonus round genuine variety, not just a fixed structure
- Tiered Bonus Buy lets players pay specifically for the higher-variance Golden Lake round instead of leaving it to chance
- Escalating retrigger multiplier (2x/3x/10x) drives a strong 5,000x max win
- Distinctive Arthurian-legend art direction sets it apart visually from the rest of the Big Bass series
Where It Falls Short
- High volatility means longer dry spells between meaningful wins
- Reaching the higher-variance Golden Lake round naturally comes down to a card pick you don't control, unless you pay the higher Bonus Buy price for it
- Bonus Buy options may be restricted or unavailable in several regulated markets
- No progressive jackpot - the 5,000x cap is fixed regardless of how long the game's been played
Where to Play Big Bass Secrets of the Golden Lake
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the RTP of Big Bass Secrets of the Golden Lake?
Big Bass Secrets of the Golden Lake has a default RTP of 96.07%, though Pragmatic Play also publishes lower configurations (95.07% and 94.07%) that individual casinos can choose to run instead - check the in-game paytable to confirm which version you're playing.
What is the difference between the Standard and Golden Lake Free Spins modes?
Before Free Spins begin, you pick a card from a spread of 12. Most reveal the Standard round, where regular symbols still appear alongside Money symbols and the Fisherman Wild. Two reveal the Golden Lake round, which strips out every regular pay symbol so only blanks, Money symbols, and the Wild can land - a higher-variance, higher-frequency version of the same collection mechanic.
How do I trigger Free Spins in Big Bass Secrets of the Golden Lake?
Land 3, 4, or 5 scatter symbols on a single spin for 10, 15, or 20 Free Spins respectively. An optional Ante Bet increases your scatter odds by 50% for a higher total stake, and where permitted, you can also buy directly into the round - 100x your stake for a random mode, or 270x to guarantee the Golden Lake round.
What is the maximum win on Big Bass Secrets of the Golden Lake?
The maximum win is 5,000x your total stake, driven by the Fisherman Wild's money-symbol collection and an escalating retrigger multiplier that climbs from 2x to 3x to 10x every fourth Wild collected.
Where can I play Big Bass Secrets of the Golden Lake?
Big Bass Secrets of the Golden Lake is available at Vavada Casino from our ranked casinos, which carries Pragmatic Play's full game library.
For similar games, check out our Fishing Slots page.