How to Spot a Fish at the Poker Table

Poker is a game of skill, strategy, and knowing when to pounce on a weak opponent. And is there a better feeling than discovering a fish at the table and capitalizing on their mistakes? But how do you spot one? 

You could be playing live in a casino or online, either way identifying an inexperienced player (in poker jargon called fish) can give you a serious edge. 

The betting pattern disaster 

One of the easiest ways to spot a fish is by observing their betting habits. A true poker novice often doesn’t understand bet sizing, which can lead to wild inconsistencies. You might see them min-bet into a massive pot, overbet a weak hand, or limp into every pot without any real plan. A fish might even check-call their way to the river with the second pair, completely unaware that they should have folded three streets ago. If you see a player making baffling bets, chances are they’re fresh bait in the water. 

The betting pattern disaster is easily recognizable whether you play live at the poker table or online. According to the poker expert Baise Bourgeois, you can have a chance to practice this skill while playing online poker in The Golden State, Nevada, New York State, or wherever else you’re based, for real money and absolutely legal. You can enjoy different benefits like fast payouts, player rewards, and a variety of stakes to suit every bankroll. Also, you can participate in some of the largest poker tournaments all over the world. 

As Daniel Negreanu says “If you want to make money playing poker, find a game with a few suckers, fish, donkeys, live ones, or whatever you choose to call a bad player. Just don’t let that sucker be you.” Still, at tournaments people can pretend to bait you, so how can you know the difference? 

The limping machine

Speaking of limping—if a player enters almost every pot by just calling the big blind instead of raising, you’ve likely found your fish. Good players understand that limping is usually a bad strategy because it doesn’t apply pressure or thin the field. But a fish? They love limping into hands, hoping to see cheap flops without considering the consequences. Even worse, they’ll limp-call raises, committing chips to pots with no real plan for how to play the rest of the hand. If someone at your table is limping like a penguin on ice, get ready to reel them in.

The emotional rollercoaster 

As we all know, poker is a game of patience and discipline, but a fish often treats it like an amusement park ride of emotions. One minute they’re over the moon because they hit an unlikely two-pair, and the next they’re tilting after losing a coin flip. 

They might start chasing losses, making reckless all-ins, or complaining about “bad luck” rather than acknowledging their bad play. A seasoned player knows that variance is part of the game, while a fish takes every beat personally. If someone is groaning about their misfortune or making erratic plays after losing a hand, you’ve found your mark.

The obvious tells 

Could it be that easy? Well, in live poker, body language can be a dead giveaway. A fish might hold their breath when they have a monster hand, grip their cards tightly when bluffing, or stare you down like they just learned how intimidation works. 

Online, these tells take a different form. Maybe they always use the “quick check” button when they have a weak hand or snap-call when holding something strong. If you pick up on these habits, you can exploit them by adjusting your strategy accordingly.

The Chatty Cathy 

There’s nothing wrong with some friendly table talk, but if a player won’t shut up about their bad beats, their poker “experience,” or how they almost won a big tournament once, they might be compensating for a lack of actual skill. 

Sometimes, fish try to seem knowledgeable by throwing around poker terminology without really understanding it. If someone is constantly chatting but making questionable plays, it’s probably best to let them keep talking while you quietly take their chips.

The weird showdowns 

A great way to confirm if someone is a fish is by paying attention to their showdowns. Are they turning over junk hands that should’ve been folded preflop? Are they calling down big bets with the third pair? Do they seem completely surprised when their hand isn’t the best? If you’re constantly looking at their cards at showdown and thinking, What were they doing? Then congratulations—you’ve found a fish, and they’re ready to be cooked.