Top Angler is a single-player bass fishing game. The game features three lakes: The Lodge , The Forest , and The Park . These lakes can be fished during different seasons, times of day, and weather conditions.
The game has four modes of play: Tournament , Arcade , Challenge , and Practice .
In Tournament mode, the player participates in four tournaments, including the Top Angler's Open, the Bass Challenge Invitational, The Bass Master's Championship, and the Top Angler's Autumn Trail. The player starts with the Top Angler's Open and progresses through the remaining three. At the end of each tournament, the player may win additional lures and other prizes.
In Arcade mode, there are three courses: Easy, Normal, and Hard. The player must beat the course record on each in order to progress to the next. Each course consists of three timed rounds, one in each lake.
In Challenge mode, there are nine challenges that can be played in any order. These challenges require catching specific fish or quantities, such as catching three super big bass only or a total of forty pounds of bass.
In Practice mode, the player can fish any lake in any season, at any time of day, and in any weather condition.
The game was released on November 24, 2000, for the PlayStation 2 console. It is classified as an Action & Adventure game.