Flyfish

Flyfish are Boss Salmonids that appear in Salmon Run and Salmon Run Next Wave.

Description
Flyfish consist of a single Smallfry piloting an Inkjet-like contraption to fly around. Periodically, the Flyfish stops in place and opens its two launchers, each of which launches up to 4 missiles similar to Tenta Missiles; these can lock on to up to two players at a time. A direct hit from a missile results in an instant splat. Flyfish are invulnerable to all conventional means of attack, and players instead need to throw a Splat Bomb into each launcher when they are open (or defeat the Flyfish by some other alternative shown in Statistics). Once the missile launchers are destroyed, the Flyfish is defeated and drops its Golden Eggs.

Quotes
The following text is quoted from the Salmonid Field Guide.


 * Basic Information
 * Each flank is equipped with missile launchers capable of firing up to four missiles each.
 * Uses jet propulsion technology to hover about.
 * Covered in ink-repelling armor.


 * Attack Behavior
 * Capable of locking on to two targets and firing up to four missiles from each missile launcher.


 * Elimination
 * Throw a bomb into one of the missile launchers to destroy it.
 * Take out both of its missile launchers to bring down the Flyfish.


 * Supporting Information
 * The latest model of weapon from leading Salmonid engineers.
 * Only the most elite Smallfry are selected to undergo the special training to become Flyfish pilots.
 * Equipped with a space-grade reaction control system on each flank to enable a smooth, stable hover.

Tips

 * Flyfish are one of four Boss Salmonids that can attack players without having close proximity to them, the others being the Stinger, the Drizzler and the Big Shot.
 * If being targeted by missiles, players should stay away from the basket so crewmates can deliver eggs safely.
 * Players should also stay away from crewmates using the Sting Ray.
 * Players need to coordinate which player will throw a bomb in which missile launcher. This can be done by observing which missile launcher the other player is closer to, and safely assuming that it is the one they will destroy.
 * In freelance where communication is limited, ideally, the teammates standing next to each other should take the respective launchers in front of them.
 * In higher hazard levels, it is more effective to only destroy one of the missile launchers to keep the Flyfish alive, as the boss spawn rate is higher and it takes a lot of resources to take down a Flyfish. This will prevent new Flyfish from spawning, as the game only allows up to three Boss Salmonids of the same kind (or four if the Hazard Level is at the maximum 333%) to remain on stage at any given time.
 * The term coined for this technique is called crippling.
 * Flyfish can only fire 4 missiles with one basket.
 * A crippled Flyfish can only target the closest player, so keeping control of where missiles are launched is a good thing to think about. (Explained in Trivia)
 * It is possible for a player to destroy a Flyfish in one missile-launch cycle without the assistance of another player. Throw the bomb as soon as the hatch opens, then immediately recharge ink for the second bomb and throw it as soon as possible.
 * Aiming bombs at the missile launchers is not guesswork. While holding, a line appears on the screen showing exactly where the bomb will go. However, holding the button too long may lead to a missed opportunity as the missile launcher hatches will close back up, and at times it may bounce off the rim of the launcher.
 * The Grizzco Slosher, Sting Ray (in Splatoon 2), Killer Wail 5.1 (in Splatoon 3), and Grizzco Splatana (in Splatoon 3) can eliminate Flyfish if aimed at the cockpit.
 * It is important to note that the Grizzco Slosher and Grizzco Splatana only deal damage to the Smallfry in the cockpit, not the entire vehicle.
 * Ink Cannons, the Inkjet and the Explosher can also eliminate Flyfish if they are aimed at the missile launchers. In Splatoon 3, the Crab Tank's Explosher-like shot, golden eggs fired from an egg cannon, and a Reefslider off a ledge above the Flyfish, if you hit the brakes (with ) at just the right time can also be used to destroy Flyfish launchers.
 * Additionally, in Splatoon 3, it is possible to destroy both missile launchers at the same time, and therefore defeat a Flyfish, in one shot with the mentioned weapons projectiles or Drizzler torpedo if they are aimed precisely between the bottom part of the launchers lids while they are open.
 * Torpedos fired by Drizzlers can destroy the launchers, too. However this is very situational and can't involve crewmate interference.
 * As of Version in Splatoon 2, the Splashdown can also eliminate Flyfish by hitting inside the launchers. However, it can only take out one launcher at a time and is situational.
 * Caution must be used when using Splashdown or Inkjet near a Flyfish, since both attacks bring the user high enough to come into physical contact with the Flyfish, which inflicts substantial damage on the user.
 * When battlefield conditions prevent the player from waiting for the ink tank to refill, or when there are multiple Flyfish, deploying either the Bomb Launcher or Inkjet is useful.
 * Take out Flyfish as soon as possible. If on a higher rank, chances are that there will be multiple Flyfish spawning.
 * If you happen to fall into a Flyfish's bucket (most likely from a Slammin' Lid or Fish Stick) while in a lifesaver, stay there. Bombs can possibly fall out of Flyfish buckets, but they explode immediately if they touch a lifesaver (i.e. you). This means that your position makes it easier to deal with the Flyfish, as bombs won't bounce out of the bucket you're in.

Badges
Splatting Flyfish a specific number of times in Salmon Run: Next Wave will reward the player with special badges that they can use on their Splashtag.

Trivia

 * The Flyfish's missiles target the players in the direction it is facing, with the red launcher (viewer's right) targeting the closest player in its view, and the blue (viewer's left) launcher's missiles randomly targeting another active player. This is only true if both launchers are present. Destroying the blue launcher first will make the remaining red launcher target just you within that turn, relieving your teammates of the threat. On the other hand, destroying the red launcher first affords you a chance to safely take out both launchers in the same turn if you are quick enough, at the cost of exposing your teammates to the threat (from the blue launcher) during that turn.
 * However, after one of its launchers is destroyed ("crippled"), the remaining launcher will always target the closest player in its view on subsequent turns.
 * The Flyfish's Inkjet-like exhaust can splat players if they stay under it for too long.
 * When introducing the different Boss Salmonids during the second training mission, Mr. Grizz refers to all of them as "it", except the Flyfish, which he calls "him", and Maws, which he calls "she". This makes them the only two Salmonids with a confirmed gender in the North American version.
 * This could possibly imply by extension that the Smallfry pilots are all male.
 * Flyfish's launchers resemble beverage coolers, while the missiles resemble soft drink bottles or ramune.
 * In the concept artwork, it appears to resemble two recycling bins with pull-tab cans.
 * In, Flyfish are the only Boss Salmonids that do not visibly emerge from the water upon spawning, instead simply fading in. In , this is no longer the case, and Flyfish properly rise out of the water. (However, they will still fade out if they are alive at the end of a wave.)
 * If a Wave Breaker is placed where the pilot is, the Flyfish will move very irregularly.

Etymology
"Flyfish" comes from the fact that they hover, and also from fly fishing, an angling method often used to catch fish like salmon.