1 C1 idiomatic informal
To pull or retrieve something from a depth or hidden place, bringing it upward.
"The diver managed to fish up the sunken treasure chest from the seabed."
separable
fish up
C1 informal separable transitive
To bring something up from below, as if pulling it from water; a rarer variant of 'fish out'.
In plain English
To pull something up from somewhere deep or hidden.
What does "fish up" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To bring a fish upward out of water — pulling something from a depth.
Actually means
To pull something up from somewhere deep or hidden.
Usage tip
This is an older or dialectal form. In modern English, 'fish out' is strongly preferred. 'Fish up' may occasionally appear in literary or rural contexts.
Words that pair with "fish up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
rope object item something net
How to conjugate "fish up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
fish up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
fishes up
he/she/it
Past simple
fished up
yesterday
Past participle
fished up
have + pp
-ing form
fishing up
continuous
Hear "fish up" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "fish up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "fish up"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
Keep exploring
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.