Fishing
Cast onto any water, watch the float and pull when it dips.
Fishing works any water in Midgard. Harbours and rivers give Fresh Fish and Clam Flesh from your first cast; the warm coasts, the waters under Byalan and finally the Abyss Lakes give the scales, pearls and named fish that Cooks, Apothecaries and Jewelcrafters keep asking for.
It is the calmest of the trades. You sit at the water, watch the float, and react when it dips. Weather, the hour and the pools that come and go all change what bites.
Getting started
Find the Fishing Guildmaster in Alberta and ask to join. Your first gathering trade is free. The guildmaster hands you a Fishing Rod and puts it straight into your profession equipment, so you can start the moment you walk out.
Open the Professions window from the Character menu to see your level, your skill points and your guild business. Your trade also shows as a tab in your Skills window and in your Equipment window.
The Fishing Guildmaster stands in Alberta
How the work goes
Use Fish and pick a spot of water up to 9 cells away. Your float lands and you wait for a bite, a few seconds to start with and less as your Fishing Mastery grows. When the float dips, a gold ring starts to close on it: use Fish again or click the float before the ring shuts and you have the fish.
Big fish in deeper water need two or three pulls in a row. Each pull is another ring to beat, and a big fish lands as two or three fish with more EXP.
Rain brings bites 20% sooner. Some fish only bite after dark, in the rain or in a pool, and the table below shows which. A pool is a patch of churning water that forms on the better fishing maps: cast into it and bites come faster and rare catches are likelier.
From the Warm Coast onwards a sea monster sometimes takes the hook instead of a fish. Be ready to fight what you pull up.
Bait goes in your Supply slot and each cast uses one. Cooks make three kinds: Worm Bait brings bites a second sooner, a Bright Lure makes rare catches likelier, and Big Game Bait draws the big fish that come up as two or three.
Tide Almanac
Every two hours, for ten minutes, a teeming pool stands somewhere in each tier. Only those who have read the Tide Almanac see it, and a Scribe writes the book.
Waters and catches
Five kinds of water, each needing a higher Fishing level. Any water you can cast onto is Harbour Waters; the better waters are on the maps listed. Pick one to see what bites there, and switch the conditions to see how the odds change.
Fresh Fish 45%
Clam Flesh 25%
Alberta Mackerel 25%
Fish Tail 5%
Night Crucian After dark only
Old Harbour King is this water's named fish. It bites rarely, after dark, and only for a Fisher who has read its folklore.
alberta pools Izlude, the Satellite City izlude pools
Gill 28%
Fin 22%
Squid Ink 15%
Comodo Sunfish 25%
Fresh Fish 10%
Squall Salmon In the rain only
Stormfin Shark is this water's named fish. It bites rarely, in the rain, and only for a Fisher who has read its folklore.
izlu2dun pools Comodo, the Beach Town comodo pools Kokomo Beach cmd_fild02 pools
Sharp Scale 30%
Byalan Snapper 25%
Gill 20%
Tentacle 12%
Sticky Mucus 10%
Pearl 3%
Spotted Pool Eel In a pool only
Lantern Carp is this water's named fish. It bites rarely, in a pool, and only for a Fisher who has read its folklore.
iz_dun02 pools Undersea Tunnel B4 iz_dun03 Undersea Tunnel B5 iz_dun04 Amatsu, the Land of Destiny amatsu pools Ayothaya ayothaya pools
Byalan Snapper 26%
Shining Scale 22%
Comodo Sunfish 20%
Sharp Scale 20%
Heart of Mermaid 12%
Moonlight Eel After dark only
Thunder Eel is this water's named fish. It bites rarely, in the rain, and only for a Fisher who has read its folklore.
louyang pools Hugel, the Quaint Garden Village hugel pools
Abyss Koi 30%
Shining Scale 25%
Sharp Scale 23%
Heart of Mermaid 20%
Dragon Scale 2%
Midnight Gulper is this water's named fish. It bites rarely, after dark, and only for a Fisher who has read its folklore.
hu_fild05 Abyss Lake Underground Cave 1F abyss_01 pools Abyss Lake Underground Cave 2F abyss_02 pools Abyss Lake Underground Cave 3F abyss_03 pools
Skill tree
Every level gives one skill point for this tree, 39 by Apprentice 40 and 88 by Master 50. The Apprentice skills are open to everyone; the two masteries each have their own four. Click a skill to read it, and use the plus and minus to plan your points.
Apprentice skills
| Skill | Levels | What it does | At its top level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fish | 1 | Cast your line onto water. When the fish bites, use Fish again or click the float before the gold ring closes. Needs a Fishing Rod worn in your profession equipment. | Cast up to 9 cells away. |
| Fishing Guide | 1 | Open your Fishing Guide: every water, the Fishing level it needs, where to find it and what bites there. A catch is named in the guide once you have fished it up. | Opens the Fishing Guide. |
| Fishing Mastery | 10 | Bites come sooner and rare catches are a little more likely. | Bites 4.0 seconds sooner, rare catches +10% |
| Steady Hands | 10 | The gold ring closes more slowly, giving longer to hook the fish. | Ring closes 0.30 seconds slower |
| Keen Eye | 10 | Rare catches are more likely. | Rare catches +20% |
| Clean Catch | 5 | A catch may come with a Gill or a Fin. | 30% chance of a Gill or Fin |
| Bait Lore | 5 | Bait on your hook is now and then not used up by a cast. | 50% chance a cast keeps its bait |
| Weather Reading | 5 | Rain brings the bite sooner still, on top of its usual 20%. | Rain bonus +15% |
| Cast Net | 10 | A catch may bring up a second one. | 30% chance of a second catch |
Deep-sea Angler (Master)
| Skill | Levels | What it does | At its top level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fight the Line | 10 | The gold ring closes more slowly. At level 10, big fish need one pull fewer. | Ring closes 0.250 seconds slower, big fish one pull fewer |
| Monster Hook | 10 | Sea monsters take the hook more often, and may give a second fish. | Monster bites +5.0%, 100% chance of a second fish |
| Abyssal Lure | 10 | Rare catches are more likely in Master waters. | Rare catches +30% in Master waters |
| Trophy Catch | 10 | Catches in Master waters give more Fishing EXP. | Fishing EXP +20% in Master waters |
Trawler (Master)
| Skill | Levels | What it does | At its top level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trawl | 10 | A catch may bring up a second one, in any water. | 40% chance of a second catch |
| Pearl Diver | 10 | Any catch may come up with a Pearl, twice as often in deep water. | 10% chance of a Pearl, 20% in deep water |
| Full Creel | 10 | A catch may come up as two. | 20% chance of a second fish |
| Market Sense | 10 | Fishing guild orders pay more Guild Marks. | Guild Marks +20% |
Equipment
Each trade has four slots of its own in the Equipment window's Professions tab, beside your normal gear: a tool, an outfit, a charm and a supply. Better pieces come from tasks, the Mark shop and other trades.
Tool
-
Fishing Rod
A plain rod.
Given by the guildmaster when you join.
-
Oak Fishing Rod
Bites come 0.2 seconds sooner. The gold ring closes 0.02 seconds slower.
Reward for the Apprentice 20 task. Mark shop, 250 Marks at 1 heart. Made by Fletching at Apprentice 5.
-
Steel-tipped Fishing Rod
Bites come 0.4 seconds sooner. The gold ring closes 0.04 seconds slower.
Mark shop, 700 Marks at 3 hearts. Made by Fletching at Apprentice 20.
-
Master's Fishing Rod
Bites come 0.6 seconds sooner. The gold ring closes 0.06 seconds slower.
Made by Fletching at Master 1.
-
Deep-sea Fishing Rod
Bites come 0.8 seconds sooner. The gold ring closes 0.08 seconds slower.
Made by Fletching at Master 30.
Outfit
-
Fisher's Waders
Bites come 0.4 seconds sooner.
Reward for the Apprentice 30 task. Mark shop, 500 Marks at 2 hearts.
Charm
-
Brass Reel
Bites come 0.3 seconds sooner.
Made by Engineering at Apprentice 13.
-
Fisher's Charm
4% chance of a second catch.
Mark shop, 600 Marks at 3 hearts.
-
Steel Reel
Bites come 0.6 seconds sooner.
Made by Engineering at Master 12.
Supply
-
Worm Bait
Bites come 1 second sooner. Each cast uses one.
Made by Cooking at Apprentice 5.
-
Bright Lure
Rare catches come 25% more often. Each cast uses one.
Made by Cooking at Apprentice 20.
-
Big Game Bait
Big fish come far more often, and in any water, up to six casts in ten. Each cast uses one.
Made by Cooking at Apprentice 34.
Levels and tasks
Every ground pays more EXP a swing than the one before it, so move up as soon as your level lets you in. The first of any find pays three times the EXP.
Your guildmaster sets a task at Apprentice 10, 20 and 30, and a masterpiece at 40. The task at 20 gives you a better tool and the task at 30 your guild's outfit.
-
Apprentice 10
Fishing: a first task
20 Guild Fresh Fish6 Guild Alberta Mackerel
Pays 40 Guild Marks and 1,500 EXP.
-
Apprentice 20
Fishing: a journeyman's task
24 Guild Gill12 Guild Comodo Sunfish
Pays 60 Guild Marks and a Oak Fishing Rod.
-
Apprentice 30
Fishing: the guild's order
32 Guild Sharp Scale12 Guild Byalan Snapper
Pays 80 Guild Marks and a Fisher's Waders.
-
Apprentice 40
Fishing: the masterpiece
40 Guild Sharp Scale18 Guild Byalan Snapper
Pays 150 Guild Marks. Delivering it opens the way to Master.
Guild orders
The five guild clients order goods from every trade. These are what they ask a Fishing hand for, and the level at which each order starts to appear. A delivery pays Guild Marks and trade EXP and wins the client's regard. You can deliver 12 orders a week, and each guildmaster has one request a day on top.
10 Guild Fresh Fish
6 Guild Alberta Mackerel
6 Guild Comodo Sunfish
8 Guild Gill
6 Guild Byalan Snapper
8 Guild Sharp Scale
6 Guild Shining Scale
10 Guild Byalan Snapper
5 Guild Heart of Mermaid
10 Guild Shining Scale
Questions
Tips
- Fish in the rain whenever you can: the bites come faster and the rain-only catches only bite then.
- A pool beats open water for both speed and rare catches. Cast into one the moment you see it.
- Each water has a named fish, a rare trophy that bites only under its own condition. You have to have read its folklore first, which a Scribe writes.
- Every two hours a teeming pool forms somewhere for ten minutes. Read the Tide Almanac to see where it stands.
Do I need to be near the coast?
No. Any water you can cast onto counts as Harbour Waters, the first tier. Only the better waters are tied to the maps listed below.
Why did the fish get away?
The gold ring closed before you pulled. Steady Hands and the better rods slow the ring down, which gives you longer.
What do I do with the fish?
Cooks need them for most of their dishes, Apothecaries want the Gills and Fins, and Jewelcrafters want Pearls. The guild clients order them too, and shops only pay 1 zeny for what a trade gathers.
Can I hold two trades?
You hold one gathering trade and one making trade at the same time. Fishing takes your gathering place.
What happens if I change trade?
Your first trade of each kind is free. Changing later costs 100,000 zeny, and the trade you leave keeps its level, skills and log, so you can come back to it.
How do I become a Master?
Reach Apprentice 40 and deliver your guildmaster's masterpiece. You then choose Deep-sea Angler or Trawler, and your levels start again from Master 1 with your skill points kept. A guildmaster changes your mastery later for 300 Guild Marks and 300,000 zeny.
Can I reset my skills?
Yes. Your guildmaster resets every skill in their trade for 200,000 zeny and gives all the points back to spend, Apprentice and mastery skills alike. Your level and mastery stay. Changing mastery also refunds that mastery's skills.
Why do shops only pay 1 zeny?
What a trade gathers or makes is guild goods. It works in every recipe and quest and trades freely between players, but shops pay 1 zeny for it, so professions never print zeny. Sell to other players or deliver it to the guild clients for Marks.
Can Hardcore characters take a trade?
Yes. Their goods and Marks stay inside the Hardcore economy.
Is there a reward at the top?
The Professions achievements are kept on the account, and reaching Master 50 earns this trade's title.