Fishing

There are two ways to fish and they never mix: nets at net spots, rods at rod spots. A Coarse Net is the first thing to make, and Shrimp Catcher walks you through the rest. Netting is simple: stand at the spot with any net equipped and trawl, 10 stamina a cast, for fish or junk, until the spot runs dry and tells you there are no fish here. Any net works in any region.

Rod fishing is a fight. Cast from a distance (hold to throw further; a cast that is too weak or too strong just misses and costs nothing), wait for the bite, then strafe against the fish's pull. When the bar turns red the fish has switched sides and so must you. Once it tires the reel option appears: let go of the strafe and hold the cast button, and let go again the moment it bolts. Wrong inputs drain your stamina, and when that runs out the fish is gone. The bait picks the catch: sardine on Shrimp Bait, trout on Feather Bait, herring on Anchovy Bait, salmon on a Feathered Lure, and so on up to the Monkfish Bait for desert sole; no bait means more junk, and junk eats one of the spot's charges for no XP. The rod that matches the region catches less junk too: Ash Rod in Brynmoor, Oak Rod in Ghornfell, Willow Rod in Fellhollow, Maple Rod in Dowdun Reach, Yew Rod in Umbral Sands. Higher rods also drain less stamina and last longer.

From level 17 a catch can come up pristine, which cooks into more food or hangs on a wall as a trophy. Fishing Frenzy at 10 enchants a spot so every catch brings a second fish, Infernal Rod at 30 cooks the fish as you land it, Fishnado at 55 yanks up to five fish out of a spot in one cast, and the Angler's Hat at 70 has a 10% chance per catch of not using a charge. XP boosts stack one per kind: the Inspiring Ring of Fishing (5%), Knowledgable Nourishment from food (10%) and a Focused Fishing potion (15%, or 30% from the stronger brews).