Skill Gains
You improve your fishing skill by successfully catching fish. It doesn't matter where you fish or what you catch, so long as you successfully catch something. You can even catch junk items. In the next section we will discuss why you might want to do more than "just catch fish" to skill-up fishing.
The table below shows the expected number of catches required for each point of fishing skill. The table below shows the approximate number of catches required to increase your fishing skill by a point. Since patch 4.3 this process is very variable, especially at higher skill levels. Below 300 fishing skill, it never seems to take more than 2 catches per skill point. Between 300 and 450, one skill point can require as many as 8 catches, although the average is much lower. Above 450 the maximum rises to at least 13. The pattern may not yet be fully understood, so use this data with caution.
| Current Fishing Skill | Average Catches per Skill Point Gain | |
|---|---|---|
| From | To | |
| 1 | 100 | 1.0 |
| 100 | 200 | 1.6 |
| 200 | 300 | 1.9 |
| 300 | 450 | 3.6 |
| 450 | 525 | 5.5 |
About 1400 successful catches are required to train from fishing skill 1 to 525.
You can also gain fishing skill from completing Azeroth Daily Fishing Quests: Each daily quest awards 1 or 2 points of fishing skill. The Darkmoon Faire quest, Spoilin' for Salty Sea Dogs, rewards 5 points of fishing skill.
You cannot forget how to fish ((unlearn or reset the skill)). There is no need to unlearn fishing - it is secondary skill.
Why Improving Fishing Skill?
Fishing skill is only needed to fish effectively (without catching junk) in open water. The main reasons to fish open water are:
- Catch raw fish to improve cooking skills up to 300. After cooking skill 300, Outland, Northrend and Cataclysm pools contain fish that can be cooked to level cooking, if required.
- Complete certain daily fishing quests: All 5 of the Outland Daily Fishing Quests require fishing in open water. 2 of the Northrend Daily Fishing Quests cannot be completed fishing pools.
- Complete some Achievements, including The Coin Master, The Limnologist or The Oceanographer. Most fishing achievements can be completed with fishing skill 1.
- Gain the Giant Sewer Rat minipet. Other rare catches, such as Mr. Pinchy or the Sea Turtle are fished from pools.
- Catch Lavascale Catfish (to cook Seafood Magnifique Feast) or Deepsea Sagefish (for Delicious Sagefish Tail and Severed Sagefish Head). These fish cannot be caught from pools. The fish that cook most other high-end buff food can be caught in pools.
- You don't like to keep moving while you fish!
...And that's it! Leveling fishing skill is far less important than it used to be. This is important for 2 reasons:
- Most professions have a 500-skill point grind before anything valuable (to a level 85) can be made. Fishing is different: Many catches only require fishing skill 1 - including most Valuable Fish. Before deciding to "level fishing", ask whether you need to actively level fishing? You probably do not.
- If you do decide to level fishing skill, there is no need to catch worthless fish for hours: Instead, fish for something you actually want! There are plenty of suggestions listed below. Each catch will contribute towards leveling your fishing skill - you will eventually reach 525. Why try harder?
Strategies for Improving Skill
Want to earn some gold, start working on achievements, or win fishing contests? Start fishing pools. You only need fishing skill 1 to fish pools, but catching fish from pools still improves your skill:
- Cataclysm high-level zone pools contain many Valuable Fish. The Fishing 1-525 with Gold guide gives some suggestions.
- Time-consuming Achievements, like catching Mr. Pinchy or the Sea Turtle, require pool fishing. Alternatively, start fishing easy (low skill) open water for catches like Old Crafty, Old Ironjaw, or the One That Didn't Get Away.
- Both the Stranglethorn Fishing Extravaganza and Kalu'ak Fishing Derby Contests are won by fishing pools.
Does your guild need pool-fishing achievements? Skill-up while fishing from pools, and contribute towards achievements like That's A Lot of Bait.
If you only fish Pools and Wreckage, you do not need to improve your fishing skill. You will be able to catch most Valuable Fish. You will be able to compete in fishing Contests.
Do you want to develop your cooking skills alongside fishing? You do not need to cook in order to fish, but the majority of fish are edible, and they taste better when cooked. If the answer is yes, follow the Fishing and Cooking 1-525 guide until at least 300 fishhing and cooking skill. After 300, you can fish pools for raw cookable fish, or continue fishing open water until 525.
Are you below level 85? Try gradually improving you fishing skill while you level:
- The "low-level" fish caught in areas with low base skill requirements are genuinely useful at low-level. Cook them and use them to recover between combat.
- There are plenty of casual opportunities to fish during downtime. For example, while waiting for boats, or waiting to be called up to battlegrounds or raids.
- Fishing in capital cities allows you to "rest", so you will gain experience from quests faster.
- Azeroth Daily Fishing Quests can be completed at level 10 (or above).
Just want to reach maximum level fishing? If you don't care what you catch, fish anywhere! The fastest method is described in Fishing 1-525 Fast. However, reaching 525 skill is only part of the challenge. To cast in the hardest open water, you will also need some Fishing Gear and/or a good pole. Some suggestions:
- At mid-levels, complete the quest Nat Pagle, Angler Extreme for the +25 bonus Nat's Lucky Fishing Pole. At high level, the Mastercraft Kalu'ak Fishing Pole is the most consistent to gain higher-bonus pole.
- Complete Northrend Daily Fishing Quests for a chance to gain a Weather-Beaten Fishing Hat (+5 bonus, with a "free" +75 lure), and rarely fishing poles and line. The Azeroth Daily Fishing Quests and Outland Daily Fishing Quests can also reward the hat.
- Compete in the Stranglethorn Fishing Extravaganza. If you don't win the Arcanite Fishing Pole, there is a chance of gaining High Test Eternium Fishing Line, a Lucky Fishing Hat, or Nat Pagle's Extreme Anglin' Boots. Competing in the Kalu'ak Fishing Derby can reward Boots of the Bay, but only for the winner - and you may prefer Dread Pirate Ring.
1-525 at Level 85
For those who are already level 85, there are many different ways to get fishing skill to 525 quickly. It depends on what else you want to gain. What suits you?
The final sections of this chapter contain suggested approaches for level 85s. There is no "standard" method to level fishing. You may mix different methods to suit your personal style. Most suggestions will also be useful for those at lower level, but the text assumes level 85.
Learn More
- 3.3 - no trash in fishing pools? - So we level fishing now for... what purpose exactly? Forum discussion.
- Equipment - Describes gear, consumables and enhancements that can be used to bolster your fishing skills, or help you fish.
- Contests - Describes Azeroth's fishing contests: What you need to do, what you can win, and how to win.
- Azeroth Daily Fishing Quests - Guide to completing the Alliance Azeroth daily fishing quests.
- Outland Daily Fishing Quests - Walkthrough for all the level 70 daily fishing quests, with rewards.
- Northrend Daily Fishing Quests - Guide to daily fishing quests that start in Dalaran.
- Also in Training: Ranks, Fishing 1-525 Fast, Fishing 1-525 with Gold, Fishing and Cooking 1-525 Alliance, Fishing and Cooking 1-525 Horde, Fishing and Cooking 1-525 Part 2, and Fishing and Cooking 300-525 from Pools.
