Level 85+ with Mists of Pandaria? See Cooking 1-600 for a much easier way to level cooking.

Introduction

Since patch 4.3, fishing and cooking now level well together. Fishing will skill-up slightly faster than cooking at the start, but you should reach 525 skill in both professions at about the same time (unless you opt to fish pools in the second part, which will speed up cooking leveling, and slow down fishing).

Leveling fishing skill is variable: Each skill-up will require between 1 and a random number of successful catches. At the start that random number is always 1 (every catch raises skill), then rises to between 1 and 2 catches per skill-up. After 300 fishing skill, the range increases, from 1 to about 8. And after 450 skill, up as high as 13. Over the whole leveling process, your "luck" should average out. But at each individual suggested location and skill bracket, you may skill-up faster or slower than the guide estimates.

This means your aim is primarily to catch enough of the recommended fish to level cooking. If you find yourself skilling-up fishing faster than expected in one location, you may need to fish in that location to a slightly higher skill level, to ensure you catch enough fish to cook. Alternatively, if points of fishing skill are taking longer than expected to gain, you can move onto the next location once the cooking requirements have been met. You will simply catch more junk at the next location, and so will probably spend longer fishing there instead.

Personal level 5 is required to train higher Fishing ranks. At least level 10 is required to level cooking above about 425 (for Old Azeroth daily cooking quests). I highly recommend you gain at least personal level 20: A mount makes traveling much faster, and improves your chance of escaping hostile creatures in higher-level zones. If you are below level 85, read the tips and alternative locations suggested in the "at low level" boxes.

The guide assumes Lures and Fishing Gear are not used. However, the guide often assumes a proportion of catches will be junk. By using lures and/or gear, you can avoid junk catches. This option would allow you to level cooking to 525 faster than fishing. If you plan to continue fishing after leveling cooking to 525, consider using lures and/or fishing gear at certain points in the leveling process. These optional points are shown in the text below.

Leveling from 1 to 525 requires all expansions, up to Cataclysm. Anglers without later expansions can still follow the guide, but you will not be able to progress beyond a certain skill level (see Ranks).

Preparation: Daily Cooking Quests

Each day "Old Azeroth" cooking quests are available from:

These quests are available at level 10 and cooking skill 1. Only one quest can be completed each day. Each quest rewards 1-2 Epicurean's Awards, which are required to purchase recipes between cooking skill 425 and 525. Since these quests can be completed at cooking skill 1, you should start working on these as soon as possible.

At cooking skill 350 (and at least level 65) you will also be able to complete Dalaran Cooking Quests, which provide a second source of Epicurean's Awards. At level 70 you may also gain Epicurean's Awards via a Waterlogged Recipe, a rare reward from Northrend Daily Fishing Quests.

Recipes cost 3 Epicurean's Award each and 6 recipes are assumed by this guide to level from 425 to 525. There is an option to use just 4 recipes, but you will need to catch a lot more fish. If you intend to use only 4 recipes, I recommend following the optional luring/gear tips, otherwise your fishing skill will reach 525 before your cooking skill. Recipes are sold by Bario Matalli, Emrul Riknussun and Fyldan, found next to the daily quest-givers. Fishing and Cooking 1-525 Part 2 recommends the precise recipes to buy.

Old Azeroth daily cooking quests also award at least +1 cooking skill. The Darkmoon Faire cooking quest awards +5 cooking skill, but only once per month, and is only available during Darkmoon Faire week. These quests are not efficient methods of leveling cooking to 525, but can help skill-up when all the cooked dishes are otherwise "green" (only giving a small chance of a skill-up when made).

Preparation: Buy Recipes

Buy these cooking recipes. You may be able to buy them at the auction house. If not, you will need to travel:

At low level: Mounted, at level 20 or above, you can ride to these vendors - just stay on the path and try to avoid hostile creatures. Alternatively, they can often be purchased at the auction house.

Elwynn Forest

Lee Brown
The basics of fishing are not covered here. To learn about fishing techniques, please read Your First Catch.

Stormwind

Most cooking can be done over public fires and stoves found throughout Azeroth. You can often save time by making your own fire, using the spell in your spell book. No materials required - it's magic!
Catherine Leland also starts an Azeroth Daily Fishing Quests (Alliance) (for anglers level 10 or above). Similar quests can also be found in Darnassus and Ironforge. These quests are not required to level fishing, but consider doing them: Fish caught while completing the quests, and the +1 fishing skill reward, help skill-up fishing. The main reward (a Bag of Shiny Things) sometimes contains fishing gear, such as Weather-Beaten Fishing Hat.

Wetlands

Dustwallow Marsh

Witch Hill Fishing

Eastern Plaguelands

At low level: Adventurous low-level anglers can travel north along the river from Hillsbrad Foothills and then swim across Darrowmere Lake in Western Plaguelands to the mouth of the Thondroril River. The eastern-most side of the Thondroril River contains Eastern Plaguelands' catches: Just be careful that the bobber lands in water where the zone is called Eastern Plaguelands.

Blasted Lands

At low level: Surwich can be reached by swimming north up the coast from The Cape of Stranglethorn. The Tainted Forest contains some hostile creature, but the area close to Surwich is safe.
Great start, but there is still lots to learn. Through the Dark Portal! For the final part you can choose between fishing from open water, and fishing from pools. Pool fishing will level cooking faster, but takes more time to level fishing up to 525:

Reference: Recipes

The cooking recipes used are listed below for quick reference. The vendor shown is the one recommended in the guide above. Some recipes are sold by several other vendors.

The cooking skill each recipe "changes color" is shown. Recipes are normally orange when learned. Orange recipes will always grant a skill point when you cook the dish. Yellow recipes have a high chance of a skill-up, green a low chance. Once the recipe has "turned grey", there is no chance of gaining skill from cooking it.

Cooking Recipes
RecipeRecommended Vendor/TrainerCooking Skill
OrangeYellowGreenGrey
Recipe: Brilliant SmallfishTharynn Bouden (Goldshire, Elwynn Forest)1456585
Recipe: Longjaw Mud SnapperTharynn Bouden (Goldshire, Elwynn Forest)5090110130
Recipe: Bristle Whisker CatfishCatherine Leland (Canals, Stormwind City)100140160180
Recipe: Mithril Head TroutKelsey Yance (Booty Bay, The Cape of Stranglethorn)175215235255
Recipe: Filet of RedgillKelsey Yance (Booty Bay, The Cape of Stranglethorn)225250263275
Nightfin SoupDaryl Riknussun (Bronze Kettle, Ironforge)250275285295
Poached Sunscale SalmonDaryl Riknussun (Bronze Kettle, Ironforge)250275285295
Recipe: Baked SalmonVivianna (Feathermoon Stronghold, Feralas)275300313325

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Comments about Fishing and Cooking 1-525 Alliance

Below are readers' comments about "Fishing and Cooking 1-525 Alliance":

Fishing and Cooking 1-525 Alliance

  1. kami5, April 2012:

    Thank you for this informative and useful guide! While using it, I noticed that the Dustwallow section appeared to be not updated given that there is a convenient Fishing Trainer located in Theramore. The NPC is Dirty Michael Crowe

  2. el, April 2012:

    Thanks. Not sure how I missed that trainer. I've updated the text.

  3. Druidmoon, April 2012:

    el wrote:

    Thanks. Not sure how I missed that trainer. I've updated the text.

    I think probably because he didn't used to be a trainer. Previously when doing the quest he gives as part of a chain, his title was <Fish Merchant> and he only sold fish. Not clear from wowhead just when he also became a Trainer but from memory he was still a vendor 12-18 months ago. Probably with 4.0.3a.

    He is still noted as a fish vendor on wowpedia;

    http://www.wowpedia.org/%22Dirty%22_Michael_Crowe

    Just a sneaky change to keep us on our toes ;)

  1. Hexxis, November 2012:

    With Theramore Isle being destroyed, where is the best place to go for the Dustwallow Marsh section of this guide now?

  2. el, November 2012:

    The catches from Dustwallow Marsh haven't changed, so at worst you'll just need to train somewhere else.

  3. Juke, April 2013:

    Dustwallow Marsh: Update needed.

    "If Theramore Isle has been destroyed, you will need to train elsewhere (see Wetlands above)" is incorrect.

    You can now revert Theramore Isle back to its original state, by talking to NPC "Zidormi" located at Coords: 55.9,49.5
    She's at the end of the main bridge West of Theramore on the edge of the mainland, just off to the right, standing in a bright shaft of light.
    She lets you switch back and forth between destroyed and undestroyed Theramore.
    As you run up to her position it may take a moment for her to become visible as you pass into or exit out of the phased location.

    BTW, Thank you very much for this wonderful guide :)

  4. el, April 2013:

    Updated - thanks.

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