Introduction
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. As discussed in the Role of Skill, the number of catches per skill point gradually rises.
| Current Fishing Skill | Average Number of Successful Catches to Gain a Point of Skill | |
|---|---|---|
| From | To | |
| 1 | 115 | 1 |
| 115 | 135 | 2 |
| 135 | 160 | 3 |
| 160 | 190 | 4 |
| 190 | 215 | 5 |
| 215 | 240 | 6 |
| 240 | 260 | 7 |
| 260 | 285 | 8 |
| 285 | 295 | 9 |
| 295 | 300 | 13 |
| 300 | 315 | 9 |
| 315 | 355 | 10 |
| 355 | 425 | 11 |
| 425 | 450 | 12 |
About 2,700 catches are required to train from skill 1 to 450.
You cannot forget how to fish ((unlearn or reset the skill)). There is no need to unlearn fishing - it is secondary skill.
Ranks
There is a maximum skill level that you may achieve at each profession rank. You will need to improve your professional rank to advance beyond each maximum skill level. The table below summarises these levels, and what must be done to advance rank.
| Rank | Minimum character level | Minimum fishing skill | Maximum fishing skill | Cost | How to train |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice | 5 | - | 75 | 1s | Any Fishing Trainer. |
| Journeyman | 10 | 50 | 150 | 5s | Any Fishing Trainer. |
| Expert | 10 | 125 | 225 | 1g | Any Fishing Trainer. |
| Artisan | 10 | 225 | 300 | 2g 50s | Any Fishing Trainer. |
| Master | 10 | 275 | 375 | 10g | Any Fishing Trainer in Outland or Northrend. |
| Grand Master | 10 | 350 | 450 | 35g | Any Fishing Trainer in Northrend. |
- Costs assume no reputation-related reductions.
- Fishing trainers can be found in all capital cities - ask a guard for directions. There are also some fishing trainers in other zones, but do not expect to find a trainer in every zone.
- The only known neutral fishing trainer in Outland is Juno Dufrain in Cenarion Refuge, Zangarmarsh. Horde can also train from Zurjaya in Zabra'jin. You must be part of The Burning Crusade to learn Master Rank (unconfirmed: unless you can find an old Master Fishing - The Art of Angling).
- Northrend fishing trainers are listed below. You must feel the Wrath of the Lich King to learn Grand Master rank.
As Alliance at level 10, you can ask Gubber Blump in Darkshore to train you as an Apprentice: Take the quest The Family and the Fishing Pole, and then talk to Gubber again and he will teach you to fish for free (thanks Wyllow).
Grand Master
Grand Master rank is trained directly from fishing trainers in Northrend. This means you must have Wrath of the Lich King to train Grand Master rank. Lower level anglers can train all ranks from Northrend trainers. Marcia Chase in Dalaran can only be safely reached using a portal or summon, but other trainers can be visited alone.
Northrend fishing trainers:
- Angelina Soren (Horde) in Vengeance Landing, Howling Fjord:
- Location: On the docks next to the sea, with an umbrella.
- Instructions: Zeppelin from Undercity (tower in Tirisfal Glades) to Vengeance Landing. You will arrive at a standard Zeppelin Tower. Run/jump down the tower. Just to your east you will see a small wooden dock, with a single Forsaken-style ship moored. The trainer is found on this dock, next to an umbrella.
- Byron Welwick (Alliance) in Valgarde, Howling Fjord (illustrated right):
- Location: By the water, with an umbrella, behind the flight master.
- Instructions: Boat from Menethil Harbor (Wetlands) to Valgarde. On arrival, run down the wooden dock. The raised area on your left contains several trainers, and the flight master. Byron Welwick is on the south-east side, next to the water. You can save 30 seconds by jumping off the boat when it arrives in the bay next to Valgarde, and swimming ashore.
- Fishy Ser'ji (Horde) in Warsong Hold, Borean Tundra:
- Location: In the inn area, next to the beer kegs, on the lower level of Warsong Hold.
- Instructions: Zeppelin from outside Orgrimmar. You will arrive inside Warsong Hold itself. Jump and run down to the lowest level (where the orcs are using a large map of Northrend to plan battles), and then into the inn area.
- Marcia Chase (Neutral) in Dalaran:
- Location: Near the Eventide Fountain, on the Prison side of the city.
- Instructions: See the Dalaran Fishing Guide.
- Old Man Robert (Alliance) in Valiance Keep, Borean Tundra:
- Location: With the other profession trainers, on the south-west side of Valiance Keep, between the large garrison building and the sea wall.
- Instructions: Boat from Stormwind Harbor (the pier at the north end) to Valiance Keep. On arrival at Valiance Keep, run off the boat and up the steps, with the inn on your right. On your left there is a boat moored in the middle of the Valiance Keep. Turn left and run across the boat. In front you will see the garrison building. The trainer is outside the garrison building, on the left side, near the sea wall, standing under a gazebo (open-sided tent).
Cooking trainers are also found in the same towns. Most cooking trainers are found in inn kitchens.
Learn More
- Role of Skill - Introduces the concept of fishing skill, explains how your skill will increase with successful catches, and shows why skill is important.
- Fishing Trainers - List from Giddy Gamer (PDF).
- Also in the Training chapter: Developing Skill, 1-450 Fast, 1-450 with Gold, 1-450 Cooking for Alliance, 1-450 Cooking for Horde, and 1-450 Cooking part II.