Fishing

Overview

If you have a fishing pole equipped, you will get special noncombat encounters (or special options in choice encounters) in certain zones that yield fish, treasure and miscellaneous objects.

Fishing Equipment and Modifiers

You must have a fishing pole equipped in order to fish.

Various stats affect fishing, in addition to your fishing skill:

	Modifer	Yield	Deep	Surface	Fish	Objects
Weapons
new fishing pole	2
old composite rod	1
heavy fishing pole	1
Offhand Items
anniversary pocket mirror (with any fishing pole equipped)	2
inky sapphire	2
detached fish charm	1
sea sapphire	1				1
water sapphire	1
Gadgets
PDA w/Extreme Bass Player	2
PDA w/Extreme Bass XIII Player	2
Extreme Tackle Box	1
Effects
Fish Empathy	2
Ocean Voice	1
Effects (Lines)
High Test	1		1
Silk Line	1				1
Extended Line	-1		2
Effects (Lures)
Floating Lure	1			2
Reinforced Hook	1					2
Sinking Lure	1		2
Swimming Worm Bait	1		1		1
Tempting Hook	1				2
Jagged Hook	-1	1
Toxic Worm				1	1
Training Hook2	-2

You may only have one lures and fishing lines active at a time.

Mechanics

WARNING - Most of this is speculation! This stuff is mysterious! There was a bug fix on 6 May 2019 which may also have changed things.

• Most fishing encounters are noncombat encounters, so chance of noncombat encounters will help you find opportunities to fish more frequently. (Some exceptions, like fishing in the Primeval Pit in Oldtown are from choice encounters.)
• Each catch is flagged with one more more attributes, e.g. "fish" or "deep object".* A given fishing noncombat has a base mix of possible catches* For each level of increase to the chance of getting a given type of catch, one extra chance for getting a catch of that type gets added to the pool.  So if you've got a slight increase to deep fishing and a slight increase to the chance of fishing up objects, two extra copies of each deep object would get put into the pool.
• Chance of Surface Fishing seems to cancel out Chance of Deep Fishing
• Your fishing modifier, in addition to your base fishing skill (beginner, solid, professional, etc.) likely influences the quality of your catches, while fishing yield likely influences quantity.
• After some fishing encounters, you receive a message about getting better at fishing. This indicates that your Fishing Skill is improving. This is not fully understood. There is some evidence that fishing encounters that give more XP for deep fishing are also more challenging and hence more rewarding for your Fishing Skill.

WARNING OVER

Fishing Spots and Catches

Note: Some areas have special fishing encounters that will only occur if the effect High Test is active.

In addition High Test fishing encounters tend to give strength XP:2 XP at the Docks, 3 XP at Tainted Shoreline, 4 XP at Massive Oil Slick, or 5 XP at Ghost Ship.

Dockside Sewers

Encounter: And They'd Be Right
	Qualifiers
Possible Catches1	Fish	Object	Surface	Deep
lake bluegill	Y	-	?	?
eyeless eel2	Y	-	?	?
brass knuckles	-	Y	?	?
crude ganger map	-	Y	?	?
dirty old trenchcoat	-	Y	?	?
disgusting paper	-	Y	?	?
filthy pistol	-	Y	?	?
frayed cable	-	Y	?	?
glimmering crystal chip2	-	Y	?	?
headless doll	-	Y	?	?
lead pipe	-	Y	?	?
old kitchen knife	-	Y	?	?
riot baton	-	Y	?	?
smelly old pants	-	Y	?	?
soaked newspaper	-	Y	?	?
wriggling worm	-	Y	?	?
High Test Results
Area Bonus of 2 Strength XP
crumbling masonry	Gives 4 Strength XP. (Double the area bonus.)
manhole cover	Gives 4 Strength XP. (Double the area bonus.)
Fight a rat king	Gives standard Sewers drops. (Requires Etheric.)

Area Notes:
1 Without a line effect active you will sometimes receive filthy fishing line in addition to your catch.
2 Both the eyeless eel and glimmering crystal chip will only occur while you are Etheric.

Waterfront

Encounter: Docks Fishing
	Qualifiers
Possible Catches	Fish	Object	Surface	Deep
bait bluegill	Y	-	?	?
dock pike	Y	-	?	?
lake bluegill	Y	-	?	?
empty can	-	Y	?	?
filthy pistol	-	Y	?	?
high test fishing line	-	Y	?	?
kid's flippers	-	Y	?	?
knit cap	-	Y	?	?
pitted thermos	-	Y	?	?
smelly old pants	-	Y	?	?
soaked newspaper	-	Y	?	?
waterlogged PDA	-	Y	?	?
old composite rod1	-	Y	-	-
giant pike2	Y	-	?	?
mud eel2	Y	-	?	?
High Test Results
Area Bonus of 2 Strength XP
lakebottom rock	Chance of receiving 2-3 fresh mollusk.
waterlogged crate	Chance of receiving 2-3 fresh mollusk.
Fight a lake serpent	Drops can include coin fish, 1 High Test result, and regular fishing results. (May require Etheric, High Test, and your daily coin flip.)

Area Notes:
1 Can only be received once per reset. Does not count toward your fishing yield limit.
2 Can occur on the fishing trip after flipping an unearthly coin while at the Waterfront. This can only be done once per day.

Encounter: Hidden Fishing Spot1
	Qualifiers
Possible Catches	Fish	Object	Surface	Deep
dock pike	Y	-	?	?
lake bluegill	Y	-	?	?
empty can	-	Y	?	?
filthy pistol	-	Y	?	?
high test fishing line2,3	-	Y	?	?
kid's flippers	-	Y	?	?
knit cap	-	Y	?	?
pitted thermos	-	Y	?	?
smelly old pants	-	Y	?	?
soaked newspaper	-	Y	?	?
waterlogged PDA	-	Y	?	?
lost hook2,3	-	Y	-	-
new fishing pole2	-	Y	-	-
High Test Results
Area Bonus of 2 Strength XP
lakebottom rock	Chance of receiving 2-3 fresh mollusk.
waterlogged crate	Chance of receiving 2-3 fresh mollusk.

Area Notes:
1 While there appears to be a greater chance of receiving fish they are not guaranteed.
2 You may receive 1 of the following each fishing trip: new fishing pole, lost hook, or high test fishing line
3 It is possible you may receive both a lost hook and high test fishing line on the same trip.

Tainted Shoreline

Encounter: Shoreline Fishing
	Qualifiers
Possible Catches	Fish	Object	Surface	Deep
lake bluegill	Y	-	?	?
lake perch	Y	-	?	?
lake squid	Y	-	?	?
damp seaweed	-	Y	?	?
empty can	-	Y	?	?
partially digested fish	-	Y	?	?
waterlogged shirt	-	Y	?	?
withered tendrils	-	Y	?	?
High Test Results
Area Bonus of 3 Strength XP
lakebottom rock	Chance of receiving 2-3 fresh mollusk.
Fight a terrible serpent	Receive a scarred fishing pole or high test fishing line in addition to its normal drops. (Requires Etheric.)

Encounter: Wrinkled Fisherman
	Qualifiers
Possible Catches	Fish	Object	Surface	Deep
???
High Test Results
Area Bonus of ? Strength XP

Encounter: Massive Oil Slick (Where the corpse was.)
	Qualifiers
Possible Catches	Fish	Object	Surface	Deep
freshwater eel	Y	-	?	?
lake bluegill	Y	-	?	?
lake perch	Y	-	?	?
lake squid	Y	-	?	?
damp seaweed	-	Y	?	?
empty can	-	Y	?	?
partially digested fish	-	Y	?	?
petrol sludge	-	Y	?	?
silverware remnants	-	Y	?	?
waterlogged shorts	-	Y	?	?
withered tendrils	-	Y	?	?
High Test Results
Area Bonus of 4 Strength XP
ancient treasure chest	Chance of receiving 2-3 fresh mollusk.
Fight a living sludge	Receive 3-5 lake squid in addition to its normal drops.
Fight a terrible serpent	Receive a scarred fishing pole or high test fishing line in addition to its normal drops.

Encounter: Massive Oil Slick (Where the Ghost Ship was.)
	Qualifiers
Possible Catches	Fish	Object	Surface	Deep
freshwater eel	Y	-	?	?
lake bluegill	Y	-	?	?
lake perch	Y	-	?	?
lake squid	Y	-	?	?
damp seaweed	-	Y	?	?
empty can	-	Y	?	?
partially digested fish	-	Y	?	?
petrol sludge	-	Y	?	?
silverware remnants	-	Y	?	?
waterlogged shorts	-	Y	?	?
withered tendrils	-	Y	?	?
High Test Results
Area Bonus of 4 Strength XP
ancient treasure chest	Chance of receiving 2-3 fresh mollusk.
Fight a living sludge	Receive 3-5 lake squid in addition to its normal drops.
Fight a terrible serpent	Receive a scarred fishing pole or high test fishing line in addition to its normal drops.

Ghost Ship

Encounter: Ghost Ship Fishing
	Qualifiers
Possible Catches	Fish	Object	Surface	Deep
skullfish	Y	-	?	?
damp seaweed	-	Y	?	?
lake pearl	-	Y	?	?
partially digested fish	-	Y	?	?
silverware remnants	-	Y	?	?
waterlogged sack	-	Y	?	?
withered tendrils	-	Y	?	?
High Test Results
Area Bonus of 5 Strength XP
ancient treasure chest	Chance of receiving 2-3 fresh mollusk.
heavy fishing pole
3-4 waterlogged sacks
Fight a terrible serpent	Receive a scarred fishing pole or high test fishing line in addition to its normal drops.

Construction Site

Encounter: Primeval Pit
	Qualifiers
Possible Catches	Fish	Object	Surface	Deep
bait bluegill	Y	-	?	?
puddle fish	Y	-	?	?
battered hammer	-	Y	?	?
construction mushroom	-	Y	?	?
frayed cable	-	Y	?	?
hefty wrench	-	Y	?	?
lead pipe	-	Y	?	?
OmniTech hardhat	-	Y	?	?
soaked newspaper	-	Y	?	?
High Test Results
Area Bonus of 3 Strength XP
filled toolbox

Parking Garage

Encounter: Mushroom Forest Of The Garage
	Qualifiers
Possible Catches	Fish	Object	Surface	Deep
deactivated ID	?	?	?	?
fountain trout	?	?	?	?
mop	?	?	?	?
soaked newspaper	?	?	?	?
washed coins	?	?	?	?
water worm	?	?	?	?
wormeaten mushroom	?	?	?	?
High Test Results
Area Bonus of 5 Strength XP
fused clay	Chance of receiving 2-3 washed coins.

Using Metallic Oil on the Waterfront or Tainted Shoreline

Encounter: Oily Lake Exploration (Head out fishing.)
	Qualifiers
Possible Catches	Fish	Object	Surface	Deep
lake bluegill	Y	-	?	?
lake perch	Y	-	?	?
lake squid	Y	-	?	?
silver darter	Y	-	?	?
damp seaweed	-	Y	?	?
empty can	-	Y	?	?
partially digested fish	-	Y	?	?
waterlogged shirt	-	Y	?	?
withered tendrils	-	Y	?	?
High Test Results
Area Bonus of 2 Strength XP
chunk of a sunken boat	Receive 2-3 polysteel, 1-2 damp seaweed, and 1-3 fresh mollusk

Scuffed mining helmet

Encounter: Flooded Mine Shaft
	Qualifiers
Possible Catches	Fish	Object	Surface	Deep
fungal tendrils	?	?	?	?
eyeless fish	Y?	-	?	?
cave salamander	?	?	?	?
High Test Results
Area Bonus of 4 or 5 Strength XP?
rock	5 XP?
manhole	manhole cover, 4 XP?