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This guide is an accumulation of everything I have learned about fishing from my own experience and that of other players, and is basically everything I wish someone had told me when I started leveling fishing way back when Final Fantasy XI was first released in North America. Would you believe it if I told you that dinosaurs roamed the earth back then? How about if I told you that a level 1 fisher had to wait an agonizing 14 seconds between casts? Or that a Rusty Cap (not a repaired Padded Cap) sold to vendors for 1656 gil? Or that a mid level fisher with a Lu Shang's Rod could make nearly as much as a level 100 fisher? Or that you could expect as many as 8 "you didn't catch anything" messages in a row? Or that any NPC in the game would gladly pay you over 1000 gil for a Bastore Bream or Black Sole? Or that in nearly 70 levels of fishing I didn't loose a single lure? Or that it used to be possible to fish entirely by sound?
Well it was all true (except for the part about the dinosaurs), but several patches and the last major update have drastically changed fishing, in my opinion for the better. But don't take my word for it, next time you are in Port Windurst stop by and talk to Laughing Lizard by the Fishing Guild. He'll tell you:
Quote:"Hmph! You dang kids these days ain't got no respect for your elders. Can't you see I'm trying to learn this new fandangled fishin' method? In my day, all we had to do was cast a line and wait for the baby to tug. Why, back then it was so easy. I could catch a fish while I was sleepin'! But now you gotta work for your meal! Let me tell you how it's done..."
Since the update most of the fishing guides and online resources are a little outdated, so I've decided to compile a complete list of what I feel are the best locations and rod/bait combinations for leveling fishing 0-100 depending on whether you want to focus on completing the Lu Shang's Quest, making money, or skilling up as quickly as possible.
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Table of Contents
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I. Why Fish?
II. Fishing Basics
a. How do you Fish?
b. How Can you Tell what Caught the Hook?
c. Summary: What Caught my Hook and What Should I Do?
d. Fishing Tips
e. Fishing Rods
f. Is the Lu Shang's Fishing Rod Really Necessary?
g. Breaking Fishing Rods
h. Fishing Bait
i. Fishing Gear
j. Fishing for Items/Rusty Items
k. Fishing in Areas with Higher Level Monsters
l. Fishing Fatigue
m. Skill Cap Test Fish
III. The Guide
a. Fishing 0-50 while Catching Moats for the Lu Shang's Quest the Entire Time
b. Fishing 0-50 in the Places that will Skill you up the Fastest
c. Fishing 50-60
d. Fishing 60-96 for Gil
e. Fishing 60-96 for Skill
f. Fishing 96-100
IV. Fishing Links and Online Resources
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I. Why Fish?
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The main reason to level fishing is that fishing is profitable. But fishing is not the only way to make gil in this game. There are many other profitable crafts like Alchemy, Woodworking, and Goldsmithing, and most of these are a greater source of income in the highest levels than high level fishing. But these crafts also require huge gil investments in order to level them up to the point where they are highly profitable, while fishing merely requires an investment of time. This makes fishing an ideal craft for new players since they start the game with very little gil, but plenty of time.
Harvesting, excavation, logging, mining, and farming are also popular ways to make gil, but once you locate the logging/mining/mob spawn points and familiarize yourself with the particular area, you are not guaranteed to make any more profit per hour after your 100th hour harvesting/excavating/logging/mining/farming than you made after your first. But every hour you spend fishing will potentially raise your fishing skill, and a higher fishing skill has the potential to increase your profits per hour. What this means is that every hour you spend fishing can be considered an investment.
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II. Fishing basics
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The last update made fishing a lot more interactive, and as a result a lot of players are interested in giving it a try. This section will cover a lot of the basics for those that are just starting out, as well as provide some more advanced information and strategies.
a. How do you Fish?
In order to fish your character must be facing an unobstructed body of water and have a fishing rod and bait equipped in the ranged and ammo slots. Once these conditions are met you can begin fishing by typing "/fish" or by hitting a fishing macro. The most common fishing macros are:
/fish This will cast your line
/equip range "Lu Shang's F. Rod" This equips a Lu Shang's as your current fishing rod
/equip ammo "Shrimp Lure" This equips a Shrimp Lure as your current bait
Once you have cast your line into the water, you will need to wait for the "Something caught the hook!/!!!" message and then attempt to fight your catch until the stamina bar is depleted enough for you to reel it in successfully. It is important to note that in most circumstances it is not worth attempting to reel in a catch until the stamina bar is completely depleted since there is a good chance your line will snap if any stamina remains.
According to the Playonline Update Notes, under the new system once something catches the hook your rod will be pulled sharply to the left or the right. You can deplete the stamina bar of the fish, item, or mob at the other end of your line by pressing the 4 or 6 keys on the numeric pad in the opposite direction of the rod's movement. While the rod is in the neutral position pressing the 4 or 6 keys will actually allow your catch to regain stamina.
However, it seems that there are actually 5 distinct rod positions that correspond to 10 o'clock, 11 o'clock, 12 o'clock, 1 o'clock, and 2 o'clock on the face of an analog clock. The rod may stay in positions 10, 12, or 2 for several seconds, but will only occupy positions 11 or 1 for a moment.
My own experience and that of the other fishers I've talked to seems to indicate that the most effective way to deplete the stamina bar depends on what exactly caught the hook:
-For items, mobs, and fish at your below your level, it is best to hold the 4 or 6 keys down when the rod is in the 10, 11, 1, or 2 positions, while being careful not to press 4 or 6 while the rod is in the neutral position.
-For high level fish or fish that cap significantly higher than your current skill level, it is best to rapidly tap the 4 or 6 keys when the rod is in the 10 or 2 positions, and be sure to stop tapping as soon as the rod moves into the 11, 12, or 1 positions. This minimizes your chances of pressing the 4 or 6 keys at the wrong time and allowing your catch to regain stamina unnecessarily.
-For a few select legendary fish that cause the rod to snap back and forth rapidly, it is best to hold the 4 or 6 keys when the rod is in the 10, 11, 1, or 2 positions. Even though the rod will not be in the 11 or 1 positions for very long, the stamina will drain very quickly in these positions if you can time things correctly. Don't get too discouraged the first few times you hook a Ryugu Titan, they require quite a bit of practice in order to be successfully caught with any consistency.
b. How Can you Tell what Caught the Hook?
You should be able to get a fairly good idea about what exactly caught your hook from the catch message and after fighting with it for a few seconds. Since different strategies for depleting the stamina bar are more or less effective for certain catches, it will be important for you to make the necessary adjustments and decide on the best strategy for each particular catch as soon as you think you know what exactly you are dealing with.
For general reference here are the six possible messages you can get immediately after something catches your hook:
1. You have a good feeling about this one!/!!!
2. You don't know if you have enough skill to reel this one in!/!!!
3. You are fairly sure you don't have enough skill to reel this one in!/!!!
4. You're positive you don't have enough skill to reel this one in!/!!!
5. You have a bad feeling about this one!/!!!
6. You have a terrible feeling about this one!/!!!
It is important to note that the message you receive is based on your "fishing instinct", which improves in accuracy as your fishing level increases. However, even with a slightly inaccurate fishing instinct there are still several clues that can indicate whether a fish, item, or mob has caught the hook:
Item*
The Message: You can get several different messages, but there will only be one exclamation mark at the end of the message (!).
The Rod: The rod will most likely seem to stay in the neutral position for longer than usual, and will not swing back and forth very much.
The Stamina Bar: The stamina bar depletes noticeably faster with items than with mobs or fish around or above your current fishing level.
*Arrowwood Logs are currently the only item in the game that defy this kind of classification since they result in three exclamation marks (!!!) when they catch the hook but behave like all the other items in terms of rod movement and stamina depletion.
Monster**
The Message: Positive messages (ie messages 1, 2, and 3) usually indicate the possibility of a monster when they are followed by three exclamation marks (!!!).
The Rod: The rod will move a little less often than it would had you landed a large fish around or above your current fishing level.
The Stamina Bar: The stamina bar will deplete noticeably faster with mobs than with large fish around or above your current fishing level.
**There is a very reliable way to determine if you have caught a monster based on the depletion rate of the stamina bar. If the message you get when something catches your hook is followed by three exclamation marks (!!!), then you have either caught a monster or a large fish. If you do not press any of the direction keys while the rod is in the 10 o'clock or 2 o'clock positions but the stamina bar still depletes very slowly and by slight increments every few seconds, then you have hooked a monster. If you do not press any of the direction keys while the rod is in the 10 o'clock or 2 o'clock positions and the stamina bar does not deplete very slowly and by slight increments every few seconds, then you have hooked a large fish.
Small Fish
The Message: You can get several different messages, but there will only be one exclamation mark at the end of the message (!).
The Rod: The rod will swing back and forth more rapidly than it would had you hooked an item.
The Stamina Bar: The stamina bar will deplete faster than with large fish, but not as fast as with an item.
Large Fish
The Message: Negative messages (ie 4, 5, and 6) usually indicate the possibility of a large fish when they are followed by three exclamation marks (!!!). Message 3 followed by three exclamation marks is a very good indication that you have hooked a large fish.
The Rod: The rod will swing back and forth more rapidly than it would with a small fish or a mob.
The Stamina Bar: The stamina bar will deplete slowly and at a noticeably lower rate than with small fish or mobs.
Certain Legendary Fish
The Message: Negative messages (ie 4, 5, and 6) usually indicate the possibility of certain legendary fish when they are followed by three exclamation marks (!!!).
The Rod: The rod will swing back and forth very rapidly. Believe me, when you hook one of these legendary fish (ex Ryugu Titan) you will definitely know.
The Stamina Bar: The stamina bar will deplete quickly, about as fast as it does with items. However, the quick rod movement still makes this certain type of legendary fish very difficult to catch.
c. Summary: What Caught my Hook and what Should I Do?
Well hopefully this section will provide you with some general guidelines that will allow you to tell exactly what type of catch has hooked your line so that you can evaluate whether it is worth taking the time to reel in, and if so, how best to land it successfully. Unfortunately a lot of this is pretty relative and will require a lot of practice and experience to perfect, but this summary should at least get you started.
-If you get a positive message (ie 1, 2, or 3) followed by one exclamation mark (!), then you have hooked an item or a small fish.*
____________If the rod stays in the neutral position longer than usual and does not swing back and forth very much, and if the stamina bar depletes rapidly, then you have most likely hooked an item. If you are fishing in an area with items capable of snapping your rod or are using a Lure/Rig, then you will probably be best off saving your time and inventory space for actual fish by pressing Esc. If you are fishing in an area where you can catch valuable items or are using Live Bait, you should consider taking the time to catch the item since caught items do not use up any bait, but pressing Esc to reel in your line does.
____________If the rod moves back and forth as normal and the stamina bar depletes at a moderate rate, than you have most likely hooked a small fish. Hold down the 4 or 6 keys while being careful not press a key in the wrong direction or while the rod is in the neutral (12) position.
-If you get a positive message (ie 1, 2, or 3) followed by three exclamation marks (!!!), then you have hooked a monster or a large fish (message 3 with three exclamation marks is a very good indication that you have hooked a large fish).*
____________If the rod moves a little less often than it does when you land a large fish around or above your current fishing level, and if the stamina bar depletes a little more rapidly, then you have most likely hooked a monster. Verify that you have actually caught a monster by checking to see if the stamina bar depletes (slowly) while the rod is in the 10 or 2 positions even when you do not press any of the directional keys. Since monsters aren't worth any gil and will not skill you up, you will most likely be better off spending your time catching actual fish. Consider hitting Esc and reeling in your line.
____________If the rod moves a little more rapidly than it does when you land a mob, and if the stamina bar depletes at a slower rate, then you have most likely hooked a large fish. Verify that you have actually caught a large fish by making sure that the stamina bar does not deplete when the rod is in the 10 or 2 positions and you are not pressing any of the direction keys. If the stamina bar depletes slowly then you will probably be best off using the "tapping method" by rapidly tapping the 4 or 6 keys when the rod is in the 10 or 2 positions and being careful to stop tapping if the rod moves into the 11, 12, or 1 positions.
____________If the rod moves back and forth very frequently, yet the stamina bar depletes rapidly, then you have most likely hooked a certain type of Legendary Fish. For a few of these Legendaries like the Ryugu Titan you will probably be best off holding down the 4 or 6 keys even when the rod is in the 11 or 1 positions since the stamina bar depletes so quickly.
-If you get a negative message (ie 4, 5, or 6) followed by one exclamation mark (!), then you have hooked an item or a small fish.*
____________If the rod stays in the neutral position longer than usual and does not swing back and forth very much, and if the stamina bar depletes rapidly, then you have most likely hooked an item. If you are fishing in an area with items capable of snapping your rod or are using a Lure/Rig, then you will probably be best off saving your time and inventory space for actual fish by pressing Esc. If you are fishing in an area where you can catch valuable items or are using Live Bait, you should consider taking the time to catch the item since caught items do not use up any bait, but pressing Esc to reel in your line does.
____________If the rod moves back and forth as normal and the stamina bar depletes at a moderate rate, than you have most likely hooked a small fish. Hold down the 4 or 6 keys while being careful not press a key in the wrong direction or while the rod is in the neutral (12) position.
-If you get a negative message (ie 4, 5, or 6) followed by three exclamation marks (!!!), then you have hooked a monster or a large fish.*
____________If the rod moves a little less often than it does when you land a large fish around or above your current fishing level, and if the stamina bar depletes a little more rapidly, then you have most likely hooked a monster. Verify that you have actually caught a monster by checking to see if the stamina bar depletes (slowly) while the rod is in the 10 or 2 positions even when you do not press any of the directional keys. Since monsters aren't worth any gil and will not skill you up, you will most likely be better off spending your time catching actual fish. Consider hitting Esc and reeling in your line.
____________If the rod moves a little more rapidly than it does when you land a mob, and if the stamina bar depletes at a slower rate, then you have most likely hooked a large fish. Verify that you have actually caught a large fish by making sure that the stamina bar does not deplete when the rod is in the 10 or 2 positions and you are not pressing any of the direction keys. If the stamina bar depletes slowly then you will probably be best off using the "tapping method" by rapidly tapping the 4 or 6 keys when the rod is in the 10 or 2 positions and being careful to stop tapping if the rod moves into the 11, 12, or 1 positions.
____________If the rod moves back and forth very frequently, yet the stamina bar depletes rapidly, then you have most likely hooked a certain type of legendary fish. For a few of these Legendaries like the Ryugu Titan you will probably be best off holding down the 4 or 6 keys even when the rod is in the 11 or 1 positions since the stamina bar depletes so quickly.
*Again, Arrowwood Logs are currently the only item in the game that defy this kind of classification since they result in three exclamation marks (!!!) when they catch the hook but behave like all the other items in terms of rod movement and stamina depletion.
For quick reference, here is a simplified chart that will help you learn how to identify what caught your hook and what you should do:
___stamina bar depletes when the rod
/ is in the 10 or 2 positions and you are not
three exclamation marks(!!!)__/ pressing any direction keys = monster release
\
\___stamina bar does not deplete when the rod
is in the 10 or 2 positions and you are not
pressing any direction keys = big fish catch
___rod does not swing back and forth rapidly
/ stays in neutral position longer than usual
one exclamation mark(!)____/ stamina bar depletes very quickly = item catch
\
\___rod moves back and forth as normal
doesn't stay in neutral position for very long
stamina bar depletes at the normal rate = small fish catch
NOTE: remember that Arrowwood Logs are the exception to this type of classification since they result in three exclamation marks (!!!) when they catch the hook but behave like all the other items in terms of rod movement and stamina depletion.
d. Fishing Tips
Here are a few general fishing tips.
-Moon Phase Affects Fishing
Pre-update optimal moon phases increased both the abundance and bite rate of fish in a given area, and according to the Playonline Update Notes provided by SE, the extent to which the moon affects fishing was actually increased.
The best moon phases for fishing are 0% (new moon) and 100% (full moon). Generally fishing conditions deteriorate slightly as the moon approaches 50%.
To check the current moon phase in game, type "/clock".
If you want to know what the current moon phase is out of game, or would like to know when the next optimal fishing conditions will occur check out the diagram on the right hand side of The Clanwind Database, or the Pyogenes Timer, or this Final Fantasy Timer (Japanese).
-Go Outside
Generally the quantity and bite rate of fish is noticeably better in outside areas than it is in cities. There are a few cities that offer competitive bite rates (Rabao for example), and the extent to which the bite rate is better in cities vs non-cities has been reduced somewhat since the last major updates, but you will usually be far better off in terms of skill ups and profit per hour if you venture outside.
Fishing Support is Cheap
Wearing Fishing Gear isn't the only way to increase your Fishing Skill without the hassle of actually catching fish. Fishing Support is offered by three NPCs near the Fishing Guild at C-8 in Port Windurst:
Degong and Erabu-Famulubu both offer free Fishing Support that lasts one hour and adds +1 to your current Fishing Skill.
Panja-Nanja offers Advanced Support that lasts 2 hours and adds +2 to your current Fishing Skill. The cost of this support is 30 gil + an additional 30 gil for every 10 full levels of Fishing skill you have. For example, at level 30 Advanced Support would cost you 120 gil (30 + 30x3).
There is also a theory floating around that each of the three NPCs offers a specific type of support: Degong's support increases your effectiveness at salt water fishing, Erabu-Famulubu's support increases your effectiveness at fresh water fishing, and Panja-Nanja's support increases your effectiveness at targeting Legendary Fish. To my knowledge this theory has not yet been confirmed or disproven.
In any case, Fishing Support increases your Fishing Skill (which can make a big difference in the first few levels), lasts a while, and is either free or extremely cheap, so be sure to stop by one of these three Guild NPCs if you are heading through Windurst.
Inventory Space is Important
Nothing kills the enjoyment of a good fishing session like running out of inventory space. Fortunately, there are currently six "Gobbie Bag" quests that increase your inventory capacity by 5 each, which means that completing all six quests will double your inventory space from 30 to 60. This will allow you to carry more bait and hold more fish, which in turn allows you to spend more of your time fishing for skillups and profit, and less of it running back and forth to clean out your inventory. For this reason completing the Gobbie Bag quests can be considered an investment, at least as far as fishing is concerned.
Unfortunately the Gobbie Bag quests require a moderate amount of gil and a significant amount of Jeuno fame. Since Jeuno fame is based on your highest fame level in two of the three stating nations, you will need to earn a good amount of fame in both San d'Oria and Windurst, Bastok and Windurst, or Bastok and San d'Oria before you can complete these quests.
-One of the easiest ways to earn fame in both San d'Oria and Bastok is by repeating the
Only the Best Quest by turning in La Theine Cabbage, Millioncorn, or Boyahda Moss to Melyon at I-9 in Selbina. Melyon will give you 100 gil for 5 heads of La Theine Cabbage, 120 gil for 3 ears of Millioncorn, or 600 gil for each clump of Boyahda Moss, and unlike most of the other repeatable quests for fame, you don't have to zone in between trades. La Theine Cabbage can be purchased for 22-24 gil each from Bin Stejihna (G-8 Windurst Woods), Phamelise (K-9 San d'Oria South), or Rosswald (J-7 Port Bastok) depending on who controls the Zulkheim Region at any given time, Millioncorn can be purchased for about 44-49 gil each from Maqu Molpih (H-8 Windurst Waters), Antonian (J-8 North San d'Oria), or Oggodett (I-9 Bastok Markets) depending on who controls the Aragoneu Region at any given time, and Boyahda Moss is dropped by Gobbue type mobs or can be purchased on the Auction House for a little more than what Melyon will pay you for them. What this means is that it is possible to buy these items and turn them in for fame at a relatively small gil loss. Keep in mind that 1 Clump of Boyahda Moss is worth more fame than 1 Ear of Millioncorn, which is worth more fame than 1 Head of La Theine Cabbage.
-One of the easiest ways to earn Windurst fame is by repeating the Mandragora-Mad Quest by turning in Cornettes to Yoran-Oran at E-5 in Windurst Walls. Yoran-Oran will give you 200 gil for every Cornette you turn in, and unlike most of the other repeatable quests for fame, you don't have to zone in between trades. Cornettes can be purchased from Harmodios who is located in Harmodios Music Shop at K-10 in Bastok Markets for 219-253 gil each (as long as Bastok is in 1st or 2nd place in the Conquest Tally), which means you will not loose that much gil repeating this quest, but will gain a significant amount of fame.
Once you have obtained enough gil and fame you can complete the 6 Gobbie Bag quests by turning in the following items to Bluffnix at H-9 in Muckvix's Junk Shop located in Lower Jeuno:
Gobbie Bag I
Dhalmel Leather
Linen Cloth
Peridot
Steel Ingot
Gobbie Bag II
Mythril Ingot
Ram Leather
Turquoise
Wool Cloth
Gobbie Bag III
Painite
Gold Ingot
Velvet Cloth
Tiger Leather
Gobbie Bag IV
Cerment Chunk
Dark Steel Ingot
Silk Cloth
Goshenite
Gobbie Bag V
Square of Bugard Leather
Paktong Ingot
Square of Moblinweave
Rhodonite
Gobbie Bag VI
Shakudo Ingot
Square of Balloon Cloth
Iolite
High Quality Eft Skin
e. Fishing Rods
Fishing Rods can be synthesized, obtained from certain mobs, and purchased on the Auction House or from various NPCs. There are two things that you should consider when choosing which rod to use for a specific fish or location: 1. Rod Composition, and 2. Rod Type.
1. Rod Composition
There are two distinct rod compositions*: Wooden and Synthetic. According to the Playonline Update Notes provided by SE, Wooden Rods lack the durability of Synthetic Rods but are able to deplete the stamina of fish more quickly. Synthetic Rods, on the other hand, cannot deplete the stamina of fish as quickly as Wooden Rods, but are able to keep the fish on the line longer.
2. Rod Type
There are also two distinct rod types*: "small fish" rods and "big fish" rods. Big fish rods won't break on big fish, but they also have a bad catch rate when it comes to landing small fish. Small fish rods have a better catch rate for landing small fish than big fish rods, but they are also far less durable, so they will break frequently on bigger fish and certain items.
*The Lu Shang's Fishing Rod is an exception to this kind of classification since it combines some of the quick stamina reduction of Wooden Rods with the extended catch time of Synthetic Rods. In addition, the Lu Shang's Fishing Rod offers the best catch rate when it comes to "small fish", but is also the most durable rod in the game when it comes to catching "big fish". Finally, according to SE the Lu Shang's Fishing Rod also offers an advantage above other rods when it comes to landing Legendary Fish, though no one is certain about the exact nature of that advantage yet.
So Which Rod Should I Use?
Basically this is what I recommend as far as rod choice is concerned: fishers that are just starting out (or those fishers with a limited budget) should pick up a Carbon, Mithran, and Composite Rod. More experienced fishers (or those fishers that have more gil to play around with) should pick up a Hume, Halcyon, and Composite Rod.
Carbon/Hume rods have the best catch rate out of the 3 in terms of small fish, but are also the least durable. Composite is the most durable, but has the worst catch rate for small fish, and the Mithran/Halcyon are in between the two.
When you are planning on fishing a certain spot check The Clanwind Database or The Oksana Database to see which rods will break and which catches will actually break them to determine how often you can expect to loose a rod. (Note: Clanwind and Oksana do not list the Hume or Halcyon rods since they are relatively new additions to the game. Generally the Hume Rod has the same durability as the Carbon, while the Halcyon has the same durability as the Mithran, so if you are using one of the new rods estimate the likelihood of breakage based on these values)
If a Carbon/Hume won't break or only breaks on rare catches, use it. If the Carbon/Hume will break frequently use the Mithran/Halcyon. If the Mithran/Halcyon will break frequently use the Composite.
This is pretty much the only way to try and get the best of both worlds in terms of catch rate for small fish and durability for large fish pre-Lu Shang's.
For general reference, here is a complete list of fishing rods that includes composition, type, and durability.
Yew Fishing Rod
Composition: Wooden
Type: Small fish
Durability: 1
This rod is only capable of landing a few specific fish sucessfully though it can make an acceptable starter rod, especially when targeting Moat Carp in Knightwell since it drops from the Goblin Fishers that circle the lake. However, given its extremely low durability the Yew Rod should only be used by fishers that are able to distinguish Crayfish and Moat Carp from all other catches including fish, items, and mobs, which will most likely break this rod. For this reason I do not recommend Yew Rods to fishers that are just starting out since they will most likely not have enough fishing experience to make this kind of distinction. If you are a new fisher you should consider the Carbon Rod, which has similar characteristics but is much more forgiving given its greater durability.
Willow Fishing Rod
Composition: Wooden
Type: Small fish
Durability: 1
As with the Yew, the extremely low durability of the Willow Rod limits its usefulness to all but a few specific target fish and locations. However, Willow Rods will actually come in handy if you decide to level up through the late 50s by breakfishing on the Ferry.
Tarutaru Fishing Rod
Composition: Wooden
Type: Small fish
Durability: 2
I can't really recommend this rod to new fishers since it has a chance to break on almost everything. Like many of the weaker rods it is still usable for skilled fishers, but even then you will quickly outgrow its usefulness after the earliest few levels.
Fastwater Fishing Rod
Composition: Wooden
Type: Small fish
Durability: 2
Again, a weak rod with limited usefulness, the Fastwater Fihsing Rod will most likely break too often to be worth the hassle.
Bamboo Fishing Rod
Composition: Wooden
Type: Small fish
Durability: 2
Not going to recommend this rod either since it breaks on most fish and can only land a few items with any consistency.
Glass Fiber Fishing Rod
Composition: Synthetic
Type: Small fish
Durability: 3
Another rod I can't really recommend since it breaks on most fish and several items, though for some reason it can land Fat Greedies and Gold Carp.
Carbon Fishing Rod
Composition: Synthetic
Type: Small fish
Durability: 5
A very good rod, and the third best rod in the game when it comes to catching small fish. However, the one major drawback of the Carbon Rod is that it is relatively weak, and will break on almost all large fish and several items, preventing you from using it in many areas.
Clothespole
Composition: Wooden
Type: Small fish
Durability: 5.5
A fairly decent starter rod. Also acceptable for catching Moat Carp except in areas without Cheval Salmon or Rusty Caps.
Hume Fishing Rod
Composition: Wooden
Type: Small fish
Durability: 5.5
A great rod for catching Moat Carp, the Hume is basically an improved wooden version of the Carbon Rod since it is slightly more durable and won't lose any fish to the "too small" message. In addition, the wooden composition will allow you to wear down the stamina of small fish more quickly than you could using the Carbon. However, the Hume Rod is more expensive than the Carbon Rod, and will still break on most large non-stackable fish and several items including Rusty Subligars, which means this rod is best used by experienced fishers who are able to distinguish small fish from large fish, monsters, and items.
Single Hook Fishing Rod
Composition: Synthetic
Type: Small fish
Durability: 6
This rod is basically a slightly more durable Synthetic equivalent of the Clothespole and is also a decent starter/Moat rod.
Mithran Fishing Rod
Composition: Wooden
Type: Small fish
Durability: 7
A very good rod, the Mithran is less durable than the Composite but significantly better at landing small fish. Unfortunately this rod will break on almost all non-stackable large fish.
Halcyon Fishing Rod
Composition: Synthetic
Type: Small fish
Durability: 7.5
An excellent rod, the Halcyon is second only to the Lu Shang's in terms of catching small fish. However, given its synthetic composition, it will take longer to deplete the stamina bar with this rod than it would using wooden rods like the Mithran, but the dramatic reduction in "too small" messages will most likely be worth the effort. Though it is slightly more durable than the Mithran, the Halcyon Rod can break on many large fish and items like Arrowhead Logs and Coral Fragments, and since it is fairly expensive this rod is best used by experienced fishers who are able to distinguish small fish from large fish and items.
Composite Fishing Rod
Composition: Synthetic
Type: Big fish
Durability: 9
A great rod, second in durability only to the Lu Shang's and a good second choice for Legendary Fish. The one major drawback of this rod is that you will lose many catches to the dreaded "too small" message when targeting small fish with it.
Lu Shang's Fishing Rod
Composition: Other
Type: Both big fish and small fish
Durability: 10
Obtained by completing The Competition/Rivalry Quest, this rod combines some of the quick stamina reduction of Wooden Rods with the extended catch time of Synthetic Rods. In addition it offers the best catch rate when it comes to small fish, but is also the most durable rod in the game when it comes to landing big fish and Legendary Fish. Simply put, the best fishing rod in the game and most likely the last rod you will ever use.
Ebisu Fishing Rod
Composition: Unknown
Type: Unknown
Durability: Unbreakable
Very little is known about this rod other than that it is unbreakable and that it is extremely difficult to obtain. For more information check out this thread.
f. Is the Lu Shang's Fishing Rod Really Necessary?
The Lu Shang's Fishing Rod is very difficult to get, plain and simple. You can either spend months fishing up all 10,000 Moat Carp yourself, weeks and millions of gil camping the Auction House in order to buy them all, or any combination of the two. Either way you will be investing a lot of time and money into completing this quest, but like the time you invest into leveling fishing, it will definately pay off. Rather than just telling you outright that you will have to get this rod eventually, I will try to point out the advantages of having a Lu Shang's versus the disadvantages of not having one at several different stages of fishing so that you can make the decision for yourself.
Skillups 0-50
You will notice in the guide that I don't list the Lu Shang's as a recommended rod for any specific target fish or location during these levels. The only reason for this is that I don't really expect anyone to have one that early. But if they did, they should definately use it in place of the other rods since the Lu Shang's is simply the best rod in the game regardless of what fish you are targeting or where you will be fishing. The only time I would not recommend using a Lu Shang's is on the Ferry targting fish capapable of breaking it if you haven't leveled Woodworking to 80+ so that you can repair it. For these levels breaking Composite Rods is generally the best option if you don't have sufficiently leveled Woodworking since there is a good demand for busted Composites from level 80ish Alchemists looking to skill up by repairing them. But again, in all other circumstances at all other levels the Lu Shang's is the rod of choice.
If you do have a Lu Shang's starting from 0 you will have an advantage over the other fishers who don't, but this advantage is fairly slight pre-50. Using a Mithran/Halcyon pre-50 will allow you to get the same bite rate and skillups as a Lu Shang's, though you will have more rod breaks. On the other hand, if you use the Composite Rod pre-50 you will also get the same bite rates and skillups, but you will lose many of your catches to the "too small" message. So all the Lu Shang's really does for you pre-50 is save you money on rod breaks and make you money on catches that would have otherwise been lost to the "too small" message.
Skillups 50-60
Here the advantage of having a Lu Shang's picks up significantly, especially targeting small fish like Bluetail. The Mithran/Halcyon will break on many fish that can be found in the same area as Bluetail, so you won't really want to use it due to the frequent breaks. But the Composite will lose too many of the Bluetail to the "too small" message, so it is not really efficient either. So for some target fish during this stretch you will need a rod with both a great catch rate for small fish and great durability for large fish, and again the Lu Shang's is the only rod in the game that fits this description. Still, during this stretch there are other target fish that will skill you up like Shall Shells or Red Terrapin that you can catch with the Mithran/Halcyon in areas where breaks are rare, so you can kind of get away with not having a Lu Shang's in the early 50s though it isn't ideal. And in the later 50s you can breakfish for skillups on the Ferry using Willows, so here again you can get away with not having a Lu Shang's, but you will be at a slight disadvantage during these levels since you won't be able to target the optimal skillup fish in the best areas given how many rods you will break or what a large percentage of your catches you will lose to the "too small" message.
Skillups 60+
A Lu Shang's will pretty much feel required in terms of skillups after 60. In almost every area you will fish for skillups you will be targeting both small fish that the Composite will not be able to land frequently and large fish that will snap the Mithran/Halcyon very frequently. Quifim Island North fishing for Black Sole and Gigant Squid is a great example. You will lose all but a few of the Black Sole to the "too small" message if you fish with the Composite, and you will lose all but a few of the Gigant Squid to rod breaks if you use a Mithran/Halcyon. And unfortunately at this level there are not many alternative locations or rod/bait combinations that will get you by without a Lu Shang's like there were in the earlier levels. You can still technically continue to level losing catches or breaking rods every other cast, but it will stop being worth it pretty quickly. If you enjoy fishing and plan on taking it past 60 you will pretty much end up with a Lu Shang's somehow. Getting the Lu Shang's may seem like a hassle, but after a certain point fishing without one is just as big a hassle.
Profits 60+
In my experience the most profitable fishing spots in the game require both a relatively high fishing skill and a Lu Shang's Fishing Rod. Two examples are Sea Serpent Grotto and Qufim Island.
In Sea Serpent Grotto you will be targeting Nebimonites, Bastore Bream, and Grimmonite for profit, along with a few items. Nebs and Bream are small fish, which means if you try fishing here with a Composite you will lose too many of your catches to the "too small" message to take full advantage of your profit potential since the Composite is a big fish rod. But if you use the Mithran/Halcyon rods you will end up losing too many of your catches to rod breaks from Grimmonites since Grims are big fish. What this means is that in order to take full advantage of the profit potential of Sea Serpent Grotto, you need a rod that both excels at catching small fish and is durable enough not to break frequently on big fish, and again, the Lu Shang's is the only rod in the game that fits this description.
In Qufim you will be targeting Gigant Squid and Black Sole for profit. Gigant Squid are big fish, which means if you use the Mithran/Halcyon you will either end up releasing them all or breaking your rod every time you try to reel them in. Also Black Sole are still technically small fish, but they behave like big fish in that they break most of the small fishing rods in the game. What this means is that if you use the Mithran/Halcyon Rod you will most likely lose too many of your catches to rod breaks to be efficient, while if you use the Composite Rod you will most likely lose too many of your catches to the "too small" message. So here again a Lu Shang's is pretty much required if you want to take full advantage of the profit potential of Qufim Island.
If you don't have a Lu Shang's at your disposal then you can consider Moat Carp, Nebimonite, Shall Shells, and Noble Lady for profit, but unfortunately you will not be able make nearly as much as a fisher with a Lu Shang's. The Lu Shang's Quest requires a huge investment of both time and gil, but it definately pays off in the long run if you have the patience to stick it out.
Again, you can still technically continue to level or make gil losing catches or breaking rods every other cast, but it will stop being worth it pretty quickly. It's not really a question of can you continue making profit/skilling up swapping between the Halcyon and Composite or trying to use other rods, but a question of will you be willing to. I would know, I tried to continue fishing for quite some time instead of completing this quest, and it came down to a decision between getting the Lu Shang's Rod or quitting fishing. I went with the first choice and never looked back.
g. Breaking Fishing Rods
While most fishers generally try to avoid rod breaks, broken fishing rods are used in several Woodworking and Alchemy synths, which means many crafters will actually try to break fishing rods on purpose in order to level their craft by repairing them.
Before the last major fishing update all you had to do to snap a Composite Fishing Rod, for example, was hook a fish capapble of breaking it and hit enter. Though the Composite Rod is the second most durable rod in the game, many Alchemists could hook fish capapable of snapping it on the Ferry pretty consistently, even with a very low fishing skill.
However, since the update, pressing enter before the stamina bar is completely depleted will merely snap your line 99% of the time. This means that in order to break a Composite Rod you will now have to not only hook a fish capable of breaking it, but have a high enough fishing skill to completely deplete that fish's stamina.
In addition, according to the patch notes provided by SE, "the durability of wooden fishing rods designed for catching small fish has been substantially increased", making them a little harder to snap as well.
Basically post-update if you would like to level Woodworking or Alchemy by repairing broken fishing rods, you will need to either 1) have a high enough fishing skill to deplete the stamina of fish capable of snapping the rod, or 2) find a fisherman on your server with a high enough fishing skill and offer to supply them with rods and bait in exchange for the broken rods. Since you can still get skillups on rod breaks, chances are you might be able to find a fisher who could get skillups targeting the fish that will break the specific rod you are looking to repair, and so you can actually set up an arrangement that will be mutually beneficial. For example, If you are a level ~80 Alchemist looking to skill up by repairing broken Composite Rods, you should be able to find a level ~80 Fisher who could get skillups targeting Ryugu Titan and Titanictus on the Ferry with a Composite Rod and Meatballs, and both of these fish are capable of breaking the Composite. If you bring about 5 Composite Rods and a few stacks of Meatballs and head out to the Ferry, the Fisher could keep casting and trade you the broken Composite Rods a few at a time, while you trade him the repaired rods at the same time. This way the Fisher could be fishing and you could be synthing pretty much the whole time, and both of you would be getting consistent skillups.
h. Fishing Bait
Fishing Bait can be synthesized, obtained from certain mobs, and purchased on the Auction House or from various NPCs. There are three distinct types of bait for you to choose from based on which fish you decide to target and which area you will be fishing in: 1. Live Bait, 2. Lures, and 3. Rigs.
1. Live Bait (examples: Insect Paste, Sliced Cod, Little Worm)
Pre-update using Live Bait usually resulted in a better bite rate (ie more bites from fish in the same amount of time) compared to using Lures or Rigs. While this is still true to some degree, ever since the update fish seem willing to bite on just about anything, and they bite very frequently. The one major disadvantage of using Live Bait is that an entire fishing session worth of bait takes up a lot of inventory space, and if you decide to fish in a remote area it is possible that you could run out of bait early and be forced to stop fishing and return to a town to restock.
2. Lures (examples: Shrimp Lure, Sinking Minnow, Fly Lure)
The major advantage of using a Lure is that they take up very little inventory space and while using them you don't have to worry about running out of bait, provided you know what you're doing and are comfortable with the new fishing system. Pre-update Live Bait usually offered a better bite rate than Lures (with a few notable exceptions such as the Shrimp Lure in Sea Serpent Grotto or Quifim Island, or the Minnow on the Ferry), but now most Lures offer competitive bite rates regardless of what you are targeting or where exactly you are fishing. Currently the major drawback of using Lures is that they can be very expensive, and under the new system you have a fairly high chance of losing your Lure to a line snap even on a low level fish if you hit Enter before completely depleting the stamina bar. If you decide to fish with a Lure it is most likely best to play it safe and only hit Enter when the stamina bar is completely depleted, and if you are unable to wear your catch down entirely you should consider hitting the Esc key, which allows you to give up and reel in your line, saving your Lure.
3. Rigs (examples: Rogue Rig, Robber Rig, Sabiki Rig)
While the Rogue Rig is technically capable of catching most fish, it is actually much better at catching items like Rusty Caps and semi-item fish like Shall Shells. The Robber Rig is similar to the Rogue Rig in that it seems to specialize in landing items, though it has a slightly better chance to land fish than the Rogue. The Sabiki Rig is something of an exception since it lands certain fish fairly regularly, and is even capable of pulling up several fish at the same time. As with Lures, the major drawback of using Rigs under the current system is that they are expensive and can be easily lost even to low level fish if you are not paying attention or attempt to reel in whatever caught your hook before the stamina bar is completely depleted.
i. Fishing Gear and Fishing Key Items
In addition to the basic rods and bait, there are several pieces of fishing gear and a few key items available through crafting, the Auction House, or the Fishing Guild that can improve your fishing results.
Standard Fishing Gear
The standard fishing gear offers +4 Fishing Skill total and is available to level 1 players with 0 Fishing Skill. It is divided into four pieces that are worn in the body, hands, legs, and feet slots:
-Fisherman's Tunica
Def: 2, Fishing Skill +1
-Fisherman's Gloves
Def: 1, Fishing Skill +1
-Fisherman's Hose
Def: 1, Fishing Skill +1
-Fisherman's Boots
Def: 1, Fishing Skill +1
This +Fishing Skill increases your operative Fishing Skill, not your actual Fishing Skill. What this means is that if you are a level 50 fisher targeting Shall Shells (which cap at 53) with the full set of fishing gear, you will catch them as if you were a 54 fisher, but can still get skill ups since your actual Fishing Skill is still 50.
There is also a HQ version available called the Angler's set, which offers additional Def and has a level 15 requirement. This HQ version offers no additional Fishing Skill.
Is the Standard Fishing Gear Worth It?
Pre-update the major reason to get the Fishing Gear was that it could reduce the time you had to wait between casts. For example, under the old fishing system every 10 Fishing Skill Levels you acquired knocked a second off the recast timer that determined how long you had to wait in between casts. So, if you were a level 56 fisher you would have a recast time of 9 seconds, but if you equipped the complete Fisherman's set it would raise your operative Fishing Skill to level 60, knocking an additional second off your recast time, which means you would only have to wait 8 seconds between casts. 1 second may not seem like a very significant difference, but if you think about how many times you cast in an hour you will see that it starts to add up.
Under the new system, a level 1 fisher does not have to wait any longer to recast than a level 100 fisher, which means the old reason to purchase the fishing gear no longer applies. However, under the new system your Fishing Skill determines the depletion and recovery rates of the stamina bar, and a higher Fishing Skill reduces the chances that your rod will break or your line will snap, so there is still some reason to pick up the gear. +4 Fishing Skill may not seem like all that much, and it may not make a huge difference, but anything helps and the Fishing Gear is relatively inexpensive. Besides, if you do things correctly you won't be needing your armor while you fish anyway.
Guild Fishing Gear/Key Items
In order to obtain Guild Fishing Gear, you must first enter into a Guild Contract by speaking with Fennella from the Fishing Guild located at C-8 in Port Windurst. Once you have entered into a Guild Contract you can begin accumulating Guild Points by turning in the appropriate Guild Fish of the Day, and these Guild Points can eventually be redeemed for fishing gear or key items that improve your fishing results.
Some things to keep in mind when accumulating Guild Points:
1. You can only collect Guild Points for turning in one specific type of fish per day.
2. The total number of Guild Points you can accumulate each day is limited and depends on which specific fish the Guild is requesting for that day.
3. The specific type of fish the Guild will ask you to turn in depends on your current Fishing Rank (Apprentice, Veteran, etc).
4. The Guild Fish of the Day changes at Midnight 12:00am Japan Standard Time (JST), which is roughly 5am Pacific time or 8am Eastern.
5. Be aware that you can have an open contract with only one Guild at a time, so that opening a contract with the Fishing Guild will close out any other contracts you may have and eliminate any Guild Points you may have accumulated in other crafts.
In order to determine which fish you can currently turn in for Guild points, check the Daily Item Guild Tool hosted by Titanictus. It lists the current Guild Fish of the Day for your specific Fishing Rank, the number of Guild points you will receive for each fish turned in, the maximum number of that fish you can turn in per day, and the maximum number of points you can accumulate per day, as well as a list of the possible Guild Fish of the Day for tomorrow.
Once you have reached the required Fishing Rank and accumulated enough Guild Points, you can redeem them for Guild Gear or Key Items. Here is some of the Guild Gear and Key Items currently available, along with their respective requirements:
-Robber Rig
This Rig is very similar to the Rogue Rig, though it does seem to focus a little more on catching actual fish instead of items.
Requirements: 1,500 Guild Points, must be a "Novice" ranked fisher or above (Fishing Skill level 28+).
-Fisherman's Belt
Enchantment: Synthesis Image Support, Charges: 15
This belt grants Fishing Support much like what you receive from the NPCs at the Fishing Guild in Port Windurst, though it only lasts 30 minutes. This belt is limited to 15 individual uses, and it cannot be recharged.
Requirements: 10,000 Guild Points, must be an "Aprentice" ranked fisher or above (Fishing Skill level 38+).
-Waders
Def: 2, Wtr +2, Fishing Skill +2
The Waders offer +2 Fishing Skill, which allows you to wear the Fisherman's Apron (see below) and still get +4 Fishing Skill total from your full set of Fishing Gear. As an added bonus, the Waders look awesome.
Requirements: 70,000 Guild Points, must be a "Journeyman" ranked fisher or above (Fishing Skill level 48+).
-Fisherman's Apron
Def: 4, Ice +1, Wtr +1, Reduces chances of fishing up items
The common consensus from high level fishers is that the fact that the Fisherman's Apron reduces your chances of catching items means that it also increases your chances of catching actual fish. For example, if you would normally catch an item 2 times out of 10 and a fish 8 times out of 10 with the standard Fisherman's Tunica, equipping the Fisherman's Apron will reduce the times you catch items to 1 out of 10, in effect increasing the times you catch fish to 9 out of 10. With the exception of Sea Serpent Grotto, most items you catch are relatively worthless, and so catching actual fish in their place will significantly improve your profits.
Requirements: 100,000 Guild Points, must be an "Artisan" ranked fisher or above (Fishing Skill level 68+).
-Fishing Hole Map
Storage +1
This piece of furniture provides Moghancement: Fishing
Quote:Moogle-Powered assistance from your Mog House. Increases your fishing skill.
This is different from the Moghancement: Fishing obtained by placing Comodes or Rusty Buckets in your Mog House, which increases your chance to catch items. Common consensus from high level fishers is that this map increases your Fishing Skill by 1.
Requirements: 150,000 Guild Points, must be a "Veteran" ranked fisher or above (Fishing Skill level 88+).
-Key Item: Frog Fishing
Description: This special technique requires the use of a live fly on your line. It is perfect for catching amphibious prey.
The common consensus of the high level fisherman I've heard from who have this key item is that it improves your ability to land Tricorn, a Legendary Fish introduced with the CoP expansion and is a waste of Guild Points.
Requirements: 30,000 Guild Points
-Key Item: Serpent Rumors
Description: A compilation of data retrieved from sightings of a giant snake-like beast leaving in the depths of Vana'diel's waters. There is enough information here to shed light on where you may find it...
Apparantly this Key Item is required if you intend to catch Lik and Gugrusaurus, which are both a part of the Ebisu Fishing Rod Quest.
Requirements: 95,000 Guild Points, must be an "Adept" ranked fisher or above (Fishing Skill level 78+).
-Key Item: Mooching
Description: This special technique requires the use of live bait on your line. It is perfect for catching exceptionally large prey.
The common theory is that this key item increases the amount of time you are able to keep a fish on your line, which may make it easier to deplete the stamina of Lik and Gugrusaurus, which are both a part of the Ebisu Fishing Rod Quest.
Requirements: 115,000 Guild Points, must be a "Veteran" ranked fisher or above (Fishing Skill level 88+).
j. Fishing for Items/Rusty Items
Back in the day if you wanted to fish for rusty items you needed four things:
1. Moghancement: Fishing:
Moghancement: Fishing increases your chances of catching items. You get Moghancement: Fishing by placing either Rusty Buckets or Commodes in your Moghouse. As with the other Moghancements, there are 3 distinct levels of influence: Faint, Powerfull, and Overwhelming. Each Rusty Bucket is worth 1 point, each Commode is worth 16 points.
0-50 Points: Faint Energy
51-100 Points: Powerful Energy
100+ Points: Overwhelming Energy
The higher level energy you have the greater your chance of catching items.
2. Composite Rod:
The one drawback of the Composite Rod is that it is terrible at landing small fish. It is a great item rod though, and will not break on any rusties.
3. Rogue Rig:
The Rogue Rig is great at hooking items and semi-item fish like Shall Shells, but terrible at landing actual fish. Again this is actually a good thing when targeting rusties.
4. Patience:
Before the new fatigue system there was the "anti-bot code" that kicked in after anywhere from 60-180 minutes and dramatically decreased your chances of catching actual fish while increasing your chances to catch items. If you were intentionally targeting items you could use this to your advantage by not zoning for extended periods of time since zoning seemed to reset the code.
As far as I can tell the only changes that have really affected fishing for items are the new fatigue system and the increased likelihood of line snaps. But line snaps seem to be based somewhat on your current fishing skill, and since items have no skill cap you might be able to get away with using the Rogue Rig without losing too many rigs to line breaks as long as you completely deplete the stamina bar each time. Coral Fragments do seem to snap lines frequently though, and if you end up losing a few Rogue Rigs or fishing in areas where you can hook Coral Fragments you might want to try switching to Meat Balls (which can be purchased from the Fishing Guild at C-8 in Port Windurst for ~52 gil each) or some other bait that won't target any actual fish in the areas you decide to plan on fishing for items/rusty fishing.
k. Fishing in Areas with Higher Level Monsters
Sometimes the best bite rates and target fish for profits and skillups can be found in areas where you can catch monsters that are capable of killing you. Two examples of this are the oasis in Eastern Altepa Desert, which contains fishable mobs that range up to level 51, and Sea Serpent Grotto, which contains fishable mobs that range up to level 67. And even if you are capable of killing these mobs, any time you spend fighting them is pretty much wasted in that it is time you could have spend landing something that is actually profitable or capable of skilling you up. Fortunately there are two ways to avoid having to fight these fished up monsters: 1. Sneak Fishing, and 2. Stamina Fishing.
1. Sneak Fishing
Sneak fishing involves keeping the spell Sneak active on yourself at all times. This requires a sufficiently leveled main or sub job capable of casting Sneak, and demands a little more caution than what is necessary for regular fishing. If you see Sneak wearing off in between casts, simply cancel it manually by pressing "+" twice, selecting "Sneak", and hitting enter. Be sure to recast Sneak before you recast your rod. If Sneak wears off after something has already caught your hook but before you have depleted the stamina bar enough to successfully reel it in, you can release your catch manually by pressing Esc, which guarantees that you will not accidentally fish up a monster after Sneak has worn off.
If you fish up a monster while Sneak is in effect, the monster will not attack you, and thanks to the recent patch it will not attack other players. Simply move to a different fishing spot or wait for the mob to disappear/despawn (takes approximately 10 minutes).
2. Stamina Fishing
Stamina Fishing allows you to avoid fighting monsters by never fishing them up in the first place, but requires that you pay pretty close attention to the depletion rate of the stamina bar. If the message you get when something catches your hook is followed by three exclamation marks (!!!), then you have either caught a large fish or a monster (or an Arrowwood Log if you are fishing in certain areas). If you do not press any of the direction keys while the rod is in the 10 o'clock or 2 o'clock positions but the stamina bar still depletes very slowly and by slight increments every few seconds, then you have hooked a monster. If you do not press any of the direction keys while the rod is in the 10 o'clock or 2 o'clock positions and the stamina bar does not deplete very slowly and by slight increments every few seconds, then you have hooked a large fish.
Here is an example of how Stamina Fishing works in actual practice. While fishing in Sea Serpent Grotto, something catches your hook and you get the message "You have a good feeling about this one" followed by three exclamation marks (!!!). This means you have hooked either a large fish or a monster. As you fight to bring in your catch, you wait for the rod to move into either the 10 or 2 position, and when it moves into the 2 position and stays there for several seconds you notice that the stamina bar depletes slightly even though you have not pressed any direction keys during this time. This means you have hooked a monster, and since the fishable mobs in Sea Serpent Grotto range all the way up to 67 and will take you a while to kill, you decide that your time would be better spent catching things that are actually worth some gil or capable of skilling you up, so you press Esc to reel in your line, wait a few seconds, and cast again.
l. Fishing Fatigue
According to SE, under the new system fishers will become "fatigued" after fishing for a certain period of time. Once your character becomes fatigued, the bite rate will drop off dramatically and you will notice a significant increase in both how often you get the "You didn't catch anything" message and how often you catch monsters. In the update notes SE explains that at this point it would be best for you to "change areas, or take a break from fishing for a while".
It should be noted that this concept of fishing fatigue isn't anything new. Under the old system, after a certain period of time your chances of catching fish decreased, while your chances of catching items and monsters increased (see the Oct 21, 2003 Update Notes, towards the bottom of the list). This little piece of programming was generally referred to as the "anti-bot code", and though it kicked in after only 45-90 minutes of fishing, it was easily reset by zoning into a different area and then returning to your fishing spot.
However, this new fatigue system is significantly more effective, and there has been a lot of speculation regarding how long you can fish before becoming fatigued, and what exactly you have to do to "reset" your character's fatigue level. The two most popular theories among high level fishers at the moment are:
1) There is a ~200 fish "cap" in effect, which means your character will become fatigued after landing ~200 fish (not counting mobs). Some additional research seems to indicate that the number of fish you can catch before becoming fatigued may depend on the size, weight, or type of the fish or items you are catching.
2) Your character's fatigue level is automatically reset at midnight 12:00 a.m. Japan time.
I cannot personally verify either, but I will say that you will definitely be able to tell when you become fatigued based on the dramatic reduction in the quality and quantity of your catches, and also by noting how long you must wait before you can recast your rod after you have pulled it out of the water. According to SE, as your character becomes increasingly fatigued, you will have to wait longer and longer before you will be able to recast your rod, and once you reach the point where you have to wait several seconds in between casts, your character has most likely become so fatigued that it will probably no longer be worth your time to continue fishing.
Since SE never announced that they removed the old "anti-bot code", and since some fishers report noticing a decline in the quality and quantity of their catches long before their recast timers increase, many fishers have speculated that there are actually two types of fatigue in effect: Soft Fatigue, which is the old "anti-bot code" kicking in and which is easily reset by zoning a few times before returning to your fishing spot, and Hard Fatigue, which is the new 200 fish cap taking effect, and which can only be reset by waiting until midnight 12:00 am Japan Time.
Though fishing fatigue can ocassionally be extremely frustrating, it is important to remember that it is actually good for fishers since it helps prevent the fish marke
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