So you want to be a fisherman? Fishing is a mini-game that allows you to catch fish, which can be used with the cooking secondary skill. You can also catch fish that cannot be eaten but are instead useful for other Professions. You can even catch equipment and funny items. Fishing isn't for everyone. You'll discover that it requires a lot of patience and time to build your skill level up to the maximum level. Fishing is the only trade skill that you can't do while exploring and killing monsters. Since you're basically standing around, you're not gaining experience or other loot. So this development can put your leveling behind, unlike some other Professions. Fishing is great for people who just want to relax and chat while playing. For those who enjoy a calm, relaxing way to play the game while finding useful items, fishing is the cat's meow.

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Getting Started

First, you need to find a fishing trainer. Fishing trainers are usually located next to a lake or stream. If you see an NPC standing near the water, he's likely a fishing trainer or merchant. Ask around and people can help lead you to the fishing trainer. Once you have learned fishing, you need to go find yourself a fishing pole!

Fishing Poles

After you have trained in fishing, you need to go buy a fishing pole. Fishing poles can be purchased from merchants who sell items required for Professions ("trade merchants"). Ask other people where to find one, if you need help. After using your initial Fishing Pole, you can find better ones out there in the world. Check the Auction House for poles.
Fishing Poles Fishing Skill

Blump Family Fishing Pole* +3
Strong Fishing Pole +5
Darkwood Fishing Pole +15
Big Iron Fishing Pole +20
Nat Pagle's Extreme Angler FC-5000** +25
Arcanite Fishing Pole*** +35

*Alliance only quest. Talk to Gubber Blump in Auberdine (Darkshore).
**Horde only quest. Talk to Katoom the Angler at Revantusk Village in the Hinterlands.
***Reward for winning the Stranglethorn Fishing Contest.

Bait

Find a merchant who sells bait. Typically, this vendor will be a "trade merchant". You can then use this bait to raise your fishing skill so that you have an easier time catching fish. Bait wears off after a period of time, so you must continue to reapply it. You can buy better bait for higher bonuses to fishing. You will need Aquadynamic Fish Attractors for the highest level fishing areas. These can be created by Engineers.

Bait +Fishing

Shiny Bauble +25 for 10 minutes
Nightcrawlers +50 for 10 minutes
Bright Baubles +75 for 10 minutes
Flesh Eating Worm +75 for 10 minutes
Aquadynamic Fish Attractor +100 for 5 minutes

Using the Fishing Pole

You will now need to equip the fishing pole. Place it in your main weapon hand. If you have both a main weapon and a secondary shield, you will need to remove both before equipping the fishing pole.
Equip your fishing pole and open up your abilities menu. You will now find a new icon for fishing (or its associated hot key). Drag it over to your action bar.

Now find somewhere to fish. Find the nearest river or lake, or go to the ocean. Face the water and press the fishing button. Your character will make a cast out into the water. If you are unable to fish, you will be informed via an error message with the specific error. Try fishing in another area. If there is not enough room to cast, such as with a narrow river, you might receive an error. Try repositionin

The Fishing Bobber Game

Once you have made your cast, a fishing bobber will appear. Move your mouse over the fishing bobber, which should reveal the standard loot/interaction icon.
You must now wait until the fishing bobber moves and you see a splash. Fishing requires patience. It's not for everybody. A timer will appear and begin counting down after you cast. The timer indicates the length of your current cast. After the timer is up, you'll have to cast again. Right-click on the bobber as soon as possible after the bobber moves. The game portion involves timing it right so that your right-click will result in the fish being caught and not getting away.

If you are successful, you will receive a loot box and you'll be able to catch the fish. If you are not successful a message will inform you that the fish got away.

The splash/hook may occur at different times along the timing bar. Sometimes the splash/hook appears right before the time is up, requiring you to click quickly before the fishing operation is canceled. As you fish more, you will likely become better at clicking at the right time.

Sometimes the bobber doesn't bob at all during the fishing period. Just cast again.

"No fish are hooked"
This means you clicked on the fishing bobber at the wrong time. Try again.

"Your fish got away!"
This means you are fishing in an area that is difficult for your skill level. If you receive this message a lot or all of the time, you need to go to a lower level fishing area. If you only receive this message part of the time, you're in the right area to gain skill-ups. You can reduce this from happening by getting a better fishing pole, applying powerful bait, getting a fishing enchant or item, or by raising your skill (which these items do).
Fishing Areas

The area (region) you're in is listed in the top right corner of your screen and will determine what fish are available to be caught. The first place you should fish is near the starting area for your race. If you try to start off in a more difficult fishing area, it will take much longer to catch fish and to begin building up your fishing skill level. You cannot determine the difficulty-level of the fishing area except through experience, the type of fish you catch, and how often you fail to catch a fish. If you fail a lot, then you're probably in the wrong area. You should try fishing in an easier area. Experiment with different fishing areas. You should figure it out. The level on the items you catch should also let you know how difficult the area is.

Special Fishing Pools

There are special fishing pools located throughout the world that allow you to fish up special fish. To fish them you must continue to cast until your fishing bobber lands inside the animated circle. If it is outside, you will not get the special fish. You can fish the pool 4-6 times before the pool is depleted and disappears.
Oily Black Mouth Shoal
Firefin Snapper Shoal
Sage fish Shoal
Greater Sage fish Shoal
Deviate fish Shoal

Floating Wreckage

There are special floating wreckage areas. You can find some in Stranglethorn Vale. To fish them you must continue to cast until your fishing bobber lands inside the animated circle. If it is outside, you will not get the special items. You can get special lockboxes and chests and sometimes healing and mana potions. The chests sometimes contain valuable items such as green items, runecloth bolts, mageweave bolts, money, leather, and more.

Fish and Fishing Items

Raw Edible Fish - Most fish that you catch can be used as food. Right-click on a fish to eat it.
Cooked Fish - Take raw fish to a cook and have them cooked. Cooked fish will heal a player more than raw fish.
Special Fish - Some special fish, such as a 22-pound catfish, can be held in your off-hand. Place them there to brag about your catch to other people. You may find other non-edible fish that are useful for Professions. Find out what they are for before selling them to a vendor. You can also catch bloated fish which can be opened to contain items.
Clams - Right-click on a clam to open it up. You will either find clam meat, which can be used in cooking recipes, or pearls! Iridescent pearls are very valuable and can be used in blacksmithing, tailoring, and engineering recipes.

Gems - Very rarely will you find gems, such as a lesser moonstone. This item can be used for other Professions.

Weapons and Armor - You may sometimes fish up weapons and armor. Usually these items (gray items) are only good for selling to the vendor for additional cash. You may, however, find some very rare and valuable equipment if you are lucky!
Humorous Items - You may fish up skulls and other items that just exist for flavor. You can sell them to the vendor or brag about your catch with your friends.
Locked Chests - You may fish up locked chests. There may be money and valuable items inside. You will need to have the chest opened by someone with the lockpicking ability. It's often good to combine with fishing so that you can open up your own chests.
Lost Trade Goods - You may find special boxes that contain items for engineering. Save the contents and sell them to an engineer.

Stranglethorn Fishing Extravaganza

The Stranglethorn Fishing Extravaganza is a grand event set along the coasts of Stranglethorn Vale. This contest happens every Sunday at 2 p.m. game time. Early in the day, friendly neighborhood goblins will visit Ironforge and Orgrimmar to inform aspiring anglers of the grand tournament and give instructions. At the appropriate time, the shout will ring out across Stranglethorn to bait your hooks and cast your lines!

Will you be the master fisherman that gathers the necessary amount of tastyfish to win the grand prize? Can you reel in the right fish to receive some of famous Nat Pagle's fabulous fishing equipment? Will the Lucky Fishing Hat make its triumphant return onto the heads of anglers everywhere? You'll soon find out!

Additional Information

+Fishing Skill
You can add more to your fishing skill by catching a special fish during the Stranglethorn Vale fishing contest. You can get an enchantment of +5 to your fishing pole as one of the rewards. You can get a Lucky Fishing Hat which is a prize in the Stranglethorn Fishing contest. You can win Nat Pagle's Extreme Angling' Boots which add +5 to fishing. You can get an enchantment to gloves which adds to fishing from an enchanter.
Fishing Outfits
If you want to dress like a fisherman (why wouldn't you!?!?!) you can get a Lucky Fishing Hat, Blue Overalls (made by Tailors), and Knitted Sandals (bought/dropped). You can find other cool items to fit the fisherman look.

Expert Fishing
To learn expert fishing you need to buy "Expert Fishing - The Bass and You." It costs one gold. It is available from Old Man Heming in Stranglethorn Vale at Booty Bay.

Artisan Fishing
To learn Artisan level you must be level 35 and have 225 fishing. Alliance players need to talk to Grimnur Stonebrand in Ironforge (The Forlon Cavern) while Horde players need to talk to Lumak in the Valley of Honor in Ogrimmar. Both quests send you to talk to Nat Pagle in Dustwallow Marsh. He's located in Tidefury Cove which is south west of Theramore Island. He sends you on a quest to collect four different rare fish throughout the world.

Other Tips

You can sell cooked fish to other players. It's better than store-bought food.
You can find cooking recipes for fish from certain merchants.
Messages in a bottle have a chance of having a recipe in them.
Some of the fishing zones are going to be pretty hard to fish in and will require bait and a good fishing pole.
Some fish can only be caught at certain times of the day!

Common Fishing Questions

What does fishing skill do?
Fishing skill determines your chance of being successful at catching a fish. It does not determine what type of fish you find; nor does it allow you to unlock special items besides allowing you to fish in more difficult areas. If you are able to catch fish most of the time or all of the time then your fishing skill is high enough.
Does it matter where I fish? Should I move around?
The region (zone) determines what fish and loot you will be able to find. Besides that difference, it doesn't matter where you fish. If you try fishing on the shore in a certain area and move up the beach within the same region, it will be the same. Moving does not affect your chances