Fishing 101
The essential Guide to Fishing in Tamriel
by Aurora Arrowing
Fishing 101: Hook, Line, and Giggles
Although it might not seem like it at first, fishing in Elder Scrolls Online is a very rewarding activity. So, whether you are after some worthwhile rewards, chasing those fishing achievements, or just looking to unwind after a tough day of saving the world, we've got you covered with this guide packed with everything you need to know!
Let's start with the basics
So, what do you actually need to fish? The answer seems pretty obvious: a fishing rod and some bait, right?
Well, good news! Every character already comes equipped with a rod, so no need to worry about that. As for bait, you’ll either need to grab some from a guild store or if you are feeling adventurous you can go harvest it yourself.
While some NPC vendors sell basic bait, we don’t really recommend buying it, because you might end up pulling in “used bait” instead of fish. Fishing is quite time consuming, so snagging some old, soggy bait is just a major letdown.
Where to get bait?
Here’s where to score each type of bait:
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Worms & Crawlers: Harvest alchemy flowers and clothing plants. Crawlers can also be found in creepy crawlies and arachnids, like centipedes, and worms can drop from undead creatures like zombies.
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Insect Parts: Hunt down flying bugs like torchbugs or butterflies.
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Guts: Take out small creatures like squirrels and rabbits.
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Chub, Minnow, Shad, Fish Roe: These can come as bonus loot while you're fishing.
Pro tip: You can also stumble across bait in random containers, especially near docks.
Types of water and matching bait
There are four types of fishing waters: saltwater, lake, river, and foul water. Each one has its own preferred bait to help you avoid catching junk. Sure, you could use any bait in any water, but if you want to actually catch fish, it’s a good idea to match your bait to the water type.
Quick tip: Fishing spots spawn just like flowers or ore nodes, and once you’ve caught all the fish (about 15 casts), the spot disappears. Take into account that if you are fishing with friends or next to another player, their casts count as well!
Rivers, lakes, and the sea are pretty easy to spot just by looking at the map, but foul water can be a bit trickier. If you’re on PC, you can use add-ons to figure out what type of water you’re fishing in (we’ll recommend the best ones later in this guide). But for console players, it’s best to pull up a fishing map for the zone you’re in.
Once you have found a fishing hole, open up the bait wheel by pressing "E" on PC and choose the right bait. Like we said earlier, matching bait to water helps you catch more fish and less junk. Now, just select the right bait, wait for the fish to bite (you’ll see the rod and water moving!), and press "E" again to reel in. That’s it—it’s really that easy!
Types of fish
In the game, you can catch 3 types of fish:
⦁ White (common)
⦁ Green (a bit rarer!)
⦁ Blue (the hardest to find!)
If you catch all the named fish in a zone and you’ll receive the achievement for that area. Catch every named fish in Tamriel, and you’ll earn the “Master Angler” title! Good luck and happy fishing!
Fishing buffs
If you're aiming to reel in those trophy fish, here are some handy buffs to boost your chances:
Fish with Friends! The more, the merrier! Fishing with others gives you a better shot at hooking a rare fish.
Use your Champion Points! Invest in the fishing skills. The “Angler’s Instincts” in the Craft CP tree will up your odds for rare fish. Plus, the “Reel Technique” also in Craft CP cuts down the time it takes for a fish to bite by 25%. Really handy!
Head to Artaeum!
If you have got access to the Summerset chapter, fish in Artaeum for a chance to snag a “Waterlogged Psijic satchel”. Inside, you might find a Recipe: Artaeum Picked Fish Bowl, which boosts your chances of catching rare fish when fishing with others. No DLC? No worries! You can buy waterlogged Psijic satchels from guild traders for gold.
Fish with Sharp-As-Night!
If you have acces to this compation, fish with him for a bonus! His non-combat perk, patience, increases the bite rate for rarer fish. Plus, he loves fishing, so it’s a great way to build up your rapport with him!
What to do with all the fish you caught?
Once you’ve caught a bunch of fish, it’s time to start filleting! Just open your inventory, double-click on a fish (or right-click and select “use”), and watch your character perform a cool filleting animation. The fillet will then be added to your bag.
Fillet enough fish, and you might get a chance at a Perfect Roe! This ingredient is key for crafting some amazing Legendary recipes, like the Psijic Ambrosia, which boosts your experience by 50% for 30 minutes. Or, if you prefer a quick buck, it’s pretty profitable to sell!
Highly recommended add-ons
In this section, we’ve got the top 3 add-ons that will make fishing much easier, especially when going for the Master Angler achievement:
Rare Fish Tracker
This one is a game-changer! It tracks all the named fish in each zone. You get a handy display window that shows your current zone, the fishing achievement for that zone, and your progress.
Votan's Fisherman
This add-on keeps track of the type of fishing hole you’ve fished in and what fish and bait you’ve caught there. It even shows this info in the interaction menu when you’re focused on the fishing hole. Plus, it adds a giant hook in the middle of your screen when a fish bites, making it super easy to know when to reel in.
Votan's Fish Fillet
This simple add-on fillets all the fish in a stack at once, a real time-saver!
We hope this guide has been helpful! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us in-game or on Discord—we’re happy to help.
Happy fishing!
