Quick answer: Put on a fishing pole, then improve your skill with lures. At Fishing 125, study Expert Fishing – The Bass and You to raise the limit to 225; at camp, construct the Fishing Rack and Fishing Hut.
How Fishing works in WoW Forever
Fishing in World of Warcraft: Forever is a secondary profession. It sits alongside Cooking and First Aid, and every character can learn all three secondary professions on top of two primary ones, so taking up Fishing never costs you a crafting slot. Before you can cast, you need a fishing pole equipped. The in-game profession text explains how skill affects your catches: “Higher fishing skill increases your chance of catching fish in bodies of water around the world. If you are having trouble catching fish in a given area, move to a lower level area or purchase a fishing lure and try again.” The fish you pull out of the water feed directly into Cooking. For how Fishing fits with the rest of your skills, see the WoW Forever professions overview.
Fishing poles
Six poles cover the skill range, and each has its own requirement. The basic Fishing Pole has no requirement at all. The Blump Family Fishing Pole asks for Fishing 1 and binds when picked up. The Strong Fishing Pole needs Fishing 10 and level 5. Two poles open at Fishing 100. The Big Iron Fishing Pole also needs level 25, and Nat Pagle’s Extreme Angler FC-5000 is an uncommon pole that binds when picked up. At the top end, the Arcanite Fishing Pole is a rare, bind-on-pickup pole that requires Fishing 300.
| Fishing pole | Requires | Quality | Binding |
|---|---|---|---|
 Fishing Pole | None | Common | None |
| Blump Family Fishing Pole | Fishing (1) | Common | Binds when picked up |
| Strong Fishing Pole | Fishing (10); level 5 | Common | None |
 Big Iron Fishing Pole | Fishing (100); level 25 | Common | None |
 Nat Pagle's Extreme Angler FC-5000 | Fishing (100) | Uncommon | Binds when picked up |
 Arcanite Fishing Pole | Fishing (300) | Rare | Binds when picked up |
Fishing lures
You apply a lure to the pole you have equipped. It raises your Fishing skill for a few minutes, which is what you want when casts in an area keep coming up empty. Shiny Bauble and “Secret” Bait have no requirement and add 25 Fishing for 10 minutes. Nightcrawlers and the Aquadynamic Fish Lens need Fishing 50 and add 50 for 10 minutes. Bright Baubles and the Flesh Eating Worm need Fishing 100 and add 75 for 10 minutes. The Aquadynamic Fish Attractor also needs Fishing 100. It gives the largest boost, 100 Fishing, but it lasts only 5 minutes, so it runs out twice as fast as the other lures.
| Lure | Requires | Effect |
|---|---|---|
 Shiny Bauble | None | When applied to your fishing pole, increases Fishing by 25 for 10 min. |
 "Secret" Bait | None | When applied to your fishing pole, increases Fishing by 25 for 10 min. |
 Nightcrawlers | Fishing (50) | When applied to your fishing pole, increases Fishing by 50 for 10 min. |
 Aquadynamic Fish Lens | Fishing (50) | When applied to your fishing pole, increases Fishing by 50 for 10 minutes. |
 Bright Baubles | Fishing (100) | When applied to your fishing pole, increases Fishing by 75 for 10 minutes. |
| Flesh Eating Worm | Fishing (100) | When applied to your fishing pole, increases Fishing by 75 for 10 minutes. |
 Aquadynamic Fish Attractor | Fishing (100) | When applied to your fishing pole, increases Fishing by 100 for 5 minutes. |
Fishing camp features
WoW Forever adds three Fishing builds that you place at your campsite. Each one needs a Campfire nearby, and all camp features share a 1 hr cooldown, so plan which one you drop. The Fish Bowl unlocks at Fishing 20 and takes Raw Brilliant Smallfish and an Empty Vial. It gives you and anyone sitting nearby 8% increased stats, which does not stack with Blessing of Kings. The Fishing Rack comes from Blueprint: Fishing Rack, which requires Fishing 140. It costs Simple Wood x2, a Crystal Vial and Raw Mithril Head Trout x2, and it lets you catch uncommon fish for 1 hr. The Fishing Hut comes from Blueprint: Fishing Hut, which requires Fishing 300. It costs Simple Wood x5, Bolt of Runecloth x2 and Seasonal Fish Steaks, and it lets you catch rare fish for 1 hr. Both the Rack and the Hut also provide Fishing Skill lures and every benefit of a Fish Bowl. You can place either one over an existing Fish Bowl to replace it. Campfire setup is covered in the WoW Forever camping guide.
| Camp feature | How to learn | Reagents | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
 Fish Bowl | Requires Fishing (20) | Raw Brilliant Smallfish, Empty Vial | Places a small fish bowl that allows you and others sitting nearby to gain 8% increased stats, mutually exclusive with Blessing of Kings. Requires a Campfire nearby. All camping features share a cooldown of 1 hr. |
 Fishing Rack | Blueprint: Fishing Rack (requires Fishing (140)) | Simple Wood x2, Crystal Vial, Raw Mithril Head Trout x2 | Places a Fishing Rack that grants the ability to catch uncommon fish for 1 hr, provides Fishing Skill lures, and provides all of the benefits of a Fish Bowl. Requires a Campfire nearby. May be placed over a Fish Bowl to replace it. All camping features share a cooldown of 1 hr. |
 Fishing Hut | Blueprint: Fishing Hut (requires Fishing (300)) | Simple Wood x5, Bolt of Runecloth x2, Seasonal Fish Steaks | Places a Fishing Hut that grants the ability to catch rare fish for 1 hr, provides Fishing Skill lures, and provides all of the benefits of a Fish Bowl. Requires a Campfire nearby. May be placed over a Fish Bowl to replace it. All camping features share a cooldown of 1 hr. |
Other fishing gear
The most important item outside the poles is the Expert Fishing – The Bass and You book. It requires Fishing 125 and level 20, and its text reads: “Teaches you how to be an Expert Fisherman, allowing a maximum of 225 fishing skill.” Three hats need Fishing 1. The Wide-Brimmed Fishing Hat gives +13 Stamina and +13 Spirit, and you can use it to attach a lure to your equipped pole for 25 Fishing over 10 minutes. The Lucky Fishing Hat gives +15 Stamina. The Worn Fishing Hat also needs level 15. Enchanters can add Enchant Gloves – Fishing, which permanently adds 2 fishing skill to a pair of gloves. Among Legacy talents, Luremaster pays off whenever a lure is running: “While fishing with a Lure active, you have a 50% chance to catch an extra fish.” To see how it compares with other picks, check the best Legacy talents in WoW Forever.
| Item | Requires | Effect |
|---|---|---|
 Expert Fishing – The Bass and You | Fishing (125); level 20 | Teaches you how to be an Expert Fisherman, allowing a maximum of 225 fishing skill. |
| Wide-Brimmed Fishing Hat | Fishing (1) | +13 Stamina, +13 Spirit; Attach a lure to your equipped fishing pole, increasing Fishing by 25 for 10 min. |
| Lucky Fishing Hat | Fishing (1) | +15 Stamina |
 Worn Fishing Hat | Fishing (1); level 15 | (no listed effect) |
 Enchant Gloves – Fishing | Enchanting | Permanently enchant gloves to grant +2 fishing skill. |
Fish you can cook
Caught fish go into 24 Cooking recipes. They start with Brilliant Smallfish and Slitherskin Mackerel at Cooking 45 and run up to Baked Salmon and Mightfish Steak at Cooking 315. Some catches have a second use at camp. Raw Brilliant Smallfish is a Fish Bowl reagent, and Raw Mithril Head Trout goes into the Fishing Rack, so keep a few of each instead of cooking all of them. For the full recipe path, see the WoW Forever Cooking leveling guide.
| Fish | Cooking recipe | Cooking skill (orange) |
|---|---|---|
 Raw Brilliant Smallfish | Brilliant Smallfish | 45 |
 Raw Slitherskin Mackerel | Slitherskin Mackerel | 45 |
 Raw Loch Frenzy | Loch Frenzy Delight | 90 |
 Raw Longjaw Mud Snapper | Longjaw Mud Snapper | 90 |
 Raw Rainbow Fin Albacore | Rainbow Fin Albacore | 90 |
 Raw Sagefish | Smoked Sagefish | 120 |
 Deviate Fish | Savory Deviate Delight | 125 |
 Whimsyfin | Savory Whimsyfin Delight | 125 |
 Raw Bristle Whisker Catfish | Bristle Whisker Catfish | 140 |
 Raw Rockscale Cod | Rockscale Cod | 190 |
 Raw Spinefin Halibut | Spinefin Halibut | 210 |
 Raw Mithril Head Trout | Mithril Headed Trout | 215 |
 Raw Greater Sagefish | Sagefish Delight | 215 |
| Raw Plated Armorfish | Plated Armorfish | 245 |
 Raw Glossy Mightfish | Cooked Glossy Mightfish | 265 |
 Raw Redgill | Filet of Redgill | 265 |
 Raw Spotted Yellowtail | Spotted Yellowtail | 265 |
 Raw Winter Squid | Grilled Squid | 280 |
| Raw Summer Bass | Hot Smoked Bass | 280 |
 Raw Nightfin Snapper | Nightfin Soup | 290 |
 Raw Sunscale Salmon | Poached Sunscale Salmon | 290 |
| Raw Whitescale Salmon | Baked Salmon | 315 |
 Darkclaw Lobster | Lobster Stew | 315 |
 Large Raw Mightfish | Mightfish Steak | 315 |
FAQ
How do you raise the Fishing skill cap to 225?
Read Expert Fishing – The Bass and You once you reach Fishing 125 and level 20. After you read it, your Fishing cap rises to 225.
What is the best fishing lure?
The Aquadynamic Fish Attractor gives the biggest boost, adding 100 Fishing for 5 minutes, and it needs Fishing 100. If you want a longer effect, Bright Baubles and the Flesh Eating Worm add 75 for 10 minutes.
What does the Fishing Hut do?
For 1 hr, the Fishing Hut lets you catch rare fish. It also provides Fishing Skill lures and grants the Fish Bowl’s 8% stat bonus. It needs Fishing 300 and a Campfire nearby.
What does the Fish Bowl do?
The Fish Bowl gives you and others sitting nearby 8% increased stats. It does not stack with Blessing of Kings.
Which Legacy talent helps fishing?
Luremaster improves your fishing when a lure is active, giving you a 50% likelihood of landing one additional fish.
