The limited CastBound rod came out of version 1.99.0 of Fisch in a noticeably better place. The update’s Passive Block Rework changed what the rod’s ghost companion is allowed to hook, and its mastery passive was rebalanced at the same time. Lullaby and Noosphere also picked up buffs in the same patch, while Requiem was nerfed.
Quick answer: On version 1.99.0, CastBound is classified as “Level 1: Secret,” which means its ghost companion can now catch secret-tier fish instead of skipping them. In matched 30-minute tests, that lifted Forsaken Shores from 10,205,963 C$ to 11,994,281 C$ and Living Garden from 9,667,039 C$ to 10,933,483 C$.
CastBound money results before and after the 1.99.0 buff
The clearest way to read the buff is to compare identical 30-minute grinding sessions at the same two spots. The fish count went up in both places, and so did the total sale value.
| Location (30 min) | Before 1.99.0 | After 1.99.0 |
|---|---|---|
| Forsaken Shores | 172 fish, 10,205,963 C$ | 186 fish, 11,994,281 C$ |
| Living Garden | 127 fish, 9,667,039 C$ | 150 fish, 10,933,483 C$ |
Living Garden gained the most fish per session, but Forsaken Shores still finishes ahead on raw credits. If you only have one 30-minute window to spend, Forsaken Shores is the better default.
Passive Block Rework: What the ghost companion can catch now
CastBound’s ghost companion pulls in fish alongside your own casts. Before the rework, that companion was blocked from secret-tier catches, so every secret fish it would have landed simply never happened. Under the new system, the rod sits at “Level 1: Secret,” and that block is gone.
This is where the extra credits come from. A single secret catch can be worth more than a long stretch of ordinary fish, so removing the restriction adds value that a higher Luck number alone could never deliver. Pirate Captain’s Goldfish and Caustic Starwyrm are the kind of secret fish now in play.
Note: Luck controls which fish are eligible to appear, not mutation rolls, weight, or appraisal outcomes. A rod pushed to 390% Luck through enchants widens the pool of rare fish it can pull, and the Passive Block Rework decides whether the companion is allowed to take them.
The Journey’s End mastery mutation changes
CastBound’s mastery passive, The Journey’s End, was rebalanced in the same update. Fury lost most of its weight, and three new mutations were added at a flat rate each.
| Mutation | Before 1.99.0 | After 1.99.0 |
|---|---|---|
| Fury | 25% | 10% |
| Cosmos | Not available | 10% |
| Energy | Not available | 10% |
| Nebula | Not available | 10% |
On paper that looks like a trade rather than a straight upgrade, since Fury dropped by 15 points. In practice you get four mutation types rolling instead of one, which spreads the value across more of your catches. The rest of the mastery package is unchanged, including its durability and slash-rate bonuses.
Brine Pool performance during a Brine Storm
The Brine Pool is where the rework shows its ceiling rather than its average. Fishing there during a Brine Storm, a run of just 20 fish sold for 7,890,635 C$ — close to what a full 30-minute Living Garden session produces, from a fraction of the catches.
The reason is the fish that spawn there. Exotics like the Brine Sovereign carry enough value on their own that a short storm window can outpace a long session elsewhere. Storms are not on a schedule you control, so treat the Brine Pool as an opportunistic stop rather than your main route.
How to confirm the buff is live on your rod
If secret catches never appear, the usual causes are a stale session on the old version or an unfinished mastery on the rod itself. Neither is something you can fix with bait or enchants.
CastBound is a limited rod, so this buff only helps players who already own it. For those who do, the practical takeaway is simple: keep the rod equipped, park at Forsaken Shores for the highest steady return, swing by Living Garden when you want volume, and drop into the Brine Pool the moment a Brine Storm rolls in.
