Fishing rods let you pull Pals and salvage out of the water in Palworld, and there are six of them spread across three tiers. Three unlock naturally as you climb the Technology Tree, while the other three come from Schematics and cost noticeably more materials. Knowing exactly what each one needs before you leave your base saves a lot of backtracking.
Quick answer: Unlock the rod recipe in the Technology Tree, then build it at the required workbench. The Beginner Fishing Rod (Chillet) is the earliest option at Technology Level 15, needing 10 Paldium Fragments, 3 Aquatic Pal Fluids, 8 Ingots, and 8 Fiber.
All six fishing rods and their crafting recipes
Each tier has two rods. The first in each pair unlocks by reaching a Technology Level and spending points, while the second is a Schematic version that improves the size of the catch bar in the minigame in exchange for a heavier material cost.
| Fishing rod | How to unlock | Materials needed |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner (Chillet) | Technology Level 15 | 10 Paldium Fragments, 3 Aquatic Pal Fluids, 8 Ingots, 8 Fiber |
| Beginner (Gumoss) | Schematic | 20 Paldium Fragments, 6 Aquatic Pal Fluids, 16 Ingots, 16 Fiber, 3 Coralum Ore |
| Intermediate (Cattiva) | Technology Level 29 | 30 Paldium Fragments, 5 High Quality Pal Oil, 10 Cement, 30 Fiber |
| Intermediate (Croajiro) | Schematic | 60 Paldium Fragments, 10 High Quality Pal Oil, 20 Cement, 60 Fiber, 10 Coralum Ore |
| Advanced (Pengullet) | Technology Level 45 | 70 Paldium Fragments, 15 High Quality Pal Oil, 15 Pal Metal Ingots, 10 Carbon Fiber |
| Advanced (Depresso) | Schematic | 140 Paldium Fragments, 20 High Quality Pal Oil, 30 Pal Metal Ingots, 20 Carbon Fiber, 1 Coralum Ingot |
The rods are labeled as weapons and take up a weapon slot when equipped, but you cannot build them at a Weapon Workbench. The Beginner rod needs a High Quality Workbench or better. The Intermediate rods require a Production Assembly Line, and the Advanced rods require a Production Assembly Line II.
Where to farm every crafting material
The lower tiers use common resources, but the Advanced rods and Schematic variants pull in materials that need a proper supply chain. Here is where each ingredient comes from.
| Material | How to get it |
|---|---|
| Paldium Fragments | Break the blue Paldium rocks that appear near rivers and flowing water, using your hands or a pickaxe. |
| Aquatic Pal Fluids | Catch or defeat Water-type Pals like Teafant, Pengullet, Celaray, and Kelpsea, ranch a Kelpsea, or buy from Wandering Merchants. |
| Ingots | Mine Ore, then smelt it in a Primitive Furnace. |
| Fiber | Chop trees and run the wood through a Crusher, or defeat certain Grass-type Pals. |
| Coralum Ore | Found in oceanic biomes and the islands that open later in the game. |
| High Quality Pal Oil | Ranch a Dumud or Dumud Gild, hunt Pals like Relaxaurus, Mammorest, Digtoise, or Quivern, or buy it for 300 gold per unit. |
| Cement | Unlock the recipe at Level 19, then craft at a High Quality Workbench using 50 Stone, 1 Bone, and 1 Pal Fluid. |
| Carbon Fiber | Available at Technology Level 35; craft at a Production Assembly Line with 2 Coal or 5 Charcoal. |
| Pal Metal Ingots | Reach Level 44 to unlock the Electric Furnace and Power Generator, power the furnace with an Electric Pal, then smelt 4 Ore and 2 Paldium Fragments with a Kindling Pal. |
Note: Pal Metal Ingots are the biggest bottleneck for the Advanced rods, since you need both the furnace and a steady electricity source running before you can smelt a single one.
How to craft and equip a fishing rod
Using the rod to fish
A rod alone will not catch anything. You also need bait in your inventory, which you craft through the Technology menu or buy from Merchants. When casting, you can pick from any bait you are carrying.
With a rod equipped and bait ready, walk up to deep water and watch for the dark fish shadows moving under the surface. Those shadows mark where Pals can be reeled in, and casting near one gives you the best chance of a bite.
Once something takes the bait, a minigame starts that plays much like fishing in Stardew Valley. Keep your cursor moving so the yellow fish marker stays inside the green bar. As the meter fills, the catch completes and the Pal or item is yours.
The glitter around a shadow tells you what is waiting below. Purple sparkles mark an Alpha Pal, while green sparkles mark a Pal with Rainbow passive skills, both worth the extra effort. Sparkling spots are guaranteed to hold an Alpha Pal, so they are one of the easiest ways to grab one even with simple bait. If the minigame gives you trouble, a Fishing Pond at your base lets Pals with the Handiwork skill catch for you instead.
