Fish is the main source of regenerating your health, so fishing is an important skill to train. The skill gives plenty of opportunities to catch various types of fish around Gielinor. As you progress through the levels, you’ll be able to catch fish that heal more. Also, the fishing skill synchronizes well with cooking because you can cook the fish after catching it – thereby training 2 skills at once.
This fishing guide will go over what you need to get started and the best methods to reach level 99. Also, we’ll be mentioning some profitable fishing methods to help you make money on the side.
Why Train Fishing?
There are several reasons why fishing is such a crucial skill in OSRS. The skill lets players collect fish that they can cook for food. Also, fish is the main source of food for fighting hard bosses like Kurask and the Demonic Gorilla. Moreover, a high level in fishing can catch high-value fish, which they can sell at a huge profit margin.
Fishing is a requirement for a lot of important quests such as Heroes’ Quest and Sea Slug. These quests open up new areas and let you progress through the game. In addition, you’ll gain some great items and XP lamps once you’ve completed the fishing quests.
Another great reason to train fishing is that it’s AFK, which means you can do other activities while your inventory is getting filled. Although the skill takes an extremely long time to reach level 99, it balances out because of how profitable fishing is.
What Equipment Do You Need For Fishing?
There are many different ways to fish in OSRS, and each method requires unique items. There are two types of items you’ll use: consumables and equipment. Consumables are stackable and will be used up once per fish caught. However, the equipment is non-stackable and is reusable. A great aspect of fishing is that you will only need several different items to achieve level 99.
- Small fishing net:Â requires a small fishing net and no consumables.
- Bait fishing: requires a fishing rod and some fishing bait.
- Fly fishing: requires a fly fishing rod and feathers.
- Harpooning: requires a harpoon and no consumables. However, if you’ve completed the Barbarian Training mini-quest, you can use your bare hands. An alternative is a Barb-tail harpoon, which is wieldable. Therefore, saving an inventory space for fish.
- Cage fishing: requires a lobster pot and no consumables.
- Barbarian fishing: requires a barbarian rod and fishing baits, feathers, fish offcuts, roe, or caviar. Depending on the bait, you’ll catch different types of fish.
- Aerial fishing: requires cormorant and king worms or fish chunks.
Fishing is unlike other skills where you can progress to higher metals to achieve faster skilling times. For example, mining and woodcutting. Fishing has no tier list for equipment, making it one of the most straightforward skills to train.
To get started, we recommend purchasing all the fishing equipment beforehand to save yourself trips to the Grand Exchange or fishing stores. You can go to Gerrant’s Fishy Business store located in Port Sarim. Generally, the fishing equipment and consumables are pretty cheap, so anybody can start the skill.
How To Train Fishing
Training the skills is super easy once you know what you are doing. Each fish will need a piece of equipment and may need a consumable. For example, shrimps are caught with a small fishing net, and dark crabs can be caught with a lobster pot. On the other hand, salmon will use a consumable to be caught – in this case, a feather.
Head over to a fishing spot when you’ve decided what fish to catch, and your inventory has the required tools. If you don’t know where to find the best fishing spots, we’ll show them in our in-depth guide. Once you’ve arrived at the fishing location, left-click or right-click and press lure. The character should begin the process, and your inventory will get full of fish.
Unique fishing items
OSRS features unique items that can help catch more fish and gain extra fishing experience. Currently, there are two pieces of equipment that you can obtain:
- Fish barrel: the fish barrel is an item that can be obtained from the reward pool in the Ruins of Unkah by killing Tempoross. The barrel can hold a maximum of 28 raw fish of any type, excluding harpoon fish and stackable fish.
- Angler’s outfit: the outfit is obtained through the Fishing Trawler and Aerial fishing minigame. Each piece of the Angler’s outfit grants extra fishing XP. Once you have the full set, the overall experience is increased to 2.5%.
- Rada’s blessing: Rada’s blessings are rewards from Kourend and Kebos Diaries. There are four blessing tiers that give different chances of successfully catching an extra fish:
- Rada’s blessing 1 – 2%
- Rada’s blessing 2 – 4%
- Rada’s blessing 3 – 6%
- Rada’s blessing 4 – 8%
To receive all 4 blessings, you must complete the easy, medium, hard, and elite tasks. After you’ve completed the tasks, speak to Elise in the Kourend Castle courtyard to obtain the buffs. However, catching the extra fish will not grant the experience.
Quests For Fishing Experience
The early levels can be blown by with quests that give a fishing experience. This is an excellent method for those who dislike the early grind and prefer exploring Gielinor by questing. Here are the best early level quests that you can do that have low requirements:
- Sea Slug
- Fishing Contest
- Pirate Pete subquest from Recipe for Disaster
- Tai Bwo Wannai Trio
- The Fremennik Trials
All these quests will grant a player a total of 18,424 XP, which is enough to get level 33 fishing. Therefore, you can skip the majority of the slow fishing levels and begin mid-tier fishing.
F2P And P2P Level 1-99 OSRS Fishing Guide
Now that you know what items to bring and the quests you can complete, it’s time to dive into the best method of training to level 99. We’ve done in-depth research on the quest method to achieve level 99 mastery in fishing. We’ll break down the best way to approach the skill level by level. Since both F2P and P2P are the same till level 50, we’ve combined them.
Levels 1-15: Shrimp/Anchovies
The required amount to catch: 241 Shrimps
The required amount to catch: 112 Anchovies
From levels 1-15 you’ll want to catch shrimps with a small fishing net. At first, it will take a while before you catch anything because of your low fishing level. As you progress, the rate at which you catch shrimp will increase dramatically. The best location for catching shrimp is at Draynor Village because there is a bank nearby. The fishing spots are located southwest of the bank. It’s easy to spot since the water is bubbling.
From levels 15-20 you’ll be staying at the same spot and catching Anchovies. The XP is four times more than Shrimps, so you’ll only need to catch 112 Anchovies.
It’s recommended to find a world with no players at the location because it will increase the chances of catching fish. Also, it will leave the current fishing spot active before you have to move.
Levels 20-40 or 99: Trout/Salmon
The required amount to catch: approximately 638
To catch trout and salmon, you’ll need a fly fishing rod and some feathers. It’s difficult to say how many you’ll need to catch because both can be caught while fishing. The best place to train is on the eastern side of Barbarian Village. Before you cross the bridge, you’ll see some fishing spots on the north side of the river. An alternative location is in Lumbridge, next to the goblin house.
With this method of training, you’ll receive around 30,000 XP per hour, which is the fastest rate in the game. Therefore, both F2P and P2P can use this method until level 99. However, to achieve fast XP rates, you’ll need to drop the fish you catch because there are no banks nearby.
Levels 40-50: Lobsters
The required amount to catch: 1,126 lobsters
At level 40, players can fish lobsters with a lobster pot. The locations for the best fishing rates differ for F2P and P2P.
- F2P: you’ll want to go to Karamja behind the Luthas’ banana plantation on the island’s northeastern part. You’ll see a small dock that will have fishing spots for lobsters, swordfish, and sharks. To get there, you’ll need to go to Port Sarim and pay the captain a toll of 30gp for the voyage to Karamja. The negative of this location is that there are no banks nearby.
- P2P: the best option for members is located in Catherby alongside the southeastern shore. A great benefit of this place is that it’s close to a bank so you can sell the lobsters for a decent profit.
The experience rate for lobsters is around 20k – 25k per hour. Also, if you plan to bank the lobsters, you’re looking at about 65k GP per hour.
Level 50-62: SwordFish
The required amount to catch: 3,338 swordfish
This is where the guide stops for F2P players since you need members to catch the higher-level fish. To begin, make sure that you place a harpoon in your inventory. The methods differ for free to play players and members:
- F2P: they are fished in the same spot as lobsters in Karamja. To quickly bank and spend more time fishing, you can go to the Port Sarim deposit box. Swordfishing is the best source XP for F2P if you don’t want to do fly fishing as you’ll be getting 30K per hour.
- P2P: if you’ve completed the Barbarian Training mini-quest, you can catch swordfish with your bare hands. Alternatively, you can use a Barb-tail harpoon, which is wieldable. Therefore, saving an extra space for fish.
The location for P2P players is the same as for lobster training. You’ll want to head to the southeastern shore of Catherby. It’s the best spot because of how close the bank is. This means you’ll average around 35K XP per hour and approximately 70K – 100K GP
This is where the guide ends for F2P players. Swordfish are the best for non-members because of the XP rates and gold per hour. From levels 50-99 with this method, you’ll have to fish 130,344 swordfish, which equates to 54 million GP.
Note: These locations are usually flooded with players, so try to find a world with a low player count. This is because you don’t want to share the fish with other users and increase your rates per hour.
Level 62-99: Monkfish
The required amount to catch: 11,137
To fish monkfish, you’ll first have to complete the Swan’s Song Quest. At level 62 fishing with the completion of the quest, you’re looking at around 40k XP and 100k GP per hour. However, if you have a high cooking level, you can cook the fish for an extra 80k GP. Monkfish is super AFK, which makes it a great option for those who want to watch YouTube, movies, or do work while playing.
You must complete the quest so that you gain access to the Piscatoris Fishing Colony. The only item you’ll need is a small fishing net. Head to the northwestern side of the fishing colony, and you should see multiple fishing spots. Monkfish are brilliant for making money because the bank is located nearby. From levels 62-99, you’ll make around 155 million GP.
Most Profitable Level 1-99 OSRS Fishing Guide
Now we’ll show you the most profitable methods of reaching level 99 and creating huge profits. The money-making starts at level 62, so use the methods mentioned to get the requirements. Also, to increase profits, it’s best to complete the Kourend and Kebos Diaries to receive Rada’s blessing. Therefore, catching more fish per hour.
Levels 62-76 or till 99: Monkfish
The required amount for 76: 11,137 monkfish
The required amount for 99: 108,620 monkfish
Since we mentioned how to catch monkfish, you should be familiar with the process. You can do this method until level 76 or all the way to level 99. From levels 62-76 you’ll generate 16 million GP. However, if you do this method till level 99, you’ll catch 108,620 monkfish and make 155 million GP.
Levels 76-82 or till 99: Sharks
The required amount for 82: 22,010 sharks
The required amount for 99: 118,495 sharks
At level 76 you gain the ability to harpoon sharks. Like with swordfish, you can use a harpoon in your inventory, bare hands if you’ve completed the Barbarian Training mini-quest or a Barb-tail harpoon.
Sharks are notoriously known for low fishing XP rates, only being 20k experience per hour. However, the huge profits compensate for the time used gathering sharks. Here’s what to expect:
- Levels 76-82: 22,010 sharks will generate 44 million GP.
- Levels 76-99: 118,495 sharks will generate 235 million GP.
The best location to fish sharks is at the Fishing Guild. You can find it by going North of East Ardougne or West of Hemenster. The guild is easy to spot because of the big fences and many fishing spots you’ll see on the minimap. A significant advantage of fishing here is that you have everything you need—a bank close by and all the fishing equipment at the Fishing Guild Shop.
Levels 82-85 or till 99: Anglerfish
The required amount for 85: 6,980 anglerfish
The required amount for 99: 88,642 anglerfish
Since the arrival of Zeah, which is a new continent for RuneScape players to explore, new methods of training have come about. One of them is anglerfish that you unlock at level 82. You must have 100% Piscarillius to gain access to catch them.
To get to Zeah, you’ll need to board a ship at Port Sarim by speaking to Veos. Alternatively, you can use fairy rings or the Kourend teleport from the standard spellbook. The location of anglerfish is off the beach shore north of the main docks.
To catch anglerfish, you’ll need a fishing rod and sandworms. It’s recommended to bring a fish barrel because it will reduce the number of items needed to the bank. Anglerfish are much better than sharks in terms of profit.
- Levels 82-85: 6,980 will generate 12 million GP.
- Levels 82-99: 88,642 sharks will generate 150 million GP.
The experience rates are the same as sharks being 20k per hour. So once you’ve reached level 82 make sure to get 100% Piscarillius and begin anglerfish fishing.
Levels 85-99: Dark Crabs
The required amount for 99: 75,199 dark crabs
At level 85, you unlock dark crabs, which is the best money maker for fishing. The rates per hour are roughly 300k GP and 30-40k XP. Dark crabs are the best of both worlds compared to anglerfish and sharks because you get the experience and profits. From level 85 to 99, you’ll make around 92 million GP.
To catch dark crabs, you’ll need a lobster pot along with dark fishing bait. The negative of dark crabs is that it’s located in the wilderness, which makes it high risk-high reward. There are currently only two locations to fish dark crabs:
- Wilderness: go deep into the wilderness to the northeastern coast, a little south of the fence. There you will see a couple of fishing spots that contain dark crabs.
- Resource Area: the resource area located north of the wilderness has multiple dark crab fishing spots. The benefit of this location is that the fishing spots never disappear. However, this can be a hotspot for PKers, so make sure to only bring minimal gear.
Fastest Level 1-99 OSRS Fishing Guide
The required amount to catch: approximately 222,000
Perhaps money isn’t the motivation to gain a high fishing level, and you want to reach level 99 fast. Firstly, you’ll want to reach level 48 fishing by doing:
- Levels 1-20: shrimps and anchovies
- Levels 20-48: trouts and salmon
However, you can complete the fishing quests we’ve mentioned to get straight to level 33. At level 48, you unlock Barbarian Fishing, which is the highest XP per hour. With great macros, you can achieve 50k+ experiences every hour.
Requirements for Barbarian fishing:
- Level 15 strength
- Level 15 Agility
- Barbarian rod
- Feathers
- Completion of Barbarian Training
To gain the ability for Barbarian Fishing, you’ll need to complete Otto’s Barbarian Training. Head over to Otto’s house to begin. The easiest way to get there is by using a games necklace and select Barbarian Outpost. Head South and slightly west. You should see a lake and Otto’s house next to it. Speak to him and complete the trial.
Afterward, you’ll have the knowledge of how to catch fish using Barbarian style—Head North of Otto’s house on the other side of the lake. There you will see fishing locations that you can use for Barbarian fishing. There are zero profits with this method because the fish are cheap, and no banks are nearby. The shift-click method lets you quickly drop your inventory and get back to fishing.
FAQ
Question: How long will it take to reach level 99?
Answer: The time it takes to receive level 99 depends on the method you use. The average amount of time it takes can be anywhere from 250-350 hours. If your micro is good and you don’t AFK too much, the time can be significantly reduced. For Barbarian Fishing, which is the fastest method, it takes approximately 150 hours.
Question: How profitable is fishing?
Answer: Fishing is a highly profitable skill if you choose the right fish to catch. Monkfish, sharks, anglerfish, and dark crabs have crazy profits. You can fish anyone of these until level 99 and generate a profit anywhere from 100-250 million GP.
Question: How do I get 99 fishing fast?
Answer: The best method to get level 99 is with Barbarian Fishing. You’ll need to complete Barbarian Training, have level 48 fishing, and levels 15 in agility and strength. The XP rates are roughly 50k per hour, which is the highest in the game.
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Question: How long will it take to reach level 99?
Answer: The time it takes to receive level 99 depends on the method you use. The average amount of time it takes can be anywhere from 250-350 hours. If your micro is good and you don’t AFK too much, the time can be significantly reduced. For Barbarian Fishing, which is the fastest method, it takes approximately 150 hours.
Question: How profitable is fishing?
Answer: Fishing is a highly profitable skill if you choose the right fish to catch. Monkfish, sharks, anglerfish, and dark crabs have crazy profits. You can fish anyone of these until level 99 and generate a profit anywhere from 100-250 million GP.
Question: How do I get 99 fishing fast?
Answer: The best method to get level 99 is with Barbarian Fishing. You’ll need to complete Barbarian Training, have level 48 fishing, and levels 15 in agility and strength. The XP rates are roughly 50k per hour, which is the highest in the game.
Final Thoughts
To conclude, we’ve gone over the F2P, profitable, and fastest methods of getting to level 99. It’s a crucial skill for those looking to max out their account or make huge profits. In addition, we’ve tried to make the skill more interesting by including different fishing types with great XP rates.
At first, the skill may seem dull, but you catch more fish and gain access to new locations as you progress. The higher level fish are highly profitable, and the skill is great to train while you are busy. This is because a lot of fishing is AFK, and you’ll only need to bank or drop items every few minutes.
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