Section 1: The Surprising Benefits of Fishing in WoW Classic

Choosing Fishing as a profession offers a unique set of advantages that complement various playstyles and goals.

Key Advantages:

Self-Sufficiency for Cooking:

Fishing provides a steady supply of fish, a primary ingredient for many powerful cooking recipes that grant useful buffs for leveling, raiding, and PvP.

Gold Making Potential:

Certain rare fish, deviate fish, and items fished from wreckage pools or chests can sell for a significant amount of gold on the Auction House.

Access to Unique Items:

Specific quests, rare fish needed for alchemy (like Oily Blackmouth), and even occasional gear or valuable reagents can be obtained through fishing.

Relaxing Gameplay:

For some, fishing offers a calm and meditative break from the usual grind of combat and questing.

Low Barrier to Entry:

Unlike some crafting professions, fishing requires minimal initial investment to get started.

Why It’s Valuable:

Consistent Utility:

The resources gained from Fishing as a Profession in WoW Classic remain useful throughout all phases of the game.

Economic Impact:

A skilled angler can significantly boost their income and contribute to their guild’s needs.

Section 2: Getting Started – Your Angler’s Journey Begins

Embarking on your fishing career in WoW Classic is straightforward.

Initial Steps:

Find a Fishing Trainer:

Fishing trainers are located in major cities and some starting zones. Learn the Apprentice Fishing skill from them.

Purchase a Fishing Pole:

Basic fishing poles can be bought from Trade Goods vendors or Fishing Supply vendors near trainers.

Buy Lures (Optional but Recommended):

Shiny Baubles or other basic lures can be purchased to temporarily increase your fishing skill, making it easier to catch fish in slightly higher-level areas.

Find Water and Cast Your Line:

Equip your fishing pole, open your spellbook to find the Fishing ability, drag it to your action bar, and click it near any body of water. Click the bobber when it splashes!

Important Early Notes:

Skill-Up Mechanics:

You primarily gain skill points by successfully catching fish. Each successful catch has a chance to award a skill point until you reach a certain cap for that area.

“Fish Got Away!”:

If your fishing skill is too low for the zone you are in, you will frequently see this message. Move to a lower-level zone or use lures.

Section 3: Leveling Your Fishing Skill Efficiently (1-300)

Leveling fishing requires patience, but strategic location choices can speed up the process.

General Leveling Strategy:

Start in Capital Cities/Starting Zones:

These areas have low fishing skill requirements.

Progress to Higher Level Zones Gradually:

As your skill increases, move to zones appropriate for your current fishing level to continue gaining skill points effectively. Aim for zones where you rarely get “Fish Got Away!” messages.

Utilize Lures:

Lures (+25, +50, +75, +100 fishing skill) are crucial for fishing in areas slightly above your base skill level and for catching specific rare fish.

Fishing in Pools:

Once your skill is high enough (around 100+ with lures), fishing in specific pools (e.g., Floating Wreckage, Oily Blackmouth pools) guarantees a particular type of catch and can be more rewarding.

Notable Zones for Leveling:

1-75:

Capital city canals, Elwynn Forest, Durotar, Mulgore, Teldrassil.

75-150:

Wetlands (Menethil Harbor), The Barrens (Ratchet), Hillsbrad Foothills, Darkshore.

150-225:

Stranglethorn Vale (Booty Bay), Desolace (Shadowprey Village), Arathi Highlands, Dustwallow Marsh. To go beyond 150, you’ll need to buy the “Expert Fishing – The Bass and You” book from Old Man Heming in Booty Bay.

225-300:

Tanaris (Steamwheedle Port), Feralas, The Hinterlands, Azshara, Felwood. You’ll need to complete a quest from Nat Pagle (found in Dustwallow Marsh) to unlock Artisan fishing (225+).

Section 4: Making Gold with Fishing as a Profession in WoW Classic

Fishing can be surprisingly lucrative if you know what to target and where.

Profitable Catches:

Deviate Fish:

Fished in the pools of Wailing Caverns (The Barrens) and inland waters of The Barrens. Used to cook Savory Deviate Delight, which has a fun, random transformation effect and sells well.

Oily Blackmouth & Firefin Snapper:

Fished from specific coastal pools. Oily Blackmouth are used for Blackmouth Oil (Alchemy), and Firefin Snapper for Fire Oil (Alchemy) – both essential raiding consumables.

Stonescale Eel:

Fished in high-level coastal areas like Azshara and Feralas at night. Used for Stonescale Oil (Alchemy), another valuable raiding consumable.

Nightfin Snapper & Sunscale Salmon:

Used to cook Nightfin Soup and Grilled Salmon, respectively, which provide excellent mana/health regeneration and stat buffs for casters and agility users.

Floating Wreckage Pools:

These can contain locked chests (requiring lockpicking or keys) with valuable materials, potions, recipes, and even green/blue items.

Market Strategy:

Know Your Server’s Economy:

Prices fluctuate. Check the Auction House regularly.

Sell Raw or Cooked:

Sometimes raw fish sell well, other times cooked food commands a higher price, especially if you also have cooking leveled.

Section 5: Essential Gear, Lures, and Special Items

Maximizing your fishing potential involves more than just a basic pole.

Key Fishing Enhancements:

Better Fishing Poles:

Strong Fishing Pole (+5 Skill) – Vendor
Big Iron Fishing Pole (+20 Skill) – Rare drop from Shellfish Traps in Desolace.
Nat Pagle’s Extreme Angler FC-5000 (+25 Skill, BoP) – Reward from a Stranglethorn Fishing Extravaganza quest (not always active in early Classic phases).
Arcanite Fishing Pole (+35 Skill) – Reward for winning the Stranglethorn Fishing Extravaganza.

Lures:

Shiny Bauble (+25) – Vendor
Nightcrawlers (+50) – Vendor
Bright Baubles (+75) – Vendor
Aquadynamic Fish Attractor (+100) – Engineering crafted or bought.

Fishing Gear (Enchants/Items):

Enchant Gloves – Fishing (+2 or +5 Skill) – Enchanting
Lucky Fishing Hat (+5 Skill) – Reward from a Stranglethorn Fishing Extravaganza quest.
Nat Pagle’s Extreme Anglin’ Boots (+5 Skill) – Reward from a Stranglethorn Fishing Extravaganza quest.

Why Gear Matters:

Access Higher Level Areas Sooner:

Increased fishing skill allows you to fish in more lucrative zones without fish getting away.

Catch Specific Rare Fish:

Some rare fish have very high skill requirements.