WoW Classic Fishing Guide

Welcome to an in-depth guide on the Fishing profession in Classic World of Warcraft, crafted to help both new and veteran players understand the value and potential of this often underrated secondary skill. Whether you're a casual angler or a hardcore gold farmer, fishing in Azeroth offers unique opportunities to enhance your gameplay, earn gold, and gather essential ingredients for cooking and alchemy.

Also Read: WoW Classic Enchanting Guide

Why Choose Fishing in Classic WoW?

Fishing is a secondary profession accessible to all players regardless of their chosen primary professions. Unlike mining or herbalism, it doesn't require exclusive dedication, making it an excellent complementary skill. Many players overlook fishing, assuming it to be a boring or unprofitable activity. However, fishing can be one of the best ways to make gold early on, even as low as level 20, and remains valuable throughout the entire game.

Fishermen in Azeroth relax and sustain themselves by catching the bounties of lakes and seas. With the right bait and patience, you can secure seafood feasts that restore health, enhance attributes, or rare fish used by cooks and alchemists to craft powerful flasks, elixirs, and potions. This guide will walk you through the most lucrative fish to catch, how to maximize profits, and how to boost your fishing skill efficiently.

Top Lucrative Fish and Their Uses

Stonescale Eels – The Cream of the Crop

Stonescale Eels are the most profitable fish you can catch in Classic WoW. They are highly sought after by alchemists who use them to create Stonescale Oil, a key ingredient in crafting the highly coveted Flask of the Titans. This flask provides superior defense, making Stonescale Eels a staple for endgame raiders.

On most servers, a stack of Stonescale Eels can sell for anywhere between 15 to 30 gold, depending on your server's economy and demand. To catch Stonescale Eels, you need a fishing skill of at least 205, achievable as early as level 20.

Where to fish: The best spot is Steamwheedle Port in Tanaris. Focus on fishing directly from Stonescale Eel pools along the shoreline docks rather than free fishing. If no Stonescale pools are visible, fish the nearby Oily Blackmouth pools and keep an eye out for Stonescale pools as you move along the coast. Other locations include the coastal areas of Azshara, Feralas, the Hinterlands, southern Stranglethorn Vale, and Tanaris.

In Azshara's Bay of Storms, the catch rate for Stonescale Eels is highest between midnight and 6 a.m. game time. This timing can significantly increase your haul if you plan your fishing trips accordingly.

Deviate Fish – A Fun and Profitable Alternative

Deviate Fish are rare and valuable, used by chefs to create the famous Savory Deviate Delight, which temporarily transforms the player into either a pirate or a ninja for 60 minutes. Alchemists also use Deviate Fish to make the Elixir of Giant Growth.

Deviate Fish can be caught with just a fishing skill of 1, making them accessible to beginners. However, they are only found in the Wailing Caverns in the Barrens, which tends to favor Horde players due to proximity, causing the Deviate Fish to command higher prices on Alliance auction houses.

Uncooked Deviate Fish stacks typically sell for 5 to 8 gold, while the rare recipe for Savory Deviate Delight can be extremely valuable, dropping at a rate of about 1 in 1000 mobs in the Barrens and can fetch anywhere from 10 to 50 gold depending on the faction and server.

Winter Squid – A Seasonal Gem

The Winter Squid is a sought-after fish used by chefs to prepare Grilled Squid, a dish favored by rogues, hunters, and some warriors. This fish is unique because it can only be caught during the winter season in-game, from the September 23rd equinox to the March 19th spring equinox. Outside this period, you'll catch Summer Bass instead.

Winter Squid sells for 10 to 20 gold per stack, thanks to its seasonal rarity. It is found in the same general areas as Stonescale Eels, but only in open sea zones rather than pools.

Best fishing times and locations: The Bay of Storms in Azshara is the prime spot, especially between 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. game time, where about one-third of your catch will be Winter Squid. Expect to catch other valuable fish there too, like Stonescale Eels and Large Mote Fish. However, fishing here requires a high skill level — around 330 to cast and 425 to fish without losing catches.

Also Read: WoW Classic: How to Get to Moonglade?

Raw Nightfin Snapper – Nocturnal Mana Boost

Nightfin Snapper is a nighttime-only fish prized by chefs for Nightfin Soup, which greatly enhances mana regeneration for spellcasters. The best time to catch Nightfin Snapper is between midnight and 6 a.m. game time, when catch rates are highest. Outside this window, your success rate drops by about 50%.

This fish can be found in higher-level zones (level 45+) and even inside dungeons like the Temple of Atal’Hakkar (Sunken Temple), Zul’Farrak, and Zul’Gurub. Nightfin Snapper stacks sell for 10 to 25 gold, depending on your server's economy.

Firefin Snapper – Alchemist's Firepower

Firefin Snapper is used by alchemists to create Fire Oil, which is further crafted into Elixir of Greater Firepower and Fire Protection Potions. While the fish itself sells for 0.8 to 3 gold per stack, the real profit lies in using it to make potions, especially during raid phases when mages switch from frost to fire specs.

You can fish Firefin Snapper in many coastal zones (level 20+), including Arathi Highlands, Azshara, Desolace, Feralas, Hillsbrad, Stranglethorn, Tanaris, and the Wetlands. There are also inland pools in Stonetalon Mountains known as Firefin Snapper Schools.

Oily Blackmouth – Potion and Enchanting Ingredient

Oily Blackmouth is essential for alchemists to produce Blackmouth Oil, which is used to create Free Action Potions and Enchant Gloves: Fishing. This makes it one of the most in-demand fish during the entire Classic WoW lifespan.

Stacks of Oily Blackmouth can fetch 4 to 10 gold on the auction house. It is an excellent option for low-level characters to make gold.

Where to fish: The coasts of Steamwheedle Port in Tanaris are prime spots, requiring at least 130 fishing skill (recommended 225). The western coast of the Wetlands is an alternative, needing only 75 skill. Oily Blackmouth schools are scattered along many level 10-40 zones, as well as inland waters like Azshara, Felwood, Feralas, Hinterlands, Maraudon, Moonglade, Sunken Temple, Angrathar, and other western locations.

Raw Greater Sagefish – A Reliable Alternative

When Nightfin Snapper prices spike or fishing spots become overcrowded, Raw Greater Sagefish is a viable alternative. Chefs use it to create Sagefish Delight, another popular food buff.

Raw Greater Sagefish sells for 5 to 10 gold per stack and can be found in level 35+ zones such as Arathi Highlands, Stonetalon Mountains, Feralas, and the Blasted Lands. Look for lakes, ponds, and rivers in these areas.

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How to Improve Your Fishing Skill

Fishing skill progression in Classic WoW is straightforward but requires some effort to reach the highest levels necessary for catching rare fish efficiently.

Fishing Poles and Gear

• Strong Fishing Pole: Provides +5 fishing skill and is available from fishing suppliers. Typically used until skill level 100.

• Big Iron Fishing Pole: Adds +20 fishing skill. It can be found rarely in shellfish traps off the coast of Desolace (near Shadowprey Village) with about a 1 in 70 chance. It can also be bought on the auction house for 10 to 20 gold.

• Nat Pagle's Extreme Angler FC-5000: Gives +25 fishing skill. This is a Horde-exclusive reward from the quest "Snapjaws, Mon!" in the Hinterlands, requiring killing 15 Saltwater Snapjaws. Not available to Alliance players.

• Arcanite Fishing Pole: The ultimate fishing pole, granting +35 fishing skill. This rare and soulbound item is a reward from winning the Stranglethorn Fishing Extravaganza, making it a symbol of true angling mastery.

Fishing Enchants and Equipment

Unlike other gathering professions, fishing gloves do not have a +5 skill enchant. The best glove enchant available is +2 fishing skill.

Two unique items that provide +5 fishing skill each are:

• Lucky Fishing Hat

• Nat Pagle's Extreme Angling Boots

Both items are obtained by catching rare fish during the Stranglethorn Fishing Extravaganza: Kiefer's Angelfish and Brownell's Blue Striped Racer, each with an estimated 0.24% drop chance. These items are only catchable during the contest, adding to their exclusivity.

Fishing Lures

Lures temporarily boost your fishing skill and come in increments of +25, +50, +75, and +100 skill. Most can be purchased from fishing suppliers, some drop from mobs, and others are crafted by engineers.

For casual anglers, lures help fish in areas where their skill is insufficient to catch fish reliably. However, balancing the cost of lures against the monetary value of the fish you catch is essential to ensure profitability.

Skill Requirements for Difficult Spots

Fishing in challenging locations like Winterspring and the Bay of Storms requires an effective fishing skill of about 425 to prevent fish from escaping. This level cannot be reached by personal skill and lures alone, necessitating the best fishing gear and equipment.

Also Read: WoW Classic: How to Get to Searing Gorge?

Fishing’s Role in the Classic WoW Economy and Gameplay

Fishing is often underrated, but it plays a crucial role at both low and high levels. For low-level characters, especially twinks, fishing provides a reliable gold source to afford essential gear and enchantments. New players can accumulate enough gold through casual fishing to learn spells and purchase mounts by level 40, speeding up their leveling journey.

In endgame content, fishing remains vital because many professions rely on fish as key crafting ingredients. Alchemists need fish to make flasks and potions, while cooks use them for food buffs that enhance raid performance.

Fishing is not only profitable but also relaxing and rewarding, making it a perfect secondary profession for your Classic WoW adventures.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What level do I need to start making gold with fishing?

A: You can start making significant gold as early as level 20 by targeting fish like Stonescale Eels, which require a fishing skill of 205.

Q: Where is the best place to fish for Stonescale Eels?

A: The prime location is Steamwheedle Port in Tanaris, especially fishing from Stonescale Eel pools along the shoreline docks. Other good spots include Azshara, Feralas, and southern Stranglethorn Vale.

Q: Can Alliance players access Nat Pagle's Extreme Angler fishing pole?

A: No, this pole is a Horde-only reward from a quest in the Hinterlands and is soulbound.

Q: How do I get the Lucky Fishing Hat and Nat Pagle's Extreme Angling Boots?

A: Both items drop during the Stranglethorn Fishing Extravaganza by catching rare fish: Kiefer's Angelfish for the hat and Brownell's Blue Striped Racer for the boots. The drop chance for each is approximately 0.24%.

Q: What are the best times to fish for Nightfin Snapper and Winter Squid?

A: Nightfin Snapper is best caught between midnight and 6 a.m. game time, while Winter Squid is most abundant between 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. during the in-game winter season (September 23rd to March 19th).

Q: Is fishing worth it for making gold compared to other professions?

A: Absolutely. Fishing can be the best gold-making profession at low levels and remains valuable throughout the game, especially for gathering rare ingredients needed by other professions.

Final Words

Fishing in Classic Vanilla WoW is a rewarding and often overlooked profession that offers consistent gold-making opportunities and essential materials for other crafting skills. Whether you're aiming to catch rare fish for alchemy and cooking, or simply want a relaxing way to earn gold, fishing fits perfectly into any adventurer’s journey across Azeroth.

With the right gear, knowledge of prime fishing spots, and timing, you can maximize your profits and enjoy a peaceful yet profitable pastime. So, grab your fishing pole, choose your bait wisely, and dive into the lakes and seas of Azeroth to uncover the bounties that await.

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