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"After a hard week of farming, or a long night of being nagged by your wife, there is nothing better than going out for a bit of a fish."
A Guide to Fishing Tamriel
Fishing
ON-mapicon-Fishing.png

Fishing is one of several activities available in Elder Scrolls Online. It requires bait and a fishing hole. Bait can be gathered from various creatures around the world, such as beetles, rats, and butterflies as well as obtained via fishing or gathering plants. Fishing holes are numerous and close to shore. They are characterized by sparkling water and leaping fish. Different fish can be caught in different locales and respond to appropriate types of bait.

Once at a fishing hole, the next step is to choose the type of bait. Using the correct type of bait for that water type will yield more success and prevent the appearance of Used Bait. If you get one, it means you are using the incorrect bait type for that fishing hole. While fishing, you also have a chance to reel in a Wet Gunny Sack instead of a fish, which contains miscellaneous crafting materials such as trait materials, tempers, style materials, or enchanting runes. When a fish is on the line, the float will sink into the water and your character will pull on the fishing rod. Activating it in time will bring in a fish.

Every fishing hole has 15 catches, except ones in the Imperial City, which have 30. It is possible to come across fishing holes with fewer catches, because players can abandon a fishing hole before it is emptied, leaving the rest of the catches for later players. On rare occasions, a fishing hole can respawn shortly after having been emptied, or even sometimes while you are currently fishing out of it.

When you catch a common fish, you are able to fillet it if you use it from your inventory or bring it to a Cooking Fire. Doing so gives you a guaranteed Fish provisioning ingredient, and also has a very small chance (1%) of yielding a Perfect Roe, one of the provisioning ingredients used to brew Psijic Ambrosia (as well as Orzorga's Smoked Bear Haunch).

Types of WaterEdit

There are four main types of water sources that you can fish from. As detailed in A Guide to Fishing Tamriel, certain types of bait work better in certain types of water, and different common fish are caught depending on the water type. A fifth type of water, "Spawning", is quest-related and isn't usually encountered. Oily, Mystic, and Foul Abyssal are zone-specific water types not found elsewhere.

FoulEdit

 
A Foul fishing hole

Foul water fishing holes can be found in fetid, murky pools of water such as sewers, swamps, and near decomposing corpses.

RiverEdit

 
A River fishing hole

River fishing holes can be found in moving bodies of fresh flowing water that drain into a lake or ocean.

LakeEdit

 
A Lake fishing hole

Lake fishing holes can be found in still bodies of water with deep holes or overgrowth.

SaltwaterEdit

 
A Saltwater fishing hole

Saltwater fishing holes are found almost anywhere on the coast. Coastal cities, such as Ebonheart and Skywatch, have docks with fishing holes.

MysticEdit

 
A Mystic fishing hole

Mystic fishing holes are only found on Artaeum, and they function identically to Saltwater fishing holes.

OilyEdit

 
An Oily fishing hole

Oily fishing holes are only found in the Clockwork City, and they function identically to Foul fishing holes.

Foul AbyssalEdit

 
A Foul Abyssal fishing hole

Foul Abyssal fishing holes are only found in Apocrypha. They function identically to Foul fishing holes, although with different types of fish. You might also rarely fish up a hostile Lurker.

SpawningEdit

 
A Spawning fishing hole

Spawning fishing holes are related to specific quests, as detailed below.

Types of BaitEdit

Bait can be obtained by various methods, as detailed below. Bait items can be stored in Craft Bags and are categorized as Provisioning materials, even though most bait isn't used in any Provisioning recipes.

In Clockwork City, instead of the usual foul water fish you will catch either Clockerfish or Typical Barb.

Bait Guide Fishing Guide
Bait Source Ideal use
  Chub Fishing in Foul Water Saltwater
  Crawlers Looting small insects, fleshy undead and plants Foul
  Fish Roe Fishing in Rivers Foul
  Insect Parts Looting small flying insects River
  Guts Looting small animals and fleshy undead Lake
  Minnow Fishing in the Saltwater Lake
  Shad Fishing in Lakes River
  Simple Bait Bought from vendors. It is the least useful bait

as it is not optimal for any water type.

None
  Worms Looting fleshy undead and plants Saltwater
Water type Bait to use Bait caught Common fish caught
Foul  Crawlers

 Fish Roe

 Chub  Slaughterfish

 Trodh

Saltwater  Worms

 Chub

 Minnow  Dhufish

 Longfin

Lake  Guts

 Minnow

 Shad  Silverside Perch

 Spadetail

River  Insect Parts

 Shad

 Fish Roe  Salmon

 River Betty

Foul Abyssal  Insect Parts

 Fish Roe

 Chub  Caliginous Bristleworm

 Illuminated Halosaur

ProvisioningEdit

Some fishing bait items are also used in various Provisioning recipes:

FurnishingEdit

A few Furnishing plans also use bait as ingredients:

Rare FishEdit

Aldmeri DominionEdit

Khenarthi's Roost Foul Lake Saltwater River
None None Pyandonean Ray None
Auridon Foul Lake Saltwater River
None Ilyadifish

Barbel

Mudfish

Sturgeon

Blue Monkfish

Thrassian Eel

Eucla Cod

Mola

Shimmerpike

Blackspotted Pike

Bristlemouths

Muskie

Grahtwood Foul Lake Saltwater River
Bilious Catfish

Snapper Eel

Swamp Eel

Stickleback

Dreughfish

Koi

Magrove Shark

Devil Ray

Mojarra

Greater Fangfin

Hog Sucker

Tiger Perch

Greenshade Foul Lake Saltwater River
Viperfish

Cusk Eel

Wolf-Eel

Jungle Bass

Archerfish

Murray Cod

Zebra Pompano

Manefish

Triggerfish

Xylo Piranha

Lyretail

Walleye

Malabal Tor Foul Lake Saltwater River
Ouze Toadfish

Ghastel Bass

Stargazer

Z'en's Whitefish

Arowana

Inconnu

Abecean Halibut

Ono

Sea Bass

Strident Leechfin

Mrigal

Stonefish

Reaper's March Foul Lake Saltwater River
Slimeslither

Brotula

Reaper's Eel

Red Gurnard

Forest Bream

Preposterous Mackerel

Brown Trout

Ladyfish

None Strid Shad

Flying Fish

Sheepshead

Sweetfish

Daggerfall CovenantEdit

Stros M'Kai

Betnikh

Foul Lake Saltwater River
None None Eltheric Grouper None
Glenumbra Foul Lake Saltwater River
Hag Fen Hagfish

Dragonfish

Lamprey

Cambray Perch

Powen

Rock Bass

Azurain Flounder

Finless Sole

Tuna

Brook Trout

Catfish

Warmouth

Stormhaven Foul Lake Saltwater River
Gray Loach

Sawfish

Yellow Moray

Silver Walleye

Barfish

Yellow Bass

Alcaire Pike

Dab

Stormhaven Flounder

Dreugh Shrimp

Grass Carp

River Stingray

Rivenspire Foul Lake Saltwater River
None Ichory Chub

Nase

Rivenspire Trout

Writhing Scrab

Northpoint Cod

Snakehead

Dusky Grouper

Hake

Ruby Tench

Ribbon Eel

Stream Catfish

Turbot

Alik'r Desert Foul Lake Saltwater River
Midget Salmon

Sand Eel

Cutthroat Eel

Sand Moray

Desert Pupfish

Banded Killifish

Lungfish

Saw Belly

Bonefish

Alewife

Driftfish

Sablefish

None
Bangkorai Foul Lake Saltwater River
None Lake Snapper

Scaly Lungfish

Gar

Paddlefish

Bjoulsae Hake

Morid Cod

Swai

Toadfish

Prickleback

Lenok

Panga

Pupfish

Ebonheart PactEdit

Bleakrock Isle

Bal Foyen

Foul Lake Saltwater River
None None Inner Sea Scalyfin None
Stonefalls Foul Lake Saltwater River
Scum Carp

Fungusfish

Stinkfish

Rainbow Zander

Lake Chub

Tench

Akaviri Wrasse

Armorhead

Travally

Ash Shad

Ricefish

Thorny Catfish

Deshaan Foul Lake Saltwater River
None Mud Lamprey

Old Man Gar

Gourami

Ide

Pikeblenny

Gibberfish

Monkfish

Mustard Eel

Toadstool Tilapia

Cutthroat Trout

Deshaan Chub

Mouthbrooder

Shadowfen Foul Lake Saltwater River
Coelacanth

Toxic Xoach

Eel-Goby

Pricklefish

Histcarp

Orange Roughy

Quillback

Zander

None Shark Tadpole

Boga

Hardyhead

Opah

Eastmarch Foul Lake Saltwater River
Ice Remora

Modoc Sucker

Snipe Eel

King Sturgeon

Char

Eastmarch Pike

Ghost Haddock

Golem Shark

Pigfish

White River Pickerel

Ice Fish

Steelhead

The Rift Foul Lake Saltwater River
Sulfursucker

Bream

Skate

Skorrn

Ilinalta Trout

Ice Koi

Jarl Salmon

Zebra Oto

None Muskellunge

White Roughy

Grouper

Sockeye Salmon

Neutral and DisputedEdit

Artaeum Foul Lake Saltwater River
None None

Pearlescent Crayfish
Abyssal Sea Pig
Weaving Octopus

None
Blackwood Foul Lake Saltwater River

Stained Porgy
Inkspur Cuttlefish
Muddy Razorgill

Blackwater Bullhead
Red Zander
Speckled Sauger

Opaline Albacore
Harvester Octopus
Topal Nautilus

Pantherfish
Ivory Darter
Onkobra Muskie

Clockwork City Foul Lake Saltwater River

Ancestor Wrasse
Barilzar's Grenadier
Enmegalabzu
Clicking Travally
Copperclaw Crayfish
Coppery Cucumber
Imperfect Blobfin
Oil-Eater Whalefish
Operant Eel
Orod
Verminous Catfish
Whisper Knifefish

None None None
Coldharbour Foul Lake Saltwater River

Ghoulfish
Heinous Gar
Moray Leech
Stingerpike
Azure Eel
Bichir
Blue Slimefish
Cavefish
Fang Shark
Harbour Gar
Plasm Darter
Venomfish

None None None
Craglorn Foul Lake Saltwater River
None

Crag Salmon
Glasshead Barreleye
Forlorn Catfish
Ghost Knifefish
Nirn Flounder
Spiny Orcfish

None

Nedic Eel
Yokudan Cod
Bitterling
Croaker
Dragon Goby
Mermouth

Cyrodiil Foul Lake Saltwater River

Sewer Eel
Pufferfish
Quillfish

Runmare Bream

Rainbow Fish
Yellow Perch

Topal Fanche

Emperor Angelfish
Jewel Fish

Nibenay Trout

Glassfish
Pirate Perch

The Deadlands Foul Lake Saltwater River

Molten Nudibranch
Needlefish
Ogrim Goonch
Rustbelly Loach
Banegil
Black-Eyed Croaker
Corpus Hagfin
Deadlands Trout
Dusk Angler
Ebony Mudfish
Slag Eel
Vile Crayfish

None None None
Galen Foul Lake Saltwater River
Galen Vent Spikefish

Abyssal Dragonfish
Obsidian Goby
Systres Skate

Firesong Bream
Glimmertarn Darter
Stone Circle Perch
Tidebarrow Tetra

Sea Robin
Lizardfish
Pearlfish
Suncleft Cod

None
Gold Coast Foul Lake Saltwater River

Ghastly Batfish
Spiny Frogfish
Black Anvil Loach

Palatine Sabertooth
Hammer Bombil
Spotted Bass

Sleeper Shark
Scorpionfish
Rattail

Bullface Wingfin
Longmouth Pike
Gold Coast Crayfish

Hew's Bane Foul Lake Saltwater River

Keuppia
Daggertooth
Fringed Mudskipper

Cichlid
Bala Shark
Cherry Barb

Sparking Anglermouth
Beggar Shark
Crestfish

Glass Catfish
Firemouth
Hew's Rasbora

High Isle Foul Lake Saltwater River

Skulltooth Barbel
Systres Flounder
Ropefish

Rainbow Gudgeon
Bronze-Banded Sunfish
Mudfin

Bluespotted Cornetfish
Daggerfish
Gonfalon Rockfish

Rockscale
Marbled Goby
Silver Bream

Imperial City Foul Lake Saltwater River

Aphotic Batfish
Glow-Spotted Blenny
Cannibal Lancet
Blobfin
Guiyu
Hatchetfish
Humpback Angler
Imperial Loosejaw
Scabrous Grenadier
Flabby Whalefish
Trapjaw Eel
Wen Loach

None None None
Murkmire Foul Lake Saltwater River

Michinitl
Lined Sole
Ayotlchin

Moist Scale Burrower
Redear Sunfish
Bowfin

Longlure Eelfin
Fat Sleeper
Spotted Seatrout

Hist Sap Shiner
Kuuyicet
Thick Scaled Mullet

Necrom

Foul Abyssal fish are found in Apocrypha

Lake, Ocean, and River fish are found in the Telvanni Peninsula

Foul Abyssal Lake Saltwater River

Lurker Spawn
Inkfish
Inkwell Squid

Morrowind Dreugh Shrimp
Agarivore Shark
Deadrock Lobster

Howling Shark
Obdurate Albacore
Puffball Blowfish

Sadrith Splat
Brown Hat Snail
Magma Salmon

Northern Elsweyr Foul Lake Saltwater River
None None None

Greater Senchefin
Moon-Sugar Shrimp
Hircine's Pupfish
Elsweyr Moon Tetra
Freshwater Blenny
Rimmen Bichir
Reedfish
Galaxias
Speckled Dace
Desert Sucker
Grayling
Cudgeon

The Reach
Blackreach: Arkthzand Cavern
Foul Lake Saltwater River

Briarthorn Goby
Leechtooth Eel
Muckbelly Frogfish
Siltwallow Burrfish

Druadach Garpike
Pinegilled Drum
Hagfin Vendace
Karth Crayfish

None

Blackreach Pilgrim
Fretfish
Lost Valley Tench
Nchuand Cavetrout

Southern Elsweyr Foul Lake Saltwater River

Radhin Zhab
Pellitine Tilapia
Fif Cat
Ruin Sucker

None

Khaj'Roh
Zha'ja Roh
Pellitine Horse Mackerel
Wedgefish

Roh-Ri
Fresh-Water Sardinella
Elsweyr River Perch
Shaveskin Darter

Summerset Foul Lake Saltwater River

Senche Flathead
Copper Oreodory
Burnish Groper

Crystal Hannia
Dusk Arowana
Blooming Flowerhorn

Lingweloce
Radiant Dory
Quicksilver Lingwe

Great Yellowfin
Anu's Travally
Eton Sprat

Vvardenfell Foul Lake Saltwater River

Oanna
Firemouth Guiyu
Sleeper Coffinfish

Shalk-Brother Crayfish
Pity Bombil
Hoaga Oto

Resdaynian Sailfin
Weeping Pygmy Shark
Ghost Octopus

Ash Blindfish
Netch-Hook Eel
Pilgrim Goby

West Weald Foul Lake Saltwater River

Bonytongue
Skingrad Sculpin
Wildburn Blobfish
Death Hopper Nymph

Bitterfish
Salasso Carp
Colovian Zander
False Hadolid

None

Larich Loach
Golden Sturgeon
Giant Strid Piranha
Marble Trout

Western Skyrim
Blackreach: Greymoor Caverns
Foul Lake Saltwater River

Sanguine Lamprey
Hypogean Tetra
Vandellia

Lodsilungur
Solitude Loach
Frigid Char

Birtingr
Ghost Salmon
Skyrim Gurry Shark

Blue Muskie
Chillwind Pike
Morthal Longfin

Wrothgar Foul Lake Saltwater River

Greater Ashmouth
Lesser Ashmouth
Pariah Lumpfish

Giant Hammerjaw
Matron Eelpout
Vorkhiposh

Crab-Slaughter-Crane
Blue-Ringed Octopus
Black Scabbardfish
Hairy Coffinfish

Chinlea
Nelma
Tum Weever

Quest-Related FishEdit

These fish can only be caught at specific fishing holes as part of the related quest. Aside from Used Bait, nothing else can be caught at these fishing holes.

New Life Fishing Hole

(Fish Boon Feast)

Fish Water Type Zone
Black Marsh Cucumber

Histmuck Blobfin

Shadowfen Creeping Leech

Spawning Shadowfen

Other ItemsEdit

In addition to fish, there are several other types of items you can earn by fishing:

Antiquity LeadsEdit

ContainersEdit

Recipe: Artaeum Picked Fish Bowl — creates the Artaeum Pickled Fish Bowl unique dish
Recipe: Artaeum Takeaway Broth — creates the Artaeum Takeaway Broth drink

FurnitureEdit

You may find the following furnishing items for your home:

Additionally, certain zones have their own furniture drops:

SummersetEdit

MurkmireEdit

TrueflameEdit

During early access, it was possible to very rarely obtain Trueflame while fishing in Stonefalls. This was a Veteran Rank sword that was part of the Arms of Infernace item set. It was quickly removed before the game's official release with Patch 1.0.1, but existing copies of the sword can still be found in-game and can be traded to other players.

As part of ESO's tenth anniversary celebrations, a Trueflame Sword Replica was made available as a weapon style. During the Anniversary Jubilee 2024 event, all fishing nodes had a rare chance to drop a Bound Style Page: Trueflame Sword Replica in reference to the original bug from 2014.

Fishing BuffsEdit

Champion Point PerksEdit

There are two Champion perks associated with fishing. Both are in the Craft tree, and both are active (i.e. must be slotted to take effect). These are Reel Technique and Angler's Instincts. The former reduces the time needed for a fish to bite by 25%; the latter increases the chance to snag a rare fish and stacks with other bonuses such as the one from Lure Allure detailed below.

Fish EyeEdit

 
Fish Eye
Increases Magicka and Stamina Recovery by x and grants keen eyes toward fish.

Fish Eye is a status effect gained by drinking Hissmir Fish-Eye Rye. In addition to a level-scaled buff to Magicka Recovery and Stamina Recovery, the drink grants "keen eyes" similar to the Keen Eye perks available for crafting material nodes. With this status effect, fishing holes will appear to glow, and the water type will be displayed when you approach (e.g. "River Fish", "Spawning Fish", etc). While the glow effect may be useful in highlighting fishing holes, the secondary effect is largely obsolete since water types are now automatically displayed even without this drink active.

Lure AllureEdit

Increases Max Health and Max Magicka. Additionally, fish may be drawn to you.

Lure Allure is a buff gained by eating Artaeum Pickled Fish Bowl. In addition to a level-scaled increase to your maximum Health and Magicka, the food increases your chance of fishing rare fish.

Sharp's Patience Edit

Fish bite at an increased rate and have a higher chance of being trophy fish.

Sharp's Patience is the Companion Perk granted by Sharp-as-Night, a Companion added by the Necrom Chapter. When he is with you, his perk causes fish to bite at an increased rate, and also increases your chances of catching a trophy fish. Trophy fish obtained due to this perk will have the Companion icon displayed next to them on the UI when caught. Note that the perk does not reduce your chance to hook special items, nor does it affect the rate at which you catch non-trophy fish that can be fileted for Perfect Roe; it only reduces your chance to catch bait.

Summoning Sharp at max rapport after he reaches level 20 will grant you Sharp's Handmade Fishing Lure, a Keepsake which permanently unlocks the Sharp's Patience perk without the need to have him as your active Companion.

Fishing AchievementsEdit

 
Fishermen on High Isle

There are many achievements associated with fishing. Every zone except the starter islands has 12 rare fish you can catch. Catching all of the rare fish in a zone will give you that zone's achievement. If you get all of the major zone achievements in one alliance, you'll receive another achievement for that alliance. Get all three of those, along with the starter island achievements and the separate ones for Cyrodiil and Coldharbour, and you'll receive the rare Master Fisher achievement. Note that the fish on the starter islands are not necessary for the alliance fishing achievements, but they are necessary for the Master Fisher achievement. Completing the Master Fisher achievement grants the title "Master Angler".

Craglorn Angler and the DLC achievements are not needed to earn the Master Fisher achievement. Fish Boon Angler is a quest-related holiday event achievement.

Auridon Angler (5 points)
Khenarthi's Roost Angler (5 points)
Grahtwood Angler (5 points)
Greenshade Angler (5 points)
Dominion Fisherman (10 points)
 Dominion Fisher Yellow
Malabal Tor Angler (5 points)
Reaper's March Angler (5 points)
Alik'r Desert Angler (5 points)
Stros Angler (5 points)
Bangkorai Angler (5 points)
Glenumbra Angler (5 points)
Covenant Fisherman (10 points)
 Covenant Fisher Blue
Rivenspire Angler (5 points)
Master Fisher (50 points)
 Slaughterfish Flesh Pink
Stormhaven Angler (5 points)
Deshaan Angler (5 points)
Bleakrock Angler (5 points)
Eastmarch Angler (5 points)
Rift Angler (5 points)
Pact Fisherman (10 points)
 Pact Fisher Red
Shadowfen Angler (5 points)
Stonefalls Angler (5 points)
Cyrodiil Angler (10 points)
 Nibenay Trout Green
Coldharbour Angler (5 points)


Craglorn Angler (5 points)
 Yokudan Cod Tan
Imperial City Angler (5 points)
Wrothgar Master Angler (5 points)
Hooking Wrothgar's Biggest Catch (10 points)
Hew's Bane Master Angler (5 points)
Gold Coast Master Angler (5 points)
Fish Boon Angler (5 points)
Morrowind Master Angler (5 points)
Clockwork City Master Angler (5 points)
Summerset Master Angler (5 points)
Artaeum Master Angler (5 points)
Murkmire Master Angler (5 points)
Northern Elsweyr Master Angler (5 points)
Pellitine Master Angler (5 points)
Western Skyrim Master Angler (5 points)
The Reach Master Angler (5 points)
Blackwood Master Angler (5 points)
Deadlands Master Angler (5 points)
High Isle Master Angler (5 points)
Galen Master Angler (5 points)
Necrom Master Angler (5 points)
Pulled from the Depths (10 points)

BugsEdit

  • Occasionally you will receive the message "You cannot fish in Werewolf form" while attempting to fish.
    • This can be fixed by relogging.
  • Sometimes while fishing at a lake in Auridon, you will catch both a Barbel and a Zebra Oto, the latter of which is a rare fish from the Rift, and will get credit for both.
  • Some very few fishing holes will only give Used Bait.
  • Sometimes while fishing in the fishing hole under the bridge to the closed Green Emperor Way District in the Arboretum District, you will catch a Sewer Eel, a Cyrodiil foul water fish. ?

NotesEdit