Fishing



Fishing is a mini game where the pirate can test their angling skills and hook fish for gold and maybe even find loot. Various species can be encountered, with varying degrees of difficulty to catch, up to Legendary Fish.

All it takes a rod, reel, a few lures, and some patience. Note: The tan long curved fish (Groupers) are extremly hard to catch even for someone who has mastered fishing.

Fishmasters


On the main islands, there are fishmasters who will help you get started, sell you bait and equipment and even get you a fishing boat. To interact, just walk right up to them and press "shift".

They are easy to spot. They have the Fish icon above their heads.

When you approach them, press "shift" to get the Fishmaster menu. Choose from:


 * Store - Buy more lures for your rod (Common and legendary lure)
 * Update Fishing Rod - Improve your equipment
 * Launch Fishing Boat - Take out the Fishing Dinghy to head for deeper water, it does cost 1,000g to use. (Note- Fishing boats are attainable at level 10 of your fishing skill.)
 * Legendary Fish Story - Hear tales about the Legendary fish, and where they might be hiding.

How to Fish
Fishing requires first to find a location to fish from. You can either fish right off the docks (Port Royal, Tortuga or Padres Del Fuego) or launching your fishing boat. This will entail a cost of 1,000 gold, but the potential rewards are MUCH higher and you won't likely find a Legendary Fish near the docks.

1) Bait your hook
Select a lure. You can buy the lures from the Fishmaster. You mush first select a lure BEFORE you can cast. Lures are available to basic members

2) Cast your line
To Cast, left-click to start the power bar. It will rise and fall on its own, the higher the bar level - the farther out you will cast AND the lower the bait will sink. Click again to cast out your line. It may take a little practice to learn the proper distance.

The view will change to underwater. You will be able to guide your bait to some extent.

3) Finding the Fish
Once your bait is in the water, the lure will slowly begin to sink on its own. As it does, you will see the various fish swimming around. The easiest fish to catch tend to stay near the surface, while the bigger and more wily fish swim deeper. If you miss your intended target, pressing the Space Bar will reel your line back quickly.

Above your Line Meter, you will see a number that indicates how far out your line has cast.

You can reel your line in by holding the Left-Mouse button to pull your lure back up or to avoid fish you don't wish to catch. Using skills like Stall or Sink, you can skillfully position your Lure exactly where you want. But, be careful. Moving your lure too much will scare fish away. Take note that if you do not scare the fish away, they will steal the lure if they require any rod excluding the novice fishing rod.

4) Reel'em In!
If the bait is close enough to a fish that is interested, you will see a yellow question mark appear and the fish may nibble on your bait. Left-click at just the right moment and HOOK'EM!

Once you start reeling in, a red exclamation point may appear. This means the fish is fighting back and is pulling hard on the line.

If a fish is fighting too hard or your line's health level is red - STOP REELING. If your line's health goes too far down, the bait will break off and your fish will get away. Should the line break, you will lose your lure and have to recast. Using Heal line skill can restore some of the lost line health.

Keep reeling until the fish is pulled out of the water.

Once the fish has been caught, if it is the first time that type has been caught - it is added to your collection. This is similar to the Treasure inventory.

Fishing Skills
You will obtain new fishing skills to help you catch fish more effectively. Increasing your Fishing Skill also opens up access to new rods, lures and the fishing boats. Each fish caught adds to your experience points, but the larger and harder the fish - the more points you earn.

Types of Fish


*Legendary Lure

Finding A Legend
Unlike all other fish in the sea, you can ONLY catch a Legend with the Legendary Lure. You must have it to try and catch a legend. These massive fish can only be found in the deepest waters, so be prepared to go out on a Fishing Boat.

Talk to the Fishmaster, and listen to their tales. It will help you figure out where to look.

Once your line is cast, BE PATIENT. A legend doesn't just appear, so you may find yourself avoiding regular fish while you wait. And they may not decide to make an appearance, but when one does all of the other fish quickly scatter and it's just YOU and the FISH.

Legendary Fishing
When a legend takes your lure, you will see a gauge at the top of the screen. You must wear the massive fish down and it will take new skills. Your fishing skills will NOT work here.

The fish will Struggle - quickly left-click as fast as you can to keep him from getting away.

Then, Reel it in. Move the mouse in a clock-wise circle around the reel to crank it closer.

Sometimes you will need to Catch the Reel. Quickly click on the back-spinning reel to keep from losing it.

Finally, after Struggling, Reeling and Catching, you will land the big one!

Too Big to Keep
After hauling in the Legendary Fish, you now have a Fishing story to tell. It's added to your Legendary Fish treasure page and you have a scale as proof of your deed.

Then, you have to let the monster go. But you'll always have that memory as you wave and watch the glorious legend swim back to the deep.

Currently, there are 5 Legends to catch, but nothing says there may not be more incredible beasties swimming around out there. You can catch more than 1 of the same Legendary Fish.

Fishing Tips

 * Each fish type has a unique personality in how they struggle once you hook them.
 * Different fish types give different rep - some "easy" fish give pretty good rep such as the hachet fish giving 30 rep - this may be adjusted.
 * If your lure is close to a fish that you DON'T want, move the lure to scare it away.
 * Basic members can only get to Fishing Level 7 (Journeyman Rod at Lvl 5)
 * The Sand Tiger Shark usually gives the most gold besides the legendary fish.
 * The Mega Mouth fish gives the most rep out of the regular fish. ( 300 rep)
 * The Anthias, Atlantic Wolffish, Barracuda, Dragon Fish, Marlin, and Mega Mouth fish can only be found at sea.
 * The Level 15 fish can be made heavier by losing a lure at the top with the first level fish and having all of them become eaten by the big fish. Depending on the fish on top the Level 15 fish will become heavier and heavier.
 * It is possible to get famed sailing items and weapons from fishing.
 * Fishing also levels up notoriety!