Fishing

Secondary Pre-launch Updated 30 Oct 2026

Cheatsheet

Pick it for: anyone; it's secondary and needs no materials. Wowhead picks out Shamans (Far Sight, Water Walking) and Hunters (raw fish feeds pets).
Pairs with: Cooking, so one catch levels both; Alchemists also want oil fish.
Levelling route: skill comes per catch, not faster in harder zones (Wowhead, Icy Veins): 1–75 any starting zone, Shiny Bauble to about 25 · 75–150 a capital city, no lure · 150–225 Dustwallow or Stranglethorn, with lures · 225–300 Tanaris (Wowhead) or Feralas, Felwood and others (wow-professions.com).
Money makers: Icy Veins names oil fish (Oily Blackmouth, Firefin Snapper, Stonescale Eel) and buff-food fish (Sunscale Salmon, Mightfish, Winter Squid). Judge gold per hour after lures, travel and selling costs; not every catch has a buyer.
Camp items: Fish Bowl (20; 8% all stats, doesn't stack with Blessing of Kings) · Fishing Rack (140; uncommon fish for an hour, plus lures; blueprint from Gelihast, Blackfathom Deeps) · Fishing Hut (300; rare fish; blueprint source unknown).
Trainers and ranks: Expert from a book sold by Old Man Heming in Booty Bay · Artisan from the quest Nat Pagle, Angler Extreme (level 35, Fishing 225). Journeyman and Expert need level 10 and 20 (Icy Veins, wow-professions.com) or 1 (ForeverDB, beta client).
Watch out: Fishing itself barely changed. The Stranglethorn tournament now has 50 winners (Sundays 2–4 p.m. server time, per Icy Veins), but treat its timing and rewards as unconfirmed until checked live. Which fish the Rack and Hut unlock isn't listed yet.

Best estimated margins

Recipe	Skill	Estimated margin
Fish Bowl	0	4c our scan

Asking prices, before selling and training costs; not proof of demand. All Fishing margins.

Camp items

Item	Skill	Effect
Fish Bowl	20	Places a small fish bowl that allows you and others sitting nearby to gain 8% increased stats, mutually exclusive with Blessing of Kings.
Fishing Rack	140	Places a Fishing Rack that grants the ability to catch uncommon fish for 1 hour, provides Fishing Skill lures, and provides all of the benefits of a Fish Bowl.
Fishing Hut	300	Places a Fishing Hut that grants the ability to catch rare fish for 1 hour, provides Fishing Skill lures, and provides all of the benefits of a Fish Bowl.

In depth

What changed in Forever

Wowhead says Fishing itself barely changed. What changed is around it:

Many fish recipes in Cooking were buffed or added, and most cooked food now grants extra experience from kills.
Fishing makes its own camp items. The Rack blueprint drops from Gelihast in Blackfathom Deeps (Wowhead); where the Hut's blueprint drops is unknown. The Hut uses Seasonal Fish Steaks, prepared from Raw Winter Squid or Raw Summer Bass (Icy Veins).
Some Classic fish dishes now raise Fishing skill for 15 minutes, from Loch Frenzy Delight (+3, level 5) up to Filet of Redgill and Spinefin Halibut (+18).
The Stranglethorn Fishing Extravaganza now has 50 winners instead of one. Every winner gets an Arcanite Fishing Pole and an Extravagant Extravaganza Coin. The coin buys one of several rewards, such as the Hook of the Master Angler, which turns you into a fish while swimming. Icy Veins says the tournament runs every Sunday, 2 to 4 p.m. server time, and that 20 Speckled Tastyfish buy a Message in a Bottle, which can hold rare endgame items.
ForeverDB notes a Find Fish ability that shows fishing pools on the minimap.
Icy Veins adds Whimsyfin, caught east of Lake Everstill in Redridge, for the new Savory Whimsyfin Delight.

How skill works. Wowhead and Icy Veins agree that you gain Fishing skill per catch, and a harder zone doesn't give points faster. Fish where you can land fish reliably and move only for the catch you want. Your effective skill rises with:

Poles: a Strong Fishing Pole from vendors, the Big Iron Fishing Pole from shellfish traps off Desolace, a Horde-only pole from a Hinterlands quest, and the Arcanite Fishing Pole.
Lures: Shiny Bauble up to Aquadynamic Fish Attractor.
Gear: a hat, boots and a line from the tournament's rare fish, plus a glove enchant.
Food: the dishes above.

The Luremaster Legacy perk gives a chance to catch an extra fish while a lure is active.

Levelling, in brief

The guides largely agree on the route.

Skill	Where to fish	Notes
1–75	Any starting zone	Use a Shiny Bauble until about 25
75–150	A capital city	Wowhead says you won't need a lure here
150–225	Dustwallow Marsh or Stranglethorn Vale	Expert comes from a book, Expert Fishing – The Bass and You, sold by Old Man Heming in Booty Bay. Wowhead suggests Dustwallow for Alliance and Stranglethorn for Horde; use lures until 225
225–300	Tanaris (Wowhead) or Feralas, Felwood, The Hinterlands, Un'Goro and Western Plaguelands (wow-professions.com)	Artisan first, and keep using lures

Artisan comes from the quest Nat Pagle, Angler Extreme, from Nat Pagle in Dustwallow Marsh. It needs level 35 and Fishing 225, and asks for four quest-only fish from Feralas, Swamp of Sorrows, Desolace and Stranglethorn (wow-professions.com, Wowhead).

Which catches are worth keeping

Cost: Fishing has low material costs, but catching and selling take time. Judge gold per hour after lures, travel and selling costs; not every catch has a buyer.
Oil fish: Icy Veins lists Oily Blackmouth, Firefin Snapper and Stonescale Eel, which Alchemists turn into Blackmouth, Fire and Stonescale Oil.
Buff-food fish: Raw Sunscale Salmon and Large Raw Mightfish (Attack Power), Raw Winter Squid and Raw Summer Bass (crit), Raw Whitescale Salmon and Darkclaw Lobster (spell damage), and Raw Plated Armorfish (armour).
Rack and Hut fish: the uncommon and rare catches these unlock haven't been listed yet.

Where guides disagree

Rank levels: Icy Veins and wow-professions.com say Journeyman needs level 10 and the Expert book level 20. ForeverDB found that the Journeyman and Expert rank spells carry level 1 in the beta client.
Late zones: they suggest different zones for 225–300, though both say skill gains don't depend on the zone.

Trainers and recipes

Ranks: Apprentice to 75 · Journeyman to 150 · Expert to 225 · Artisan to 300.

Trainers

Trainer	Faction	Where	Trains to
Baelann Swiftcurrent	Both	Zephras Isle (63, 76) Seen in Forever
Fenn Fairweather Fisherman	Both	Zephras Isle (45, 48) Seen in Forever
Lau'Tiki Fisherman	Horde	Durotar (53, 82) Seen in Forever	50
Uthan Stillwater Fisherman	Horde	Mulgore (44, 64) Seen in Forever	50
Lumak Fishing Trainer	Horde	Orgrimmar (70, 30) Seen in Forever	50
Kah Mistrunner Fishing Trainer	Horde	Thunder Bluff (56, 47) Seen in Forever	50
Armand Cromwell Fishing Trainer	Horde	Undercity (81, 31) Seen in Forever	50
Astaia Fishing Trainer	Alliance	Darnassus (48, 57) Seen in Forever	50
Paxton Ganter Fisherman	Alliance	Dun Morogh (36, 40) Seen in Forever	50
Lee Brown Fisherman	Alliance	Elwynn Forest (48, 62) Seen in Forever	50
Grimnur Stonebrand Fishing Trainer	Alliance	Ironforge (48, 7) Seen in Forever	50
Warg Deepwater Fisherman	Alliance	Loch Modan (41, 40) Seen in Forever	50
Matthew Hooper Fishing Trainer	Alliance	Redridge Mountains (21, 51) Seen in Forever	50
Arnold Leland Fishing Trainer	Alliance	Stormwind City (55, 70) Seen in Forever	50

Recipes you buy

Recipe	Skill	Sold by
Fishing Rack New in Forever	140	Happy Camper, Durotar (45, 13) Seen in Forever 15s 0c

Data from ForeverDB.net, game build 1.60.1.70938. Places marked "Classic data" come from Classic and haven't been confirmed in Forever yet.

Where to gather

Best zones by skill

Skill	Zones

Fishing by zone

Zone	Skill	Most caught
Dun Morogh	-70	Raw Brilliant Smallfish 58.8%, Raw Longjaw Mud Snapper 40%, Minor Healing Potion 0.4%
Durotar	-70	Raw Slitherskin Mackerel 98%, Battered Chest 2%
Elwynn Forest	-70	Raw Brilliant Smallfish 58.8%, Raw Longjaw Mud Snapper 40%, Minor Healing Potion 0.4%
Mulgore	-70	Raw Brilliant Smallfish 58.8%, Raw Longjaw Mud Snapper 40%, Minor Healing Potion 0.4%
Teldrassil	-70	Raw Brilliant Smallfish 58.8%, Raw Longjaw Mud Snapper 40%, Minor Healing Potion 0.4%
Tirisfal Glades	-70	Raw Longjaw Mud Snapper 30%, Sickly Looking Fish 15%, Minor Healing Potion 0.4%
Darkshore	-20	Raw Rainbow Fin Albacore 30%, Darkshore Grouper 30%, Raw Slitherskin Mackerel 18.5%
Darnassus	-20	Raw Longjaw Mud Snapper 49.95%, Raw Bristle Whisker Catfish 30%, Raw Brilliant Smallfish 18%
Ironforge	-20	Raw Longjaw Mud Snapper 49.95%, Raw Bristle Whisker Catfish 30%, Raw Brilliant Smallfish 18%
Loch Modan	-20	Raw Loch Frenzy 25%
Orgrimmar	-20	Raw Longjaw Mud Snapper 49.95%, Raw Bristle Whisker Catfish 30%, Raw Brilliant Smallfish 18%
Silverpine Forest	-20	Raw Longjaw Mud Snapper 30%, Sickly Looking Fish 15%, Minor Healing Potion 0.4%
Stormwind City	-20	Raw Longjaw Mud Snapper 49.95%, Raw Bristle Whisker Catfish 30%, Raw Brilliant Smallfish 18%
The Barrens	-20	Raw Rainbow Fin Albacore 50%, Raw Slitherskin Mackerel 33.5%, Oily Blackmouth 15%
Thunder Bluff	-20	Raw Longjaw Mud Snapper 49.95%, Raw Bristle Whisker Catfish 30%, Raw Brilliant Smallfish 18%
Undercity	-20	Raw Longjaw Mud Snapper 39.95%, Sickly Looking Fish 15%, Raw Bristle Whisker Catfish 15%
Westfall	-20	Raw Longjaw Mud Snapper 49.95%, Raw Bristle Whisker Catfish 30%, Raw Brilliant Smallfish 18%
Ashenvale	55	Raw Bristle Whisker Catfish 63.35%, Raw Longjaw Mud Snapper 35%, Healing Potion 0.5%
Duskwood	55	Raw Bristle Whisker Catfish 63.35%, Raw Longjaw Mud Snapper 35%, Healing Potion 0.5%
Hillsbrad Foothills	55	Raw Bristle Whisker Catfish 63.35%, Raw Longjaw Mud Snapper 35%, Healing Potion 0.5%
Redridge Mountains	55	Spotted Sunfish 100%, Raw Bristle Whisker Catfish 63.35%, Raw Longjaw Mud Snapper 35%
Stonetalon Mountains	55	Raw Bristle Whisker Catfish 63.35%, Raw Longjaw Mud Snapper 35%, Healing Potion 0.5%
Wetlands	55	Raw Bristle Whisker Catfish 63.35%, Raw Longjaw Mud Snapper 35%, Healing Potion 0.5%
Alterac Mountains	130	Raw Mithril Head Trout 58.4%, Raw Bristle Whisker Catfish 40%, Mana Potion 0.7%
Arathi Highlands	130	Raw Mithril Head Trout 58.4%, Raw Bristle Whisker Catfish 40%, Mana Potion 0.7%
Desolace	130	Raw Mithril Head Trout 58.4%, Raw Bristle Whisker Catfish 40%, Mana Potion 0.7%
Dustwallow Marsh	130	Raw Mithril Head Trout 58.4%, Raw Bristle Whisker Catfish 40%, Mana Potion 0.7%
Stranglethorn Vale	130	Raw Mithril Head Trout 58.4%, Raw Bristle Whisker Catfish 40%, Mana Potion 0.7%
Swamp of Sorrows	130	Raw Mithril Head Trout 58.4%, Raw Bristle Whisker Catfish 40%, Mana Potion 0.7%
Thousand Needles	130	Raw Mithril Head Trout 58.4%, Raw Bristle Whisker Catfish 40%, Mana Potion 0.7%
Azshara	205	Raw Redgill 35.4%, Raw Nightfin Snapper 18%, Raw Sunscale Salmon 18%
Felwood	205	Raw Redgill 35.4%, Raw Nightfin Snapper 18%, Raw Sunscale Salmon 18%
Feralas	205	Raw Bristle Whisker Catfish 40%, Greater Healing Potion 0.5%, Mana Potion 0.5%
Moonglade	205	Raw Redgill 35.4%, Raw Nightfin Snapper 18%, Raw Sunscale Salmon 18%
Tanaris	205	Raw Spotted Yellowtail 25.3%, Raw Summer Bass 25%, Stonescale Eel 15%
The Hinterlands	205	Raw Redgill 35.4%, Raw Nightfin Snapper 18%, Raw Sunscale Salmon 18%
Un'Goro Crater	205	Raw Redgill 35.4%, Raw Nightfin Snapper 18%, Raw Sunscale Salmon 18%
Western Plaguelands	205	Raw Redgill 35.4%, Raw Nightfin Snapper 18%, Raw Sunscale Salmon 18%
Burning Steppes	330	Raw Whitescale Salmon 30.5%, Raw Nightfin Snapper 17%, Raw Sunscale Salmon 17%
Deadwind Pass	330	Lightning Eel 7%
Eastern Plaguelands	330	Raw Whitescale Salmon 30.5%, Raw Nightfin Snapper 17%, Raw Sunscale Salmon 17%
Silithus	330	Raw Whitescale Salmon 30.5%, Raw Nightfin Snapper 17%, Raw Sunscale Salmon 17%
Winterspring	330	Raw Whitescale Salmon 30.5%, Raw Nightfin Snapper 17%, Raw Sunscale Salmon 17%

Each zone's fishing skill and what its water gives are Classic data (CMaNGOS): from the zone's skill + 95 nothing gets away (a skill below 0 is Classic's way of saying any skill will do). caughtInForever is what ForeverDB players' addons caught there.