**Note: It's a long time since I originally wrote this guide, and I haven't been able to fully check for any changes in this version of the game. But I hope this will still be useful, and edits are incoming as needed**

Fishing can be one of the more tedious aspects of Nier. Hopefully this guide will make it a little more painless. Fishing is mostly an optional part of the game, but is involved in:

• One unskippable main quest.
  
• Several sidequests.
  
• Trophies/achievements: "Fish of Legend" (Catch a Rhizodont) and "A Round by the Pond" (Catch every type of fish).
  
• Required for some weapon upgrades.

• Press circle/B at a fishing spot and select your bait (or the naked lure).
  
• Wait for the rod to bend sharply (expect a few smaller nibbles beforehand) and pull back on the left analog stick. Keep the analog stick held back.
  
• When the fish tries to swim in a different direction your character will automatically lean in the opposite direction. Try to push the analog stick in the same direction as your character while still pulling back. So, either straight back, diagonally left or diagonally right.
  
• When in the correct position the fish's health bar will turn red and decrease. If it's staying still and yellow tweak the position of the analog stick slightly to keep reeling the fish in.
  
• Once its health bar reaches zero, the fish will be caught automatically.

For keyboard users, when a fish bites hold S+D when the fish moves left, and S+A when the fish goes right.

TIPS & TRICKS

• The fishing quests will make your character stronger and able to reel fish in more quickly and fish up increasingly tougher fish.
  
• If you are struggling to see the rod dip when a fish bites, try experimenting with different camera angles, and maybe even screen settings. You'll get a feel for it with practice.
  
• Different fish have different behaviours which can make it easier to anticipate them with experience. For example, some species will always nibble twice before taking the bait.
  
• You can attempt to pull a fish out of the water by pressing X(Playstation controller)/A (Xbox controller)/SPACE. It's usually easier and more reliable to just let the fish run out of stamina, and you will pull it up automatically. However, if you've hood a Dunkleosteus, Rhizodont or other strong fish it can be easier to hit this button when it's on low health.

Fish are listed here roughly by level, with later fish requiring you to have completed the fishing quests to be strong enough to reel them in.

* = required for the Fisherman's Gambit quests.


Note: Fish for Shaman Fish at Seafront Beach towards the lighthouse, where the seals are, as indicated with a red cross on the map while on a quest for this fish, NOT the small sandy section next to the fisherman who gives you the rod, which is too high level for beginners

TIPS & TRICKS

Bait is purchased from vendors, or some are low level fish you can fish up yourself.

Some fish have a lower chance of biting and just take a bit of patience.

I had better luck fishing up Blue Marlin from the small boat under the bridge than the pier itself (using a Lure), but your mileage may vary.

Completing the quest to catch a Shaman Fish for Yonah opens up the Fisherman's Gambit quest chain. Gambits 1-5 can be completed in the first half of the game, with 6 and onwards unavailable until the second half of the game.

• The Fisherman's Gambit: Catch ten Sardines
  
• The Fisherman's Gambit 2: Catch seven Blowfish
  
• The Fisherman's Gambit 3: Catch seven Rainbow Trout
  
• The Fisherman's Gambit 4: Catch five Bream
  
• The Fisherman's Gambit 5: Catch five Black Bass
  
• The Fisherman's Gambit 6: Catch three Sandfish
  
• The Fisherman's Gambit 7: Catch three Royal Fish
  
• The Fisherman's Gambit 8: Catch two Blue Marlin
  
• The Fisherman's Final Gambit: Catch one Hyneria

OTHER QUESTS INVOLVING FISHING

First half of the game:

• A Signature Dish: Ten Medicinal Herbs, ten Wheat and ten Sardines for the tavern keeper in Seafront.
  
• Bon Appetit!: Five Sharks, five Rice and five Mushroom for the tavern keeper in Seafront.

Second half of the game:

• Bot Appetit! 2: Ten Rice and ten Giant Catfish for the tavern keeper in Seafront.

Most of the junk fished up is useless, such as aquatic plants or dead branches, and can be safely sold. But for those trying for all the weapon upgrades, you will a few items from fishing to complete the Blade of Treachery, Iron Will and Iron Pipe upgrades.

In total you will need:

• 10 Rusty Buckets
  
• 9 Rusted Clumps

They can be fished up from the Northern Plains or Desert, using Carp or Sardines as bait.

Although less lucrative than cultivation, you can make some respectable money from fishing in Nier. Royal Fish are most commonly recommended for making money, and are fished from the Eastern Road using Earthworms as bait.

• Thank you to Scott Lennon and Lunchbox for corrections and comments.

Version 1.0 (2011-01-04) Original Submission to GameFAQs
Version 2.0 (2021-04-25) Original Submission to Steam