Fishing serves several purposes in Black Desert Online. We’ve all heard the “If you teach a man to fish…” proverb. But outside of feeding yourself for life, you can also use various fish in alchemy formulas and trade if you’ve hooked a rare enough species. As with life skills such as bartering, it’s possible to make a fair living wage as a fisherman as well.

Fishing Equipment

Obtaining A Fishing Rod

You can obtain a fishing rod by earning, buying, or building one. Buy fishing rods from fisher merchants. Many of the Otters near the shorelines will sell fishing gear. You can also check at markets and with material merchants. You can also earn them as quest rewards or have your workers build one in a tool workshop.

Other Equipment

Floats provide additional aid in securing big and rare catches. They are classified as a secondary weapon, as far as equipping is concerned, and come in two varieties:

  • Ash Tree Float, with an extra 1% chance to reel in big fish catches, requires a Professional level 1 to equip. Maple Tree Float, with an extra 1% chance to reel in rare catches, requires Artisan level 1 to equip.

Proper fishing attire can protect against monster attacks while wading in the water and, as they say, dress for success. Wearing the appropriate outfit will also help you level up your fishing skill.

Boats are the next step when you’re ready to take your fishing off of the shoreline. Boats allow you to traverse into the open waters rather than sticking to coastal locations. Additionally, they expand your inventory for longer fishing expeditions and can be rigged with additional gear to encourage certain species to bite.

Harpoons are needed to catch certain (usually rarer) species of fish. They can be obtained through leveling your fishing skill or crafted at Tool Workshops in port towns or seaside lodgings.

Teach A Man To Fish

Finding A Fishing Spot

Equipping a fishing rod while encroaching on an adequate fishing spot (all save the shallows) will show you the fish population in that body of water. Sometimes this will be displayed graphically, too, through schools of fish appearing in the water. But, conversely, the pop-up may tell you the population has been exhausted, in which case fat chance you’ll catch anything more than a manky old boot.

Active Fishing

To cast your line, settle up to the water’s edge and press the space bar. Once you’ve baited a fish onto the hook, you’ll need to press the space bar when the meter is in the blue zone to hook the fish. You’ll then mimic some sequence of WASD as it appears on the screen within a limited time in order to reel in the catch.

Auto-Fishing

Auto-fishing begins automatically when you snag something but do not begin to reel it in manually. This function allows you to go AFK while still grinding for some extra coin. If you plan to be away for an extended amount of time, you should mark the “Throw away useless items while auto-fishing” checkbox. This will automatically clear out any scraps and debris you reel in, saving room for more fish.

Catch O’ The Day

Ironically, Black Desert is teeming with a slew of fish species. You’re sure to hook something if you cast your line into any body of water by chance. But if you’re looking to snag a certain, more elusive species, check the lists below to scout out the best fishing hole for your purposes.

Freshwater

Common

  • Barbel Steed - Serendia Bitterling - Serendia Bleeker - Mediah, Valencia Bluegill - Balenos Bubble Eye - Serendia Catfish - Balenos, Valencia Crawfish -  Mediah, Valencia Crucian Carp - Balenos Dace - Calpheon Goby Minnow - Mediah, Valencia Grayling - Serendia Kuhlia Marginata - Mediah, Valencia Mudfish - Calpheon Notch Jaw - Calpheon Perch -  Mediah, Valencia Rosy Bitterling - Balenos Roundtail Paradisefish - Calpheon Salmon - Calpheon Smelt -  Calpheon Soho Bitterling - Balenos Sweetfish - Mediah, Serendia Terrapin - Serendia Yellowfin Sculpin - Serendia

Big

  • Arowana - Balenos, Calpheon, Mediah, Serendia, Valencia Carp - Balenos, Calpheon, Mediah, Serendia, Valencia Cherry Salmon - Balenos, Calpheon, Mediah, Serendia, Valencia Freshwater Eel - Balenos, Calpheon, Mediah, Serendia, Valencia Lenok - Balenos, Calpheon, Mediah, Serendia, Valencia Striped Shiner - Balenos, Calpheon, Mediah, Serendia, Valencia Yellow-Head Catfish - Balenos, Calpheon, Mediah, Serendia, Valencia

Rare

  • Leather Carp - Mediah, Serendia Mandarin Fish - Serendia Pacu - Balenos, Valencia Piranha - Mediah Snakehead - Calpheon

Kamasylvia

Located south of Calpheon, this territory hosts a variety of species pools unique to each of its fresh bodies of water. While each location may play home to different common and rare fish species, they all share a common species pool of big fish. The only exception to this is the inland coastal waters which have only a small pool of common species they share with Atanis Pond.

  • Arowana Cherry Salmon Diamond Minnow Lenok Striped Shiner Yellow-head Catfish

  • Amur Minnow (Common) Bass (Common) Mandarin Fish (Rare) Spotted Barbel (Rare) Yellowfin Sculpin (Common)

  • Granges D’or (Rare) Miho Spine Loach (Rare) Spotted Barbel (Rare)

(Grána, Lake Flondor, and the Navarn Steppe all share the same common species pool.)

  • Goby Minnow (Common) Stumpy Bullhead (Common) Sweetfish (Common)

  • Pacu (Rare) Swiri (Rare)

  • Bleeker (Common) Common Minnow (Common) Grayling (Common) Leather Carp (Rare) Miho Spine Loach (Rare)

Sea Water

Balenos, Calpheon, Mediah, and Valencia all have saltwater access and therefore have a separate pool of native seawater species. Additionally, if you ever see a flock of seagulls gathering around a certain point, that is known as a ‘hotspot’ and indicates the appearance of a rare fish species in the vicinity.

  • Ray (Harpoon exclusive) - Arsha Sea, Eltro Islands, Nox Islands

These common Seawater species can be found across the entire Balenos region.

  • Bluefish Butterflyfish Clownfish Dolphinfish Filefish Flatfish Saurel Skipjack Squid Striped Catfish Surfperch

These common species can be caught along the primary sea channel in the Balenos region.

  • Beltfish Mackerel Mudskipper Rock Hind Sandeel Sandfish Trout

  • Angler - Nox Islands Checkerboard Wrasse - Arsha Sea, Olvia Sea (Harpoon only) Golden-Thread - Arsha Sea Maomao (Harpoon Exclusive) - Cron Islands Marlin - Eltro Islands Octopus - Eltro Islands Pomfret - Arsha Sea, Balenos Islands (Harpoon only) Siganid - Balenos Islands (Harpoon only), Eltro Islands, Nox Islands Swellfish (Harpoon Exclusive) - Cron Islands Swordfish - Arsha Sea, Olvia Sea (Harpoon only) Tapertail Anchovy - Eltro Islands, Olvia Sea (Harpoon only) Yellow Swordfish - Nox Islands

  • Albacore (Harpoon Exclusive) - Nox Islands Bigeye Tuna (Harpoon Exclusive) - Cron Islands Bluefin Tuna (Harpoon Exclusive) - Eltro Islands Grunt - Balenos Islands, Cron Islands Killer Whale (Harpoon exclusive) - All seaways of the Balenos region. Moray - Balenos Islands, Cron Islands Nibbler - Balenos Islands, Cron Islands Smokey Chromis - Olvia Sea Yellowfin Tuna (Harpoon exclusive) - Arsha Sea

  • Amberjack (Harpoon Exclusive) - Banto Sea Beltfish (Harpoon Exclusive) - Zenato Sea Flounder (Harpoon Exclusive) - Peyon Sea Gurnard - Peyon Sea Ray - Ahrmo Sea

These common Seawater species are available throughout the Calpheon region.

  • Bigeye Dolphinfish Flying Fish Fourfinger Threadfin Mackerel Pike Mullet Pintado Saurel Surfperch

  • Atka Mackerel - Peyon Sea Black Marlin -  Zenato Sea Cero - Peyon Sea, Zenato Sea Herring - Banto Sea John Dory (Harpoon Exclusive) - Epheria Sea Maomao - Epheria Sea Sailfish - Banto Sea Swellfish - Ahrmo Sea

  • Galeocerdo Cuvier (Harpoon Exclusive) - Ahrmo Sea, Banto Sea Hammerhead (Harpoon Exclusive) - Peyon Sea Nibbler - Peyon Sea, Porcupine Fish - Ahrmo Sea Porgy - Epheria Sea Saw Shark (Harpoon Exclusive) - Epheria Sea Sea Bass - Ahrmo Sea Smokey Chromis - Epheria Sea Tuna - Epheria Sea Whale Shark (Harpoon Exclusive) - Available by harpoon in all of Calpheon’s regional seas. White Shark (Harpoon Exclusive) - Zenato Sea

  • Croaker (Harpoon Exclusive) - Mediah Sea Flyingfish (Harpoon Exclusive) - Altinova Sea Ray (Harpoon Exclusive) - Sausan Islands

These common species are available across the entire Mediah region.

  • Blue Tang Clownfish Flatfish Rockfish Round Herring Sandeel Starfish Surfperch Whiting

Sea Eel (Harpoon Exclusive) -  Altinova Sea, Mediah Sea

  • Giant Grouper - Altinova Sea (Harpoon only), Mediah Sea Grouper (Harpoon Exclusive) - Mediah Sea Grunt - Sausan Islands Hammer Whale (Harpoon Exclusive) -  Altinova Sea Humpback Whale (Harpoon Exclusive) - Mediah Sea Moray - Mediah Sea Porcupine Fish - Altinova Sea Tilefish - Altinova Sea

Valencia has a regional species pool where all fish can be caught throughout Valencia in Al Halam and the Valencia sea.

  • Cuttlefish Flounder Gurnard Ray Rock Hind Rosefish Sandeel Seahorse Surfperch

  • Black Marlin John Dory Maomao Marlin Sea Eel

These rare species can be hunted throughout the Valencia region exclusively with a harpoon.

  • Beluga Whale Bottlenosed Dolphin Narwhale

These species can be found in both Valencian seas on rare occasions.

  • Porcupine Fish Tilefish

The Margoria Ocean is split into regions of its own, each with its own species pool. However, the rare species throughout the Margoria ocean are unanimous throughout every region.

Rare Margorian Species

  • Blackfin Sea Perch Cuvier Goliath Grouper Greater Amberjack Nibbler Porgy Sea Bass Skate Smokey Chromis Striped Bonito Striped Jewfish Sunfish Tilefish Tuna

Juur Sea

  • Beltfish (Common) Dolphinfish (Common) Mackerel Pike (Common) Sailfish (Big) Striped Catfish (Common) Surfperch (Common) Swordfish (Big)

Harpoon Exclusive

  • Bluefin Tuna (Rare) Sturgeon (Rare) Cuttlefish (Common)

Margoria (Central)

  • Butterflyfish (Common) Filefish (Common) Mackerel (Common) Marlin (Big) Sailfish (Big) Seahorse (Common) Surfperch (Common)

(Harpoon Exclusive)

  • Cuttlefish (Common) Killer Whale (Rare) Yellowfin Tuna (Rare)

Margoria (North)

  • Black Marlin (Big) Flounder (Common) Sailfish (Big) Scorpion Fish (Common) Squid (Common) Surfperch (Commmon) Tongue Sole (Common)

  • Albacore (Rare) Cuttlefish (Common) Hammer Whale (Rare)

Margoria (South)

  • Jellyfish (Common) Marlin  (Big) Rock Hind (Common) Rockfish (Common) Sandeel (Common) Yellow Swordfish (Big)

  • Bigeye Tune (Rare) Humpback Whale (Rare)

Ross Sea

  • Cuttlefish (Common) Mudskipper (Common) Sandeel (Common) Saurel (Common) Squid (Common) Swordfish (Big) Yellow Swordfish (Big)

  • Mackerel Tuna (Rare) Minke Whale (Rare)

Vadabin Sea

  • Flying Fish (Common) - Open waters, coast Marlin (Big) - Open waters Rosefish (Common) - Open waters, coast Sandeel (Common) - Open waters Shellfish (Common) - Open waters, coast Starfish (Common) - Open waters, coast Swordfish (Big) - Open waters

  • Cuttlefish (Common) Beluga Whale (Rare) Giant Grouper (Rare)

Ancado Inner Harbor and Arehaza ports share the same species pool.

  • Black Marlin (Big) Cuttlefish (Common) Flounder (Common) Gurnard (Common) John Dory (Big) MaoMao (Big) Marlin (Big) Porcupine Fish (Rare) Ray (Common) Rock Hind (Common) Rosefish (Common) Sandeel (Common) Seahorse (Common) Sea Eel (Big) Surfperch (Common) Tilefish (Rare)

At the Ancado Inner Harbor port, these species can be caught only with a harpoon

  • Beluga Whale (Rare) Black Marlin (Big) Bottlenose Dolphin (Rare) Marlin (Big) Narwhale (Rare)

This variety of species can be caught at the Altinova port.

  • Blue Tang (Common) Clownfish (Common) Flatfish (Common) Porcupine Fish (Rare) Rockfish (Common) Round Herring (Common) Sandeel (Common) Starfish (Common) Surfperch (Common) Tilefish (Rare) Whiting (Common)

These select species can be caught at the Altinova port only when using a harpoon.

  • Flying Fish (Common) Giant Grouper (Rare) Hammer Whale (Rare) Sea Eel (Big)

Fish for these common species in Port Epheria.

These common species can be caught in the Velia and Velia Beach ports.

Additionally, these species can be caught in the Velia Beach port.

  • Grunt (Rare) Herring (Big) Moray (Rare) Nibbler (Rare) Sea Eel (Big)

You won’t always snag a fish, but rather junk, sellable loot, or on occasion, valuable items such as crystal shards and keys for unlocking treasure chests.

Fresh Vs. Drying

There are benefits and drawbacks to both variations of fish. Fresh fish spoils and loses its value gradually right up until it expires. However, the freshest of catches sells at a higher value. Fresh fish is also profitable.

Dried fish can stack in your inventory, whereas each fresh fish takes a single inventory slot to store. Dried fish fetches a lower value when trying to sell, but they don’t spoil, ensuring some profit. The stackability of dried fish makes it a profitable trade good, and as a cooking ingredient, 1 fresh fish is equivalent to 2 dried fish. Drying fish manually is largely regarded as grunt work. So instead, send workers to Fish Drying Yards and collect their yields when they return.

A Fisherman’s Earnings

Some of these castaway items are necessary for various fishing quests. Baggio, Holio, Jiro, and the NPC around the West Guard Camp bridge are the quest givers of these tasks involving catches such as tattered boots or broken hooks. However, there are several other uses for the more pertinent catches outside of questing.

Perhaps the most obvious use for fishing is for cooking. Fish can be salted and preserved in several ways through the culinary arts or cooked up fresh in a variety of dishes. Various species are also required ingredients in some alchemy formulas. Stacks of dried fish can be bundled into trade goods when using a fisherman’s workbench, and there are two options for selling your catches as well.

  • Trade Managers pay coin for fresh fish. Imperial Fishing Delivery NPCs buy fresh fish as well, and for a higher value. They only accept a certain number of each species they’re looking for, though. Luckily there is delivery NPC for every region (7 in total), so if one has met their quota, simply offer your wares elsewhere. You can also wait for the imperial trade to reset, or if you’re really impatient, do some channel hopping.

Imperial Fishing Delivery NPCs

  • Balleo - Valencia City, Valencia (Find them outside the castle in the east.) Dius - Port Epheria, Calpheon (The docks.) Falleve - Grána, Kamasylvia (In the same vicinity as the Storage Keeper.) Hirio - Splashing Point, Mediah (Check the incoming road to the town entrance.) Karon - Velia, Balenos ((The docks.) Kubo - Duvencrune, Dreighan (Scan the main drag in the city center.) Rai - Glish, Serendia (In the same vicinity as the Trade Manager.)

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