Rust: How to fish

Fishing in Rust

Fishing lets players obtain food, scrap, low grade, and other items. You can fish in four areas: Swamp, River, Ocean, and Underwater Lab Moon Pool, each with its own unique fish. After catching a fish, you can eat it, sell it at a fishing village for scrap, or gut it for loot.

Get a fishing rod

Crafting: You can craft a Handmade Fishing Rod with 200 Wood and 2 Rope. No workbench is required.

Fishing Villages: You can often buy a fishing rod from vendors at Fishing Villages. Sometimes, they'll also offer a quest that rewards you with a rod and some bait.

Acquire bait

Bait is essential for catching fish. You can use various items as bait, with different bait values affecting your chances of catching different types of fish. Good options include:

• Worms/Grubs: Found by harvesting plants or in dirt piles.
• Raw Fish: Obtained by gutting other fish you catch. Higher-tier fish make better bait.
• Raw Meat: From animals (chicken, pork, bear, etc.). Less effective than fish.
• Berries/Vegetables: Have the lowest bait value.

Find a fishing spot

You can fish in most bodies of water: oceans, rivers, and lakes.

Deep water (at least 4.5 meters deep or about 3 foundation steps down) is generally better for catching higher-tier fish like Salmon and Small Sharks. Fishing Villages built over deep water are good spots.

Underwater Lab Moon Pools are also specific fishing locations with their own fish types.

Consider fishing in quieter areas away from high player traffic for safety. Fishing at night can also help avoid detection.

Bait your hook

Some quick instructions:

• Equip the fishing rod.
• Right-click on the fishing rod in your inventory.
• Select "Bait" and drag your chosen bait onto the rod.

Cast your line

• Stand near the water's edge.
• Hold right-click to aim your cast. The longer you hold, the further you'll cast, but distance isn't always crucial.
• Left-click to cast the line into the water.
• Watch the bobber closely.

Reel in the fish

• When a fish bites, the bobber will dip or move noticeably.
• Hold 'S' (by default) to reel in the fish.
• Use 'A' and 'D' (by default) to pull the rod left and right to keep the fish centered and manage line tension.
• Line Tension: Be careful not to reel in too aggressively, especially when the fish is pulling strongly in one direction, or the line will snap, and you'll lose the fish and bait. Stop reeling ('S') temporarily and use 'A' and 'D' in short bursts to guide the fish.
• Keep the fish relatively centered as you reel it in.
• Once the fish is close enough, it will be caught.

Types of fishes you can catch

Rust has various types of fish with different values for food, resources (like Animal Fat from gutting), and trading for Scrap at Fishing Villages. Some examples include:

• Minnows, Herring, Anchovies (lower value)
• Trout (can be used as good bait)
• Salmon, Catfish, Orange Roughy, Small Shark (higher value for trading)

Advanced tips for efficient fishing

Here are some useful tips:

• Use good bait: Higher-quality bait (like Raw Fish or higher-tier fish) increases your chances of catching better fish.
• Fish in deep water: As mentioned, this often yields more valuable catches.
• Be patient: Fishing can take time. Wait for the bite.
• Two rods: Carry two fishing rods in your hotbar. After catching a fish with one, immediately switch to the other to skip the lengthy catch animation, saving time. This doesn't cause you to lose bait.
• Don't catch the same fish twice: You cannot catch the same type of fish twice in a row with the same rod and bait. If you're fishing for something specific (like sharks with trout bait), switch rods after catching a shark or salmon. If you catch a trout, keep using the same rod for the next cast.
• Build a fishing base: Consider building a small, safe structure over deep water for more secure and efficient fishing.
• Follow the line: Visually follow the fishing line with your mouse cursor to help keep the fish centered.
• Listen for sound cues: The sound of the line straining can warn you to ease up on reeling.
• Sell high-tier fish: Focus on catching and selling Salmon and Small Sharks at Fishing Villages for the most Scrap. Gutting these for resources is generally less profitable for Scrap.
• Gut lower-tier fish: Gut less valuable fish for Raw Fish to use as bait or for Animal Fat (useful for crafting early-game items like a furnace).

Conclusions

Fishing in Rust can be a valuable skill for obtaining food, resources, and Scrap, offering a safer alternative to some other survival activities. With practice, you'll become a master angler!

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