A Genuine Fishing Guide

A few things to point out:

This is a personal guide, if you disagree with any elements feel free to comment/make additions to this page, but please don't remove anything. This is a "Genuine Fishing Guide." It doesn't go into theory, or give information that hasn't been tested 1st hand by the Author (IconicIdea). This guide doesn't assume you have a 99 Level character with all expansions being able to run nilly willy everywhere. It assumes you have a very low level character and no expansions. This means you can fish from a (reasonably) safe place and get your Fishing Skill to 99 without traveling to crazy exotic places that you don't currently have access to with a level 15-35 character.

A - Fishing, out of all the crafting skills takes the most amount of time to level. The reason for this being: It Is Highly Profitable. Unlike any other FFXI craft, you are actually paid to Fish.

B - You can only catch 200 fish per (Earth) day (this is about 16 and a half stacks). After reaching your limit, you will have what is called Fishing Fatigue, and you will not get any more bites until the day has elapsed.

C - The closer your fishing level is to the level of the fish, the more likely you will get skill-ups - & there are some fish that just give skill-ups faster than others. It is quite possible to catch fish 40 levels above your current skill level... but it won't do you much good, as you'll get no skill-ups from the encounters.

D - If you get any of the following it's best to hit the ESC key and let the catch go:
 * Something clamps onto the line ferociously! -this is a monster that you will have to fight... if you pull it up.
 * You have a Bad Feeling. -this will either break your line, or break your rod.
 * You have a Terrible Feeling. -this will most assuredly break your rod.
 * Something has caught the hook!!! -anything with THREE exclamations point indicates a very large fish, which will break small rods. If you have a heavy rod for catching large fish, pull it in (it may still break your line).

E - If you do not have patience... Fishing is not for you. Go beat on some monsters.

Level 1 to 10 - Port Windurst

The Targets will be Cobalt Jellyfish and Bastore Sardine. Use Halcyon Rod and Sabiki Rig. You may choose to ave the sardines for bait making later. Cobalt Jellyfish is an Alchemist ingredient and sells well at the Auction House.

Level 10 to 14 - Selbina

Target will be Greedies, using a Halcyon Rod and Minnow lure. The Minnow lure is HIGHLY effective at targeting this fish. Alternatively the Worm Lure works well too (and is less expensive).

Level 14-17 - Mhaura

The target will be Yellow Globe until you hit level 17. For this area, if your fishing with a Hume Fishing Rod and Sabiki Rig you will target only Yellow Globes! Yellow Globe an Alchemist ingredient that sell well at the Auction House. If don't have a Hume Fishing Rod use the Halcyon Rod and Sabiki Rig which also targets Bastore Sardines which you may use later as bait.

Level 17-19 - Selbina

Target will be Quus until you hit level 19. Use Halcyon Rod and Sabiki Rig.

Level 19-21-27 - East Ronfaure

The targets will be Cheval Salmon using a Halcyon Rod and Fly Lure until level 21. After you hit level 21 switch bait to the Shrimp Lure and the targed will be Tricolored Carp until level 27.