In Enshrouded 1.0, you can catch every fish in any body of water. Choose bait for the tier you want and use a rod strong enough to land it. Moving to a later biome is not a requirement for that fish to bite. You still need to complete the reel-in sequence when the game prompts you; suitable bait does not guarantee a successful catch.
This is a substantial change from early access. Keen Games' 1.0 changelog explicitly replaces the old location-based advice with bait and rod progression. Guides that tell you epic fish are restricted to Veilwater Basin describe an older system.
Start with Unknown Waters
The Hunter's Unknown Waters quest introduces fishing and unlocks the Simple Fishing Rod through manual crafting. You also need equipped bait: collect suitable insects or frogs, or make fishing bait. Simple Fishing Bait is available through manual crafting; the Fisher handles higher-tier bait.
Put the rod on your hotbar and equip bait before casting. A rod by itself is not enough. Once both are ready, stand beside water and follow the casting prompt. A short cast is a useful way to keep the action close while learning the controls; it is not a way to change the fish tier.
The two displayed rod attributes help you compare fishing equipment.
Choose bait for the fish tier
The current progression works as follows:
| Choice | What it changes in 1.0 |
|---|---|
| Bait tier | Primarily attracts fish of the same tier. |
| Improved fishing bait | If a fish bites, it is guaranteed to match the bait's tier. |
| Fishing rod | Must be capable of handling the higher-tier fish you hook. |
| Marked fishing spot | Trash and treasure chances were rebalanced for these spots. It is not a biome lock on fish species. |
The improved-bait guarantee applies when a fish bites. It does not promise a particular species, a fish on every cast, or a completed catch. Treasure and trash remain part of fishing, and Keen did not publish replacement catch percentages in the changelog. Avoid planning a farming run around old percentage tables.
Read the meter during the fight
These are the default PC controls; follow your on-screen prompts if you have rebound them.
- Hold and release the left mouse button to cast, then wait for a bite.
- Left-click when prompted to hook the fish.
- Pull against its direction with A or D. Watch the fish's red stamina bar: when your current direction stops reducing it, switch direction.
- Keep responding to the left-click prompts between stages. Holding a direction does not replace those inputs.
- Land the fish when its stamina is depleted and the final prompt appears. If your green fishing meter empties first, the fish escapes.
Watching the meter is often easier than tracking small movements in the water. A fish can change direction while its position appears almost unchanged. Use the falling red bar as feedback and switch promptly when it stops falling.
Watch the bar change while choosing which way to pull.
Pick a rod upgrade you can unlock
The fishing equipment overview lists these progression routes. Rod strength affects how quickly you wear down a fish; fishing endurance affects how long you can keep fighting it. Hidden numerical values and older loot weights are not needed to choose your next unlock.
| Rod | Unlock route |
|---|---|
| Simple Fishing Rod | Manual crafting after accepting Unknown Waters. |
| Cursed Fishing Rod | Reward from A Cursed Catch. |
| Improved Fishing Rod | Recipe unlocked by crafting Iron Bars. |
| Lucky Fishing Rod | Found during Lucky Catch; subsequently craftable at the Fisher. |
| Excellent Fishing Rod | Obtained through Nice Day For Fishing; subsequently craftable at the Fisher. |
If a higher-tier fish repeatedly exhausts your meter, check the rod before spending more bait. Also check that you are changing direction and answering the stage prompts. Ordinary character stamina bonuses should not be treated as a substitute for fishing endurance: player reports distinguish the two systems.
Fish can supply cooking and crafting materials as well as display trophies. Choose the fish your recipe needs, then match your bait and rod to that target. There is no need to relocate your entire fishing setup merely because an older guide assigns that fish to a distant biome.
Related guides
- Collect and manage water for a base fishing setup.
- Use the Enshrouded map to plan travel while unlocking the Fisher's quests.
- Explore the skill tree when reviewing your fishing-related perks.