Tales of Arise fishing guide

Tales of Arise - Kisara holding up a black and yellow Berserker Piranha.
(Image credit: Bandai Namco)

Amid the JRPG grind, you may be ready for a well-earned break with some Tales of Arise fishing. You can spend nearly just as much time hunting for all of the fishing spots and fish in Tales of Arise as you will fighting Zugles. It also comes with its own rewards, too. There are fishing quests to complete and 44 fish to find across the world, with better rods and lures as your prizes.

One of the first things to be aware of is that you'll come across several fishing spots before you actually unlock the fishing activity. You won't be able to go fishing until after you've completed the third major area of the game in Menancia and left the area for Mahag Saar. So, with that out of the way, here's your Tales of Arise fishing guide.

Tales of Arise fishing guide: How it works

When you've entered one of the Tales of Arise fishing spots, begin by tossing your line into the water near some of the bubbles on the water's surface or jumping fish. Your cursor will turn yellow when you're hovering over an ideal spot.

With your line in the water, you'll see several fish on a bar facing towards your lure. The idea of this quick time event is pressing the corresponding buttons for Soft Shake, Hard Shake, and Reel In when the moving circle enters the green zone around your lure. However, different fish respond to different buttons. Pay attention to the 'Fish Present' chart when choosing your lure. It will tell you what kind of movements attract each fish type.

Once a fish is on your hook, it's time for another quick time event. Hold your rod in the direction indicated by the arrows on the bar while at the same time holding the 'Reel In' button. Every so often you'll need to quickly press Q, W, or E (LB/RT/RB on a gamepad) to damage the fish's stamina. If a fish darts to the left or right, you'll be prompted to press Q or E, while a jumping fish will prompt you to press W. Doing so will damage the fish's stamina, even more so with more powerful rods, until it's been caught.

Fishing locations

There are 12 fishing spots scattered throughout the game's five realms. Here's where to find each of them: 

  • Cave of Solitude (Calaglia): West edge of the map between Ulzebek and Mosgul.
  • Nevira Snowplains (Cyslodia): Southernmost path on the map.
  • Frozen Valley (Cyslodia): Northeast corner of the map.
  • Overseer Hill (Menancia): Southmost point of the map, south of the campsite.
  • Talka Pond Road (Menancia): Southeast on the map, the tutorial fishing spot.
  • Adan Lake (Mahag Saar): Southernmost point on the map near a campsite.
  • Adan Ruins (Mahag Saar): West edge of the map, north of the campsite.
  • Hidden Wharf (Mahag Saar): Talk with Mahavar to ride to a fishing spot on his ship.
  • Shinefall Woods (Ganath Haros): Northern path just outside Thistlym.
  • Lavtu Marshlands (Ganath Haros): Southwest map corner on the highest level.
  • Fogwharl Limestone Caverns (Ganath Haros): Complete the Untamable Rage quest.
  • Uninhabited Island (Other): Complete the Beyond The Grave quest.

(Image credit: Bandai Namco)

Tales of Arise fishing rods and lure locations

There are just five fishing rods to worry about in Tales of Arise, mostly gifted by the fishing master at Talka Pond for catching certain numbers of fish types. Upgraded rods do more damage to a fish's stamina while you're reeling in, while various lures will increase your chances of encountering certain types of fish. The rod types are:

  • Migal's Fishing Rod: Your default tutorial rod
  • Novice Tackle: Gifted for catching ten fish types
  • Fish Sniper: Gifted for catching 20 fish types
  • Tenebrae Mk. III: Gifted for catching all 44 fish types
  • Alliance Marine Rod: Complete Kisara's level 60 Solo Challenge at the Viscint Training Grounds
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Lures you can buy
Lure Location Fish types
Disarming Lure Cysloden inn shop Azure Tilapia, Nevira Piranha, Garnet Sea Bream
Trembling Lure Viscint inn shop Hawksbill Trout, Menancian Bass, Emerald Salmon
Charming Lure Niez inn shop Lesser Pirarucu, Muddy Pirarucu, Mahag Saar Flatfish
Rock Slapper Pelegion inn shop Polar Bass, Green Pike, Lavtu Arowana
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Lures from the fishing master
Lure Fish types caught Fish types
Beginner's Popper 1 Dahnan Bass
Elegant Swimmer 3 Coral Flatfish and Gluttonous Barracuda
Portly Mudslinger 5 Tricolored Catfish and Fogwharl Pike
Round Popper 15 Menancian Catfish, Ganath Haros Catfish, Zesti Grouper
Marine Floater 25 Cave Sea Bass, Vesper Sea Bass, Karasuba Sea Bream
Uber Spinner 30 Mahag Saar Barracuda, Pearly Pike, Cyslodian Salmon
Teepo Lure 35 Aureum Arowana
Silver Fang 40 Silver Marlin
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Lures from chests and quests
Lure Source Fish types
Flaptrap Chest in Adan Lake Berserker Piranha, Amber Mackerel, Tsuyukasa Mackerel
Subsurface Mirage Chest in Adan Ruins Pond Tilapia, Lacerda Salmon, Sardonyx Grouper
Stick Lure Chest in Lavtu Marshlands Traslida Arowana, Aqfotle Arowana, Ganath Haros Piranha
Bienfu Lure Chest in Forland Mountains Southern Hiking Trail Golden Catfish
Rapping Minnow Complete 'In Sync' quest in Cysloden Cobalt Trout
Zapie Doppelganger Found during 'Untamable Rage' quest Cygni Pirarucu
Celestial Whale Complete Kisara's Novice Solo Battle Challenge in the Viscint training grounds Talka Trout, Lavtu Tilapia, Blueback Tuna
Mieu Sinker Complete Kisara's Advanced Solo Battle Challenge in the Viscint training grounds Armored Sturgeon
Lauren Morton
Associate Editor

Lauren has been writing for PC Gamer since she went hunting for the cryptid Dark Souls fashion police in 2017. She accepted her role as Associate Editor in 2021, now serving as self-appointed chief cozy games and farmlife sim enjoyer. Her career originally began in game development and she remains fascinated by how games tick in the modding and speedrunning scenes. She likes long fantasy books, longer RPGs, can't stop playing co-op survival crafting games, and has spent a number of hours she refuses to count building houses in The Sims games for over 20 years.