Fishing

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The world is filled to the brim with the most outlandish kinds of fish!

Emote Town Angler.gif The Angler

Fishing in action.

Fishing is an activity accomplished by using a fishing pole at a body of liquid (water, honey, or lava) while having bait in the player's inventory. Pressing the Use / Attack button will cast a fishing line along with the bobber, which only functions when the bobber is thrown into liquid. Pressing the button again when the bobber moves up and down will reel in the line and often an item will come up with the line. The Angler NPC provides daily fishing quests and rewards their completion with an assortment of equipment, coins, potions, and vanity items.

Fishing provides an assortment of game resources: Crafting materials for potions and food, a variety of very useful accessories such as mobility improvements like the Frog Leg or Balloon Pufferfish, and even pets such as the Zephyr Fish. Some fish can even be used as tools or weapons. Through crates, fishing also provides an alternative source for ores, coins, many chest items, and some specialties such as the Falcon Blade, Sailfish Boots(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), and Tsunami in a Bottle(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions).

While fishing is not strictly necessary for game progression, some of the Angler's quest rewards (the Fish Finder components) are required to complete the Shellphone(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions). Fishing is also required to summon and fight Duke Fishron.

For pre-Hardmode players, fishing can be a good way of obtaining money and equipment; by mid-Hardmode, it is less competitive with other money-making options, enemy drops, and advancing equipment.

Requirements

Assume the bobber is located on the liquid surface (marked by the Golden Fishing Rod). To determine lake size, the width of the liquid surface is determined first (green rectangle), then the area extends downwards from the surface tiles (arrows). Tiles falling outside the originally calculated surface width are not counted (red areas).

75 connected tiles of liquid are required (1,001 for Oceans, 50 for honey[1]) in order for fishing to work, and 300 or more tiles to be optimal (1,001 for Oceans, 200 for honey[1]). The width of the top row of continuous liquid tiles (the row where the fishing bobber sits) determines the calculated pond width, and then the depth directly below those is counted. If the pond becomes wider at lower depths, that additional width is not counted. The player may successfully fish in a 1-tile-wide pond, as long as it is 75 tiles deep. The distance of the bobber to the shoreline does not matter.

On Desktop version Desktop version, Console version Console version, and Mobile version Mobile version, it is possible to fish while partially submerged in liquid, as long as the player's arms are above the bobber.

On Old-gen console version Old-gen console version and Nintendo 3DSNintendo 3DS version version, it is not possible to fish when the player is submerged in liquid, even partially, and even within a completely disconnected body of water.

Fishing can, however, be done while moving, flying, while grappled to blocks, sitting on a chair, while floating on liquid with the Slime Mount, or while standing on top of the surface of the liquid, e.g. using Water Walking Boots.

Fishing can be done in lava, but will only work with the Hotline Fishing Hook, a Lavaproof Tackle Bag(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), a Lavaproof Fishing Hook(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), or by using a Magma Snail(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), Lavafly(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), or Hell Butterfly(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) as bait. It can take much longer to get a bite in lava, but the chances increase with at least two of these sources; see the Catch frequency section below for details.

Fishing quests

"Quest" redirects here. For the Strange Plant quest, see Dye Trader § Strange Plant quests.
For a list of quest fish, see Angler § Quest list.

Catching a quest fish for the Angler NPC requires fishing in the proper biome and height for the day's current quest, which can be determined by talking to the Angler. The Angler gives out special rewards when the correct quest fish is turned in. Quest fish cannot be caught if the player already has that particular quest fish in their inventory, if the quest fish was already turned in that day, or if the angler is not alive. However, if the player puts the quest fish in a storage item, then they may catch another quest fish to store it for later. This saves time and effort, in case the same quest is repeated afterwards. The Angler changes his quest every day at dawn (4:30 AM). Although there is no other way of knowing where the quest fish is, the player does not need to speak with him beforehand.

Factors

Given the prerequisites for fishing are fulfilled, some factors influence the quality/rarity of the caught item. There is a variety of relevant equipment:

  • Certain accessories and items. They can stack with each other, and most of them are rewarded from Angler quests.
  • Buffs from certain potions help with fishing, all of which can be crafted or rewarded by the Angler.
  • Fishing poles can be crafted, received as Angler rewards, bought from other NPCs, or found in chests.
  • Bait comes from multiple sources: captured critters, Angler rewards, crates, and even crafting.
  • Chum Buckets(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) can be dropped by enemies spawned by Blood Moon fishing.
  • The Gummy Worm(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) gives a permanent boost to fishing power.

All the factors are combined into a total Fishing Power that determines the chances of higher-quality catches. Fishing Power is calculated by starting with adding these three basic factors:[2]

  • The Fishing Power of the fishing pole used.
  • The bait power of the bait used.[fb 1]
  • Effects from items and potions.

After the above three kinds of factors are added, bonuses (or penalties) are applied, as follows:

  • The time the player is fishing, as a multiplicative factor applied to the previous factors. These factors are listed in the "time" table below and stacked multiplicatively (e.g. when fishing during Full Moon and between 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM, the factor would be 1.3×1.1=1.43).[3]
  • (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) The number of Chum Buckets used on the liquid's surface, as a flat bonus.
  • The size of the lake. Lakes with fewer than 300 tiles (200 for honey[1]) incur a Fishing Power penalty, as a multiplicative percentage applied to the previous factors.
  • When fishing without the High Test Fishing Line, Lavaproof Tackle Bag(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), or Angler Tackle Bag(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), there is always a 1/7 (14.29%) chance that the fishing line will break on reel-in, forfeiting the caught item. Chances of consuming bait remain the same even if the line breaks. With one of the three accessories equipped, the line never breaks.

Amounts in the tables below that influence fishing power are marked green or red. Because some of the bonus factors are multiplicative, the fishing power amounts given by any of the three basic factors can seem to vary depending on, e.g., time of day or weather (For example, when fishing during rain, the Angler Earring can appear to provide more than just +10 Fishing Power).

Fishing Power boost gear and items
Item Effect
Angler Tackle BagAngler Tackle Bag(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) +10 Fishing Power
Lavaproof Tackle BagLavaproof Tackle Bag(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) +10 Fishing Power
Angler EarringAngler Earring +10 Fishing Power
Angler armorAngler armor +5 Fishing Power per piece
Fishing PotionFishing Potion +15 Fishing Power (8 minutes)
Chum BucketChum Bucket(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) +11/+17/+20 Fishing Power[fb 2]
(10 uses)
Fishing BobberFishing Bobbers(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) +10 Fishing Power
Gummy WormGummy Worm(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) +3 Fishing Power
(permanent after consumed)
Inner TubeInner Tube(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) or Mollusk WhistleMollusk Whistle(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) +5 Fishing Power
(as long as the player touches the liquid)
TipsyTipsy((Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) only) +5 Fishing Power
ToiletAny Toilet((Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) only, except Golden Toilet) +5 Fishing Power
(when the player is sitting on it)
Other effects from fishing gear and items
Item Effect
High Test Fishing LineHigh Test Fishing Line Line never breaks
Tackle BoxTackle Box −5% bait consumption chance
Crate PotionCrate Potion +15% Crate chance (4 minutes)
Sonar PotionSonar Potion Shows hooked item name
before reel-in (8 minutes)
Angler Tackle BagAngler Tackle Bag(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) Effect of High Test Fishing Line and Tackle Box
Fisherman's Pocket GuideFisherman's Pocket Guide(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) Shows current Fishing Power
Weather RadioWeather Radio(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) Displays current weather
SextantSextant(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) Shows moon phase
Fish FinderFish Finder(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) Shows weather, moon phase, fishing power
Lavaproof Fishing HookLavaproof Fishing Hook(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) Allows fishing in lava regardless of bait or rod used.
Lavaproof Tackle BagLavaproof Tackle Bag(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) Effect of High Test Fishing Line, Tackle Box, and Lavaproof Fishing Hook
Weather
Factor Effect
Cloudy or Overcast[fb 3] ×1.1
Rain ×1.2
Time
Factor Effect
4:30 AM – 6:00 AM ×1.3
9:00 AM – 3:00 PM ×0.8
6:00 PM – 7:30 PM ×1.3
9:18 PM – 2:42 AM ×0.8
Moon
Factor Effect
Full moon ×1.1
Gibbous moon ×1.05
Crescent moon ×0.95
New moon ×0.9
Blood Moon ×1.1[fb 4]
Lake size [fb 5]
Water tiles Effect
75 −75%
100 −66.6%
125 −58.3%
150 −50%
175 −41.6%
200 −33.3%
225 −25%
250 −16.6%
275 −8.3%
300+ no penalty
  1. % Bait Power also means % Fishing Power, and is combined with all other Fishing Power factors, such as the Fishing Pole's power and the Time factor, etc. Bait Power additionally determines the chances that the Bait item will be consumed from the player's inventory. Items with higher Bait Powers will tend to last through more fishing attempts: Higher Bait Power means lower chance of consumption.
  2. Chum Bucket bonuses are determined by how many are present on the water at once. One bucket used will give +11, two for +17 and three for a max of +20. These bonuses are not affected by previous factors (i.e. armor, accessories, potions, bait, pole, time, or weather), and are only affected by lake size. Also note that reeling in nothing or having the line break counts towards one of the 10 uses.
  3. This stacks with the Rain bonus, which means the Fishing Power bonus is more than ×1.2 during raining due to the cloudiness.
  4. On Desktop version Desktop, Console version Console, and Mobile version Mobile, fishing during a Blood Moon has a significant chance of spawning any of several exclusive and difficult enemies. See the Enemies section for more details.
  5. Lake sizes listed here are example numbers to illustrate the lake size effect, and are not thresholds. The penalty is actually determined by the equation (tiles / (n * atmo)) × Fishing Power where n = 300 for water and 200 for honey, and atmo is usually 1 except (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)at very high altitudes. Any increase or decrease in total tiles between 75 and 300 (200) will alter the lake size penalty. To be exact, atmo is either always 1 (on Old-gen console version Old-gen console version and Nintendo 3DSNintendo 3DS version version) or else determined by the equation max(0.25, min(1, ((maxY - Y) - (60 + 10 * WF)) / (maxY / 6))) (if above the Surface on Desktop version Desktop version, Console version Console version, and Mobile version Mobile version, where Y is the bobber's altitude above the surface measured in tiles, maxY is the maximum altitude in the world measured in tiles, and WF is either 1 for Small and Medium worlds or else 4 for Large worlds).

Luck

Desktop versionConsole versionMobile version
Desktop/Console/Mobile-Only Content: This section's information applies only to the Desktop, Console, and Mobile versions of Terraria.

The player's luck statistic affects their Fishing Power. This effect is hidden, i.e. it never affects the numbers displayed in the UI by the Fisherman's Pocket Guide or related accessories.

If the player has bad (negative) luck, there is a chance (determined once every catch attempt) that their Fishing Power will be reduced. Similarly, good (positive) luck gives a chance of increasing their Fishing Power.

  • If a player has total luck less than zero, then there is a (−100 × luck)% chance per catch attempt that the player's Fishing Power will be reduced by −10% to −40%.
  • If a player has total luck greater than zero, then there is a (100 × luck)% chance per catch attempt that the player's Fishing Power will be increased by +10% to +40%.
  • Actual fishing catches are not influenced by luck beyond fishing power.
  • The chance of catching crates is not affected by luck, although which kind of crate is caught is affected. This is because crates have a flat percentage chance of being caught, which is not affected by Fishing Power or luck, but if a crate is caught, the kind of crate is determined by Fishing Power. See the Crate mechanics section below for further details.[4][5]

Fishing poles

Fishing poles are used with bait for fishing. Some are craftable, while others are either sold by NPCs, found in chests, or are awarded by the Angler.

  • Fishing pole Source Fishing
    Power
    Velocity Sell Rarity Notes Projectile
    created
    Wood Fishing Pole Wood Fishing PoleInternal Item ID: 2289 8 Wood ( @ Work Bench ) 5% 9 60 CC Rarity level: 0 Bobber (Wood) Bobber (Wood)Internal Projectile ID: 360
    Reinforced Fishing Pole Reinforced Fishing PoleInternal Item ID: 2291 8 Any Iron Bar ( @ Iron Anvil / Lead Anvil ) 15% 11 24 SC Rarity level: 0 Bobber (Reinforced) Bobber (Reinforced)Internal Projectile ID: 361
    Fisher of Souls Fisher of SoulsInternal Item ID: 2293 8 Demonite Bar ( @ Iron Anvil / Lead Anvil ) 20% 13 2 GC40 SC Rarity level: 1 Bobber (Fisher of Souls) Bobber (Fisher of Souls)Internal Projectile ID: 363
    Fleshcatcher FleshcatcherInternal Item ID: 2421 8 Crimtane Bar ( @ Iron Anvil / Lead Anvil ) 22% 13.5 3 GC12 SC Rarity level: 1 Bobber (Fleshcatcher) Bobber (Fleshcatcher)Internal Projectile ID: 381
    Scarab Fishing Rod Scarab Fishing Rod(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 4442
    • Mirage Crate
    • Oasis Crate
    30% 15 2 GC Rarity level: 1 Bobber (Scarab) Bobber (Scarab)Internal Projectile ID: 775
    Chum Caster Chum Caster(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 4325
    • Wandering Eye Fish
    • Zombie Merman
    25% 15 2 GC Rarity level: 2 Bobber (Bloody) Bobber (Bloody)Internal Projectile ID: 760
    Fiberglass Fishing Pole Fiberglass Fishing PoleInternal Item ID: 2292
    • Bramble Crate
      (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
    • Ivy Chest
    • Jungle Crate
      (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
    30% (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
    27% (Old-gen console and 3DS versions)
    14 1 GC Rarity level: 2
    • Has a (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) 653/10000 (6.53%) / (Old-gen console and 3DS versions) 327/10000 (3.27%) chance of being obtained from Ivy Chests, and a 19/100 (19%) chance of being obtained from Jungle and Bramble Crates.
    Bobber (Fiberglass) Bobber (Fiberglass)Internal Projectile ID: 362
    Mechanic's Rod Mechanic's RodInternal Item ID: 2295
    35% (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
    30% (Old-gen console and 3DS versions)
    15 4 GC Rarity level: 2 Bobber (Mechanic's) Bobber (Mechanic's)Internal Projectile ID: 365
    Sitting Duck's Fishing Pole Sitting Duck's Fishing Pole(Desktop, Console, Old-gen console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 2296
    40% 16 7 GC Rarity level: 2
    • (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) Sold only after Skeletron has been defeated.
    Bobber (Sitting Duck's) Bobber (Sitting Duck's)Internal Projectile ID: 366
    Hotline Fishing Hook Hotline Fishing HookInternal Item ID: 2422 1/100 (1%) (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) / 1/75 (1.33%) (Old-gen console and 3DS versions) chance of being obtained during Hardmode from the Angler after 25 quests 45% 16.5 10 GC Rarity level: 3 Bobber (Hotline) Bobber (Hotline)Internal Projectile ID: 382
    Golden Fishing Rod Golden Fishing RodInternal Item ID: 2294 Angler reward after exactly 30 (Desktop, Console, Mobile and 3DS versions) / 50 (Old-gen console version) quests, or 1/250 (0.4%) chance after 75 quests 50% 17 20 GC Rarity level: 3 Bobber (Golden) Bobber (Golden)Internal Projectile ID: 364
  • Bait

  • This content is transcluded from Bait § Types.There are 46 different types of bait items, 1 of which is Hardmode-exclusive.

    Bait Power Rarity Sell Research
    Apprentice Bait Apprentice BaitInternal Item ID: 2674 15% Rarity level: 1 1 SC 5 required
    Journeyman Bait Journeyman BaitInternal Item ID: 2675 30% Rarity level: 2 3 SC 5 required
    Master Bait Master BaitInternal Item ID: 2676 50% Rarity level: 3 10 SC 5 required
    Black Dragonfly Black Dragonfly(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 4334 20% Rarity level: 1 10 SC 5 required
    Black Scorpion Black ScorpionInternal Item ID: 2156 15% Rarity level: 1 15 SC (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
    No value (Old-gen console and 3DS versions)
    5 required
    Blue Dragonfly Blue Dragonfly(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 4335 20% Rarity level: 1 10 SC 5 required
    Blue Jellyfish (bait) Blue Jellyfish (bait)Internal Item ID: 20% Rarity level: 1 3 GC50 SC 3 required
    Buggy Buggy(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 3194 40% Rarity level: 2 10 SC 5 required
    Enchanted Nightcrawler Enchanted Nightcrawler(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 3191 35% Rarity level: 2 20 SC 5 required
    Firefly FireflyInternal Item ID: 1992 20% Rarity level: 1 (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
    Rarity level: 0 (Old-gen console and 3DS versions)
    3 SC (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
    No value (Old-gen console and 3DS versions)
    5 required
    Glowing Snail Glowing SnailInternal Item ID: 2007 15% Rarity level: 1 50 SC 5 required
    Gold Butterfly Gold Butterfly(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 2891 50% Rarity level: 3 10 GC 3 required
    Gold Dragonfly Gold Dragonfly(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 4340 50% Rarity level: 3 10 GC 3 required
    Gold Grasshopper Gold Grasshopper(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 2893 50% Rarity level: 3 10 GC 3 required
    Gold Ladybug Gold Ladybug(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 4362 50% Rarity level: 3 10 GC 3 required
    Gold Water Strider Gold Water Strider(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 4419 50% Rarity level: 3 10 GC 3 required
    Gold Worm Gold Worm(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 2895 50% Rarity level: 3 10 GC 3 required
    Grasshopper GrasshopperInternal Item ID: 2740 10% Rarity level: 0 2 SC50 CC 5 required
    Green Dragonfly Green Dragonfly(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 4336 20% Rarity level: 1 10 SC 5 required
    Green Jellyfish (bait) Green Jellyfish (bait)Internal Item ID: 20% Rarity level: 1 3 GC50 SC 3 required
    Grubby Grubby(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 3192 15% Rarity level: 1 2 SC50 CC 5 required
    Hell Butterfly Hell Butterfly(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 4845 15% Rarity level: 1 20 SC 5 required
    Julia Butterfly Julia ButterflyInternal Item ID: 2001 25% Rarity level: 1 30 SC 5 required
    Ladybug Ladybug(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 4361 17% Rarity level: 1 10 SC 5 required
    Lavafly Lavafly(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 4847 25% Rarity level: 1 20 SC 5 required
    Lightning Bug Lightning BugInternal Item ID: 2004 35% Rarity level: 2 5 SC 5 required
    Maggot Maggot(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 4363 22% Rarity level: 1 5 SC 5 required
    Magma Snail Magma Snail(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 4849 35% Rarity level: 2 50 SC 5 required
    Monarch Butterfly Monarch ButterflyInternal Item ID: 1994 5% Rarity level: 0 5 SC 5 required
    Orange Dragonfly Orange Dragonfly(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 4337 20% Rarity level: 1 10 SC 5 required
    Pink Jellyfish (bait) Pink Jellyfish (bait)Internal Item ID: 20% Rarity level: 1 3 GC50 SC 3 required
    Purple Emperor Butterfly Purple Emperor ButterflyInternal Item ID: 1995 35% Rarity level: 2 75 SC 5 required
    Red Admiral Butterfly Red Admiral ButterflyInternal Item ID: 1996 30% Rarity level: 2 40 SC 5 required
    Red Dragonfly Red Dragonfly(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 4338 20% Rarity level: 1 10 SC 5 required
    Scorpion ScorpionInternal Item ID: 2157 10% Rarity level: 0 15 SC (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
    No value (Old-gen console and 3DS versions)
    5 required
    Sluggy Sluggy(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 3193 25% Rarity level: 1 5 SC 5 required
    Snail SnailInternal Item ID: 2006 10% Rarity level: 0 10 SC 5 required
    Stinkbug Stinkbug(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 5132 10% Rarity level: 0 10 SC 5 required
    Sulphur Butterfly Sulphur ButterflyInternal Item ID: 1998 10% Rarity level: 0 10 SC 5 required
    Tree Nymph Butterfly Tree Nymph ButterflyInternal Item ID: 1999 50% Rarity level: 3 1 GC 5 required
    Truffle Worm Truffle WormInternal Item ID: 2673 666% Rarity level: 3 10 GC 3 required
    Ulysses Butterfly Ulysses ButterflyInternal Item ID: 1997 20% Rarity level: 1 20 SC 5 required
    Water Strider Water Strider(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 4418 17% Rarity level: 1 10 SC 5 required
    Worm WormInternal Item ID: 2002 25% Rarity level: 1 5 SC 5 required
    Yellow Dragonfly Yellow Dragonfly(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 4339 20% Rarity level: 1 10 SC 5 required
    Zebra Swallowtail Butterfly Zebra Swallowtail ButterflyInternal Item ID: 2000 15% Rarity level: 1 15 SC 5 required
  • Catches

    Fish

    These items can be caught at any time. Most can serve as crafting material for food (Cooked Fish) and other potions. Some can also craft other item types. Jellyfish can be used as bait. Most can be sold to NPCs. Note that the height requirements are mostly split between "Surface and above" versus "Underground and below". Of these items, only three items cannot be caught in either the Surface or Underground layers: The Damselfish (Sky only) and the Blue or Green Jellyfish (Cavern or Underworld only).

     
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    Quest fish

    Quest fish are items that can be caught only when their particular quest is active and serve no purpose other than acquiring quest rewards. The player can determine the day's quest by speaking to the Angler NPC. There are 41 distinctive variants of quest fish.

     
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    Usable items

    These items can be used directly without further crafting. Most are tools or weapons, many of which are best-in-class for large parts of the game. There are also a couple of accessories offering jump boosts, an improvement on Healing Potions, a pet, and in Hardmode, a mount. The Angler's rewards fill out the set somewhat, with an early mount, a top-tier (pre-Hardmode) grappling hook, and several items to help with fishing.

     
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    Crates

    Crates are stackable grab-bag type items that each contain random loot, including potions, bait, useful items, coins, metal bars, and even ores. Rarer crate types contain more valuable loot. The biome crates can provide items otherwise found only in the matching biome chests, including Crimson Hearts/Shadow Orbs and the items found in Dungeon chests. Not all biomes or special chests have matching crates, however. Crates are one of the major sources of "alternate" metals and ores.

  • This content is transcluded from Crates § Types.
    Pre-Hardmode type Hardmode type (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) Sell Rarity Biome Catch quality
    Wooden CrateWooden CrateInternal Item ID: 2334 Pearlwood CratePearlwood Crate(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 3979 10 SC Rarity level: 1 Any Plentiful
    Iron CrateIron CrateInternal Item ID: 2335 Mythril CrateMythril Crate(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 3980 50 SC Rarity level: 2 Any Uncommon
    Golden CrateGolden CrateInternal Item ID: 2336 Titanium CrateTitanium Crate(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 3981 2 GC Rarity level: 3 Any Very Rare /
    Extremely Rare
    Jungle CrateJungle Crate(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 3208 Bramble CrateBramble Crate(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 3987 1 GC Rarity level: 2 JungleJungle Rare
    Sky CrateSky Crate(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 3206 Azure CrateAzure Crate(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 3985 1 GC Rarity level: 2 SkySky Rare
    Corrupt CrateCorrupt Crate(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 3203 Defiled CrateDefiled Crate(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 3982 1 GC Rarity level: 2 The CorruptionCorruption Rare
    Crimson CrateCrimson Crate(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 3204 Hematic CrateHematic Crate(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 3983 1 GC Rarity level: 2 The CrimsonCrimson Rare
    Hallowed CrateHallowed Crate(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 3207 Divine CrateDivine Crate(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 3986 1 GC Rarity level: 2 The HallowHallow Rare
    Dungeon CrateDungeon Crate(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 3205 Stockade CrateStockade Crate(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 3984 1 GC Rarity level: 2 DungeonDungeon Rare
    Frozen CrateFrozen Crate(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 4405 Boreal CrateBoreal Crate(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 4406 1 GC Rarity level: 2 Snow biomeSnow / Ice biomeIce Rare
    Oasis CrateOasis Crate(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 4407 Mirage CrateMirage Crate(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 4408 1 GC Rarity level: 2 DesertDesert Rare
    Obsidian CrateObsidian Crate(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 4877 Hellstone CrateHellstone Crate(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 4878 1 GC Rarity level: 2 Any (caught in LavaLava) Plentiful [6]
    Ocean CrateOcean Crate(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 5002 Seaside CrateSeaside Crate(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 5003 1 GC Rarity level: 2 OceanOcean Rare
  • Junk

    These items generally have no use (except the Joja Cola(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)) and no coin value. They can each be stacked up to 9999(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) / 99(Old-gen console and 3DS versions) in a single inventory slot. The player will only "catch" these if a lake is too small or if their Fishing Power is too low. When a lake is at least 300 tiles (200 for honey[1]) in size or the player's total fishing power is at least 50, the player will no longer catch junk.

    Type Value Rarity Height Biome
    Old ShoeOld ShoeInternal Item ID: 2337 0 Rarity level: -1 Any Any
    SeaweedSeaweedInternal Item ID: 2338 0 Rarity level: -1 Any Any
    Tin CanTin CanInternal Item ID: 2339 0 Rarity level: -1 Any Any
    Joja ColaJoja Cola(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)Internal Item ID: 5275 0 Rarity level: 0 Any Any

    On the Desktop version Desktop version, Console version Console version, and Mobile version Mobile version, junk items that have a rarity of Rarity level: -1 can be used in an Extractinator or Chlorophyte Extractinator to obtain low-level bait.

    This content is transcluded from Extractinator.

    (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) With Old ShoeOld Shoe / Seaweed (junk)Seaweed / Tin CanTin Can
    Item Chance Quantity
    SnailSnail 16.67% 1
    Apprentice BaitApprentice Bait 75% 1
    WormWorm 5.56% 1
    Journeyman BaitJourneyman Bait 2.78% 1

    Joja Cola(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) can be purified at the Dryad to obtain a Stardrop(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions).

    Enemies

    Desktop versionConsole versionMobile version
    Desktop/Console/Mobile-Only Content: This section's information applies only to the Desktop, Console, and Mobile versions of Terraria.

    During a Blood Moon event, fishing in water can cause several Blood Moon-themed enemies to spawn. These enemies are:

    Pre-Hardmode
    Hardmode

    Upon retracting the line during a Blood Moon, there is a 1/6 (16.67%) chance (1/3 (33.33%) with the Chum Caster) that one of these enemies will spawn.[7] Note that fishing power has no effect on this mechanic, nor does the use of Chum Buckets.

    If the player is using a Sonar Potion, the spawn will be shown with the enemy's name in red, giving players a second or two to prepare for the oncoming attack. In pre-Hardmode, the only enemies that can appear are the Zombie Merman and the Wandering Eye Fish, with an equal chance of each. In Hardmode, the Dreadnautilus has a 1/10 (10%) chance of appearing, and the other four enemies have equal remaining chances of appearing (9/40 (22.5%)).

    Town pet

    Desktop versionConsole versionMobile version
    Desktop/Console/Mobile-Only Content: This section's information applies only to the Desktop, Console, and Mobile versions of Terraria.

    During a Blood Moon event, fishing in water can also spawn an exclusive town pet: the Surly Slime.

    If the Surly Slime is not obtained in the world, upon retracting the line during a Blood Moon, there is a 1/5 (20%) chance for each fishing enemy spawn to be replaced with the Surly Slime.[7] Note that fishing power has no effect on this mechanic, nor does the use of Chum Buckets.

    Once the Surly Slime is fished up, it will respawn naturally if killed, without the need to fish up another, and fishing during Blood Moon will not produce new Surly Slimes.

    Crafting

    Used in

    ResultIngredientsCrafting station
    Blue Jellyfish JarBlue Jellyfish JarBy Hand
    Green Jellyfish JarGreen Jellyfish Jar
    Pink Jellyfish JarPink Jellyfish Jar
    Cooked FishCooked FishCooking PotCooking Pot
    or
    CauldronCauldron
    Old-gen console versionNintendo 3DS version only:
    Cooked FishCooked Fish
    Cooked ShrimpCooked Shrimp
    Lobster TailLobster Tail(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
    Seafood DinnerSeafood Dinner(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
    Ammo Reservation PotionAmmo Reservation PotionPlaced BottlePlaced Bottle
    or
    Alchemy TableAlchemy Table(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
    Calming PotionCalming Potion
    Endurance PotionEndurance Potion
    Desktop versionConsole versionMobile version only:
    Heartreach PotionHeartreach Potion
    Old-gen console versionNintendo 3DS version only:
    Heartreach PotionHeartreach Potion
    Inferno PotionInferno Potion
    Lifeforce PotionLifeforce Potion
    Love PotionLove Potion(Desktop, Console, Old-gen console and Mobile versions)
    Potion of ReturnPotion of Return(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
    Rage PotionRage Potion
    Desktop versionConsole versionMobile version only:
    Recall PotionRecall Potion
    Old-gen console versionNintendo 3DS version only:
    Recall PotionRecall Potion
    Stink PotionStink Potion
    Summoning PotionSummoning Potion
    Teleportation PotionTeleportation Potion
    Warmth PotionWarmth Potion(Desktop, Console, Old-gen console and Mobile versions)
    Wormhole PotionWormhole Potion(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)3
    Wrath PotionWrath Potion
    SashimiSashimiWork BenchWork Bench
    • FlounderFlounder(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
    Old-gen console versionNintendo 3DS version only:
    SashimiSashimi

    Mechanics

    Catch frequency

    When fishing, there is a hidden catch counter which tracks the player's progress toward making a catch. The counter normally starts at 0 and increases over time. When it exceeds 660, there is a ((75 + fishing power) / 2) % chance that a fish will bite, capping out at 125 fishing power. The counter then resets to 0, regardless of whether or not there was a bite.

    When fishing in lava with at least two of the following item kinds in use, the counter resets to 240 instead (if there was no bite): lava bait, a Hotline Fishing Hook, and/or a lava-proof accessory (either Lavaproof Fishing Hook(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) or Lavaproof Tackle Bag(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)). Using all three has the same effect as using only two[8].

    The catch counter increases every tick[9] according to these factors:

    • 1–2 points by default (average 1.5 points per tick)
    • A 1 in 60 chance of 60 points (average 1 point per tick)
    • Fishing power / 30 points per tick (e.g. 1.667 points per tick at 50 fishing power)
    • A (fishing power / 3) % chance of increasing an additional 1–2 points (1.5 × fishing power / 300 points per tick)

    Therefore, a formula for the average catch rate would look like this:

    [math]\displaystyle{ {\frac{660\times\frac{points}{bite}}{\left(1.5+1+\frac{fishing\ power}{30}+1.5\times\frac{fishing\ power}{300}\right)\times\frac{points}{tick}}\div60\times\frac{ticks}{second}} }[/math]

    or simply:

    [math]\displaystyle{ {\frac{11}{2.5+\frac{23}{600}\times{fishing\ power}}\times\frac{seconds}{bite}} }[/math]

    For example, with a fishing power of 125, the player can expect to catch a fish around once every 1.5 seconds:

    [math]\displaystyle{ {\frac{11}{2.5+\frac{23}{600}\times125}\times\frac{seconds}{bite}\approx1.5\times\frac{seconds}{bite}} }[/math]

    Biomes

    When fishing in lava or honey, the player can only get fishing catches from that specific liquid, regardless of the location of the lake.

    When fishing in water, a player can be eligible for catching fish from multiple biomes at once if they are in a hybrid biome. However, certain biomes take priority over others. The priority order is listed in the following table.[5]

    If a player is in multiple biomes but the higher priority biome does not generate a fish, the game will proceed to check for fish in subsequent biomes. There are also two mutually exclusive biome groups. If the player is in a higher priority biome, then only fishing catches of that biome will be checked, while the remaining biomes in the group are skipped. These groups are: Corruption/Crimson/Hallow, and (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) Ocean/Desert (Oasis).

    Items that can only be caught in "pure" biomes (Forest biome in all layers, from top of the world to bottom they are: Space/Sky, regular surface Forest, pure Underground, pure Cavern) would require the biome not overlapping with any other biomes. Otherwise, the player can only get fishing catches from the overlapping biomes.

    Biome Standard priority Crate priority
    LavaLava 1 1
    HoneyHoney 2 n/a
    DungeonDungeon 3 2
    The CorruptionCorruption 4[bp 1][5] 4
    The CrimsonCrimson 4[bp 1] 4
    The HallowHallow 5 5
    Snow biomeSnow 6[bp 2][5] 7
    JungleJungle 6[bp 2] 6
    Glowing Mushroom biomeGlowing Mushroom 7 n/a
    OceanOcean 8 3
    DesertDesert (OasisOasis(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)) 9 8
    Forest (SkySpace/Sky) 10[bp 3] 9
    Forest (UndergroundUnderground / CavernCavern) 11[bp 3] n/a
    ForestForest (Surface) 12[bp 3] n/a[bp 4]
    1. 1.0 1.1 When in both Corruption and Crimson, there is a 50% chance of each, both crates and other loots are affected.
    2. 2.0 2.1 When in both Snow and Jungle, there is a 50% chance of each, this only apply for non-crate drops.
    3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Pure biome, should not overlap with other biomes, otherwise no fishing catches from this biome can be acquired.
    4. No crate is caught solely or especially in the Forest biome, however, there are crates which can be caught in any biome (including Forest). See the Crate Mechanics section below for further details.

    Notes

    • The background and music playing have a different priority order, and will not necessarily match which biome is used for generating fish; for example, if Jungle music is playing but there is enough Snow nearby, the player will not be able to find Jungle quest fish and will get Snow catches instead.
      • (Old-gen console and 3DS versions) Additionally, Glowing Mushroom biome catches require 200 Glowing Mushroom tiles nearby, which is more than is needed to display the Glowing Mushroom biome background and music.
    • In Not the bees(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) worlds, there is a 1/2 (50%) chance for a fishing attempt not to be considered as a Jungle attempt and a 1/2 (50%) chance for fishing attempts in honey to be considered as in water instead. The latter also applies to Get fixed boi(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) worlds.
    • In Don't dig up(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) and Get fixed boi(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) worlds, when fishing in the Cavern layer (See below for details about layers), if the fishing attempt is considered as a surface attempt, there is a 1/3 (33.33%) chance for this fishing attempt to be considered as an Ocean attempt, or 1/2 (50%) if it's a crate attempt. When fishing in the Space layer, the player is never considered in the Corruption or Crimson.

    Layers

    See also: Layers

    The height requirement (Sky/Surface/Underground/Cavern) is set by the height of the surface of the water, not by the position of the player.[8] This can be taken advantage of by creating two adjacent pools of water on different layers. This allows the player to fish in either while standing at the same spot.

    There are five height zones for fishing, with different IDs:

    ID Zone Height
    0 Sky Fishing surface > 50% above Surface Level to the top of the world[lp 1]
    1 Surface Surface Level < fishing surface ≤ 50% above Surface Level[lp 1]
    2 Underground Cavern layer < fishing surface ≤ Surface Level
    3 Cavern 300 tiles above world bottom < fishing surface ≤ Cavern layer
    4 Underworld Fishing surface ≤ 300 tiles from the world bottom

    Notes

    • In Don't dig up(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) and Get fixed boi(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) worlds, the height conditions for the Underground and Caverns zone (ID 2 and 3) are swapped (i.e. catches exclusive to the Cavern layer in a regular world are now exclusive to the Underground layer). Furthermore, if the zone ID for the current fishing attempt is 2 (i.e. attempt in the Cavern layer), then the zone ID has a 1/2 (50%) chance to be set to 1 (i.e. makes the current attempt a surface attempt).

    Catch quality

    Chance of successful roll for each catch quality slot at a given displayed Fishing Power. Sharp changes are due to integer rounding.

    There are 6 different catch quality slots for catches, each with its own associated probability:[4]

    Catch quality Probability Chance at 100 FP[cq 1] Chance at 300 FP[cq 1]
    Plentiful Default catch
    Common fishing power / 150, capped at 1/2 1/2 (50%) 1/2 (50%)
    Uncommon fishing power / 300, capped at 1/3 1/3 (33.33%) 1/3 (33.33%)
    Rare fishing power / 1050, capped at 1/4 1/10 (10%) 1/4 (25%)
    Very Rare fishing power / 2250, capped at 1/5 1/22 (4.55%) 1/7 (14.29%)
    Extremely Rare[cq 2] fishing power / 4500, capped at 1/6 1/45 (2.22%) 1/15 (6.67%)
    1. 1.0 1.1 Displayed Fishing Power. All examples assume that luck(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) is 0.
    2. Also known as "Legendary" in the source code. Information taken from the Desktop version Desktop 1.4.4.9 source code, field legendary in Terraria.DataStructures.FishingAttempt.cs.

    The denominators are rounded down. A fishing power of 85, for example, would have a 1/52 (1.92%) chance of an Extremely Rare catch.

    When a new fish is generated, each different catch quality is checked for success, separately from one another. For example, the Uncommon, Rare, and Very Rare rolls might all succeed, while the Common and Extremely Rare rolls fail. Then, depending on which roll(s) succeed as well as factors such as height and biome, the game will generate a fish.

    With some exceptions, the highest catch quality roll that succeeded will take priority over lower catch quality slots in determining which fish a player receives. However, not every catch quality slot will contain a fish that can be caught; in that case, the game will move on to checking lower catch qualities. Success at the higher catch quality roll will not carry down to lower quality slots. For example, if the Rare roll succeeded but there is no Rare fish available to be caught, the game will move on to checking whether or not the Uncommon roll succeeded; if the Uncommon roll failed, it will move on to checking Common.

    Each biome has a list of available biome-specific fish that can be caught there, based on the catch quality rolls and other factors. If no biome-specific fish is generated, the game will move on to checking subsequent, lower priority biomes. Many of the fish available in catch quality slots vary based on randomness, so succeeding at a catch quality roll in a specific biome does not guarantee that the player will get a specific fish of that quality or any fish of that quality at all. If no fish is selected for the slot, the game will proceed to check more common slots instead and move on to subsequent biomes if and only if none of those slots contain fish either.

    When fishing in the water, a successful Extremely Rare roll will always check for a special catch first (Advanced Combat Techniques(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), Dread of the Red Sea(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), Frog Leg, Balloon Pufferfish, and Zephyr Fish, in that order). If none of these checks succeed, the game will then check for biome-specific fish.

    All quest fish occupy the Uncommon slot, (Old-gen console and 3DS versions) except the Mirage Fish and Pixiefish, which are Rare.

    There are only four Plentiful fish: Bass, Trout, Flounder(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), and Rock Lobster(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions). If all other checks fail and the player is fishing in the water, they will catch one of these by default: Trout if fishing in the Ocean, Flounder or Rock Lobster if fishing in the Desert or Oasis(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) on Desktop version Desktop version, Console version Console version, and Mobile version Mobile version (with Rock Lobster being half as common as Flounder), and Bass otherwise.

    Crate mechanics

    There is a separate roll to determine if a crate is caught, defaulting to 10% (or 25% with a Crate Potion active). A Rare catch will generate a biome crate if available, then if that fails or isn't applicable, an Extremely Rare or Very Rare catch will generate a Golden Crate, an Uncommon catch will generate an Iron Crate, and a Wooden Crate otherwise. In Hardmode on the Desktop version Desktop version, Console version Console version, and Mobile version Mobile version, the crate will be the Hardmode-equivalent crate.

    Fishing in honey will never generate a crate. Fishing in lava can only generate crates on the Desktop version Desktop version, Console version Console version, and Mobile version Mobile version, and those crates will be either Obsidian Crates or Hellstone Crates.

    Stack sizes

    Stackable fish (i.e., Bomb Fish and Frost Daggerfish) generate in stacks that vary based on the player's fishing power. These can vary significantly, with higher fishing power levels generating higher minimum stack sizes as well as significantly higher maximum stack sizes.

    Notes

    • There are a total of 16 different fishing locations that can yield distinct catches.
    • The number of completed quests is tied to the character, rather than the world. The minimum number required for a particular reward can be accrued by completing quests in multiple worlds. The number of completed quests for the purposes of achievements is instead a running total for all characters in all worlds, so multiple characters can contribute to earning achievements.
    • There is no overlap between "fishable" fish and critters or enemies: The player may fish up a Golden Carp or Tropical Barracuda, but never a Goldfish or Piranha. Even if the player can see a Goldfish in the water, they need a Bug Net rather than a fishing pole to capture it.
    • The bobber will move two or three times per bite, after which the fish will go away, but the line will remain cast. As long as the reel-in occurs before this animation ends, the timing of the click does not affect the quality of the catch.
    • It is possible to catch a day's quest fish without having asked the Angler about it.
    • Time must pass naturally from 4:29 AM to 4:30 AM (the start of a new day) before another quest begins.
      • Sleeping(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) will make time accelerate. This will make completing more quests easier.
      • With an Enchanted Sundial(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), the player can get a new quest immediately.
    • (Old-gen console and 3DS versions) Crate contents are determined upon opening them. Crates caught in pre-Hardmode can, therefore, yield Hardmode items if opened during Hardmode. Stocking up on crates before Hardmode can let the player get an early supply of Hardmode ores without breaking altars.
    • Ocean-only catches, including quest fish, cannot be caught from a Hallowed or Corrupted/Crimson Ocean. They may be catchable further out towards the map edge, where biome Sand Blocks is farther from the water surface. When the Ocean biome music plays, Ocean fish can be caught.
    • On the Nintendo 3DSNintendo 3DS version version, the player can catch many different fish in the Ocean biome, even those not native to it.
    • The minimum height for Sky fishing in all world sizes is higher than that for generating floating lakes. Because of this, a floating lake can be generated too low to be counted as Sky, and will only yield surface fish and crates.
    • Fishing can be done on reverse gravity (using the Gravitation Potion or the Gravity Globe); the bobber would fall "upwards" into the water, and fish can be caught as usual.
    • Weapons and accessories obtained through fishing will never have any modifiers.

    Achievements

    Achievement Hot Reels!.png
    Hot Reels! • “Drop a lure in a pool of lava for a pre-fried haul!”
    Use any fishing pole in lava. (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
    Category: Challenger Challenger

    Tips

    For tips about efficiently collecting bait, see Bait § Tips.

    General

    Standing on the left of the lake enables Glowing Mushroom fishing, while standing on the right enables Forest fishing.
    • Building a lake that is suitable for fishing in various biomes can be helpful for getting both biome-exclusive loots and quest fish. Buckets can be used to duplicate liquids for quick lake building.
      • A single lake can be shared between multiple biomes; what matters is what biome(s) the player is in. In the image, the lake can be used for both Forest and Glowing Mushroom biome fishing, as there are not enough Glowing Mushroom biome tiles when standing on the right of the lake.
    • Unless intending to summon Duke Fishron, the Truffle Worm should not be the upper-leftmost bait item when fishing in the Ocean. Bait is used from top-left to bottom-right, meaning that the Truffle Worm should be in the bottom-right square for regular fishing or the top-left square to summon Duke Fishron. Having the Truffle Worm anywhere else will prevent the player from using any bait that follows it in the inventory lineup, leaving them unable to fish.
    • The player can defend themselves while fishing without breaking the line using any of the following: a Shield of Cthulhu(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), any summon (as long as it is summoned before the player throws out their line), Solar Flare armor's(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) explosions, mounts capable of attacking, or any thorns effect such as a Thorns Potion.
    • Considering the difficulty of obtaining Chum Buckets(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) early on and the lowered bonus given by the second and third buckets, using a single bucket might be preferable in the early game.
    • Sonar Potions allow players to reel in only their chosen catches.
      • For honey or lava, this is hardly worth it, as the player only has a few possibilities, and all of them useful and saleable.
      • Otherwise, using Sonar Potions can be more bait-efficient but slower: The additional time spent waiting for undesirable catches to change (with a Sonar Potion) can be longer than the time between bites (without a Sonar Potion).
        • If a player is well-stocked on bait and is interested in catching more than just a specific few possibilities, it could be significantly faster (especially with high Fishing Power) to forego Sonar Potions.
        • Alternatively, a player can respond to an unwanted catch by quickly switching to another hotbar slot and back. This quickly rejects the catch without risking the bait.
      • On the other hand, bait is only consumed on whichever catches the player actually wants, and the player does not use inventory space on low-value fish.
    • Fishing for Scaly Truffles remains a decent money-maker into Hardmode, and even after getting or beating all the fishable equipment, the player may still need to restock potion ingredients and (via crates) ores/metals.

    Angler quests

    • The Angler gives six different accessories as rewards, but with the Tinkerer's Workshop, those can be combined into one functional and one informational accessory:
      • The Tackle Box, High Test Fishing Line, and Angler Earring combine into the Angler Tackle Bag(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions).
        • The Angler Tackle Bag can later be upgraded to a Lavaproof Tackle Bag(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) by combining it with a Lavaproof Fishing Hook(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions).
        • The Angler Tackle Bag's fishing power bonus will stack with another Angler Earring and/or a Lavaproof Tackle Bag. All three items together will give a total bonus of 30%.
      • The Fisherman's Pocket Guide(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), Weather Radio(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), and Sextant(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) combine into the Fish Finder(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions).
        • The Fish Finder later combines with other items to craft a PDA(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), which is used to craft the Cell Phone(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) and eventually the Shellphone(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions).
    • A quest fish cannot be fished[10] or picked up[11] when the player already has one in inventory, but it is easy enough to stash the fish in a storage item or even the trash slot (though it is easy to lose the fish this way) and collect multiples.
      • Saved quest fish can be turned in the next time that quest fish comes up.
      • Similarly, the same daily quest fish will be asked of all players on a world, so one player can supply the day's quest fish for the others. However, if a player of the same name as the one who has already turned in a quest tries to turn in a quest, they will be rejected.
      • Note that quest fish do not stack, but 3 chests will suffice to hold 3 copies of each quest fish.
      • A player cannot catch more of a quest fish after having turned one in for the day[10].

    Session timing

    • Fishing in long stretches can be tedious and is also not very efficient. It is better to fish in smaller stretches and cherry-pick the times (moon, weather, luck(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)) when the player has bonuses:
      • Any time 3:00 AM or 3:00 PM approaches, the player should check conditions: With overcast/rain, a full moon, or a lucky event (Ladybug(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) swarm or Lantern Night(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)), if the other two factors are at least neutral, then it is worth trying for a fishing session.
    • Even if the player is not primarily fishing for crates, the 4-minute duration of a Crate Potion makes a good benchmark. Even one potion will usually give more than enough time to collect several crates and several copies of a quest fish if one is available.
    • Starting a fishing session between 3:00 AM and 4:30 AM or 4:30 PM and 6:00 PM will allow the Crate Potion's duration to cover one of the positive period noted above while avoiding the following negative period. If conditions are still good when the first potion runs out, a second potion may be worthwhile even if it runs into negative period, and it may even be worth finishing out the Sonar Potion's duration.
    • A Loadout(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) or a portable storage item allows a quick-change into and out of fishing gear, including swapping armor for the Angler armor.

    Lava fishing

    Lava fishing can begin pre-Hardmode but can get easier in Hardmode. The player needs at least one out of three factors (bait, pole, accessory), and having two of them will drastically speed up catches:

    1. In Hardmode, the Angler can award the Hotline Fishing Hook, a fishing pole that allows lava fishing with any bait.
    2. (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) Even before Hardmode, lava bait can be caught in the Underworld. If the player does not have a Golden Bug Net, they will need to make a Lavaproof Bug Net.
    3. (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) Either of the above will allow catching Obsidian Crates (Hellstone Crates in Hardmode) in search of a Lavaproof Fishing Hook. This accessory will allow using any bait and fishing pole to fish in lava. There will also be other useful and/or saleable items caught and found in the crates; if the player has no Shadow Key, they can save the Obsidian Lock Boxes until they get one (from the Dungeon). As noted above, the Lavaproof Fishing Hook can be combined with an Angler Tackle Bag to make a Lavaproof Tackle Bag.
    4. Again, having any two of the three (lava bait, Hotline Fishing Hook, or Lavaproof Fishing Hook/Lavaproof Tackle Bag) will produce catches much faster. This will be especially useful when fishing for the rare Lava Charm.

    Maximum Fishing Power

    The maximum possible Fishing Power is 375.

    Item bonuses add to 188:

    The weather and moon phase bonuses multiply that:

    • 30% for time of day: 188 × 1.3 = 244.4
    • 20% for Rain: 244.4 × 1.2 = 293.28
    • 10% for cloudiness: 293.28 × 1.1 = 322.608
    • 10% for Full moon: 322.608 × 1.1 = 354.8688 ≈ 355

    The Chum Bucket(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) adds further bonuses:

    • +11 for the first bucket: 355 + 11 = 366
    • +6 for the second bucket: 366 + 6 = 372
    • +3 for the third bucket: 372 + 3 = 375

    Luck(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) has the potential to further increase Fishing Power: With positive luck, 375 Fishing Power can randomly become up to 525 Fishing Power for any given cast.

    When to stop fishing

    Once a player has their Golden Bug Net(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), Golden Fishing Rod, Fish Finder(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), Bottomless Water Bucket(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) and Super Absorbant Sponge(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) for water handling, Bottomless Honey Bucket(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) and Honey Absorbant Sponge(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) for honey handling, and an Angler Tackle Bag(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) (or even two Angler Tackle Bags, and/or a spare Angler Earring), the Angler can give them little else. Fishing without the Angler can still be profitable, notably by collecting crates and other special catches.

    (Old-gen console and 3DS versions) Angler reward chances generally rise over time, but after the 150th Angler quest, most of the reward chances go back to their initial odds and stay there. Once the player has obtained the important pre-Hardmode rewards, they should leave off Angler quests until Hardmode, and hopefully avoid hitting the deadline before getting the Hardmode rewards. It is also helpful to stockpile crates before Hardmode, which can be opened in Hardmode for an early source of Hardmode ores and metals.

    After Hardmode, there are only a couple more weapons and a mount to catch (Toxikarp(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) or Bladetongue(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), Crystal Serpent(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), Scaly Truffle(Desktop, Console, Old-gen console and Mobile versions)). The Angler only has two additional rewards to provide: Fin Wings for mobility on par with some early Hardmode Wings, and the Hotline Fishing Hook for fishing in lava (which can likely become redundant if the player has already obtained the Lavaproof Fishing Hook(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) or Lavaproof Tackle Bag(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)). Once a player has all of these items, they are done with Angler quests. Fishing can still provide potion resupply, metals (especially the alternates), and money (the Scaly Truffle is a good target), but no new items after this point.

    Trivia

    • The Golden Carp has no use, aside from its coin value of 10 GC. In particular, it cannot be cooked.
    • (Old-gen console and 3DS versions) The Neon Tetra has no use, aside from its coin value of 15 SC.
    • The Double Cod is required to make an Ammo Reservation Potion, possibly a reference to the acronym for the first-person shooter video game franchise Call of Duty.

    History

    • Desktop 1.4.4:
      • It is now possible to fish while partially submerged in water, as long as the player's arms are above the bobber.
      • When fishing in a Hallowed Oasis, it is now possible to obtain both Hallowed or Oasis fish. This same rule does not apply to the more invasive Corruption/Crimson.
      • Touching liquid when the Inner Tube or Mollusk Whistle is active now grants +5 fishing power.
      • Sitting on toilets now grants +5 fishing power.
      • Tipsy debuff now grants +5 fishing power.
      • Added Fishing Bobbers.
      • Added Surly Slime, which can be fished in water during a Blood Moon.
    • Desktop 1.4.1:
      • Removed downscaling effect on high Fishing Powers introduced in 1.4.0.1.
      • Adjusted Mirage Fish and Pixiefish to be "uncommon" instead of "rare", to match other quest fish.
    • Desktop 1.3.0.4: Loot from fishing is now properly highlighted in the new items highlight system.
    • Desktop 1.2.4.1:
      • Fixed bug where repeated clicks after your line broke would nevertheless produce a catch.
      • Fixed bug causing Seaweed (junk) to turn into Seaweed (pet item) if in the inventory of a dying Mediumcore character (the Seaweed now simply disappears).
    • Console 1.0.750.0: (PlayStation 4)
      • Added Jungle, Sky, Corrupt, Crimson, Hallowed, and Dungeon Crates.
      • Sky Quest Fish can no longer be caught on the Surface.
      • Reduced the number of water tiles needed to fish successfully in the sky.
    • Mobile 1.3.0.7:
      • Bobber mechanics updated to match Desktop 1.3.0.1.
      • Added Jungle, Sky, Corrupt, Crimson, Hallowed, and Dungeon Crates.
      • Sky Quest Fish can no longer be caught on the Surface.
      • Reduced the number of water tiles needed to fish successfully in the sky.

    References

    1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Information taken from the Desktop version Desktop 1.4.4.9 source code, method GetFishingPondState() in Terraria.Projectile.cs. The number of connected tiles of honey will be multiplied by 1.5, rounded down.
    2. Information taken from the Desktop version Desktop 1.4.4.9 source code, methods GetFishingConditions() in Terraria.Player.cs and FishingCheck() in Terraria.Projectile.cs.
    3. Information taken from the Desktop version Desktop 1.4.4.9 source code, method Fishing_GetPowerMultiplier() in Terraria.Player.cs.
    4. 4.0 4.1 Information taken from the Desktop version Desktop 1.4.4.9 source code, method FishingCheck_RollDropLevels() in Terraria.Projectile.cs.
    5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Information taken from the Desktop version Desktop 1.4.4.9 source code, method FishingCheck_RollItemDrop() in Terraria.Projectile.cs.
    6. Obsidian Crates and Hellstone Crates are technically a Plentiful catch, but occur only 1 in 5 successful crate catches. This makes the lava crates technically 5× rarer than other crates, but because there are no lava catches in the Plentiful, Common, or Uncommon quality slots, lava crates are not actually much more rare than (and, depending on the player's Fishing Power, they could be much more common than) other crates in their respective environments.
    7. 7.0 7.1 Information taken from the Desktop version Desktop 1.4.4.9 source code, method FishingCheck_RollEnemySpawns() in Terraria.Projectile.cs.
    8. 8.0 8.1 Information taken from the Desktop version Desktop 1.4.4.9 source code, method FishingCheck() in Terraria.Projectile.cs.
    9. A tick is a time unit countable by the software. Most of Terraria's updating logic happens every tick. A tick has the length of 1/60th of a second, hence there are 60 ticks in a second and 3600 ticks in a minute.
    10. 10.0 10.1 Information taken from the Desktop version Desktop 1.4.4.9 source code, method FishingCheck_ProbeForQuestFish() in Terraria.Projectile.cs.
    11. Information taken from the Desktop version Desktop 1.4.4.9 source code, method GetItem() in Terraria.Player.cs.