Fishing in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is a fundamental skill that unlocks a wealth of opportunities, from essential quests to lucrative money-making methods and vital resources for Ironman accounts. Whether you’re aiming for the coveted Quest Cape, seeking to amass OSRS gold, or need a reliable food source for your Ironman journey, mastering the Fishing skill is paramount. This comprehensive Old Runescape Fishing Guide will navigate you through the optimal training methods from level 1 to 99, covering the fastest experience routes, AFK training options, and profitable fishing spots.
Why Train Fishing?
Investing time in training your Fishing skill in OSRS unlocks significant advantages for your account progression. Fishing is not just a standalone skill; it’s intricately woven into various aspects of RuneScape gameplay.
Firstly, numerous important quests have Fishing level requirements. To acquire Barrows Gloves, a highly sought-after item, you’ll need level 53 Fishing. The prestigious Quest Cape demands level 62 Fishing, and achieving the completionist Achievement Diary Cape requires a substantial level of 96 Fishing. These milestones highlight the necessity of Fishing for questing and overall account completion.
Beyond questing, the Fishing skill opens up a wide array of profitable money-making opportunities. Certain fishing methods can generate over 100 million OSRS gold on your journey to level 99. This makes Fishing a viable and rewarding skill for players looking to bolster their in-game wealth.
For Ironman accounts, Fishing becomes an indispensable skill. It serves as a crucial source of food, which is vital for sustaining combat encounters during bossing and slayer tasks. Reliable access to food is essential for Ironman progression, and Fishing provides a consistent and self-sufficient means to obtain it.
Fishing XP Boosts & Equipment
To optimize your Fishing training in OSRS, understanding and utilizing experience (XP) boosting items and equipment is crucial. These boosts can significantly accelerate your leveling process and even allow you to access higher-level fishing methods earlier than your base level would normally permit.
Food items like Admiral Pies can temporarily boost your Fishing level. For instance, an Admiral Pie provides a +5 boost, enabling you to fish for Sardines from level 1 Fishing. This can be particularly useful for ironman accounts or early level training. Similarly, boosting to level 58 Fishing with pies allows access to better Barbarian Fishing methods sooner.
The Angler Outfit is a dedicated Fishing XP boosting set, granting a 2.5% experience bonus when the full set is worn. This outfit can be obtained from Aerial Fishing or the Fishing Trawler minigame, with Fishing Trawler generally considered the faster method to acquire it. The full Angler set is also a prerequisite for catching Minnows, and it can be upgraded to the Spirit Angler outfit using Spirit Flakes. Notably, wearing the full Spirit Angler set acts as a rope during encounters with the Tempoross boss.
Harpoons are essential for certain fishing methods, and OSRS offers several harpoon variants. For maximizing fishing experience, the Crystal Harpoon is the best choice. Other options include the Infernal Harpoon, which cooks some fish as you catch them; the Dragon Harpoon, the strongest non-degrading harpoon; the Barb-tail Harpoon, which is equippable; and the standard Harpoon, available to free-to-play players. Even if your Attack level isn’t high enough to equip a Dragon Harpoon, you can still benefit from its superior fishing stats.
The Dragon, Infernal, and Crystal Harpoons all possess a special attack. Consuming 100% special attack energy, it boosts your Fishing level by 3, temporarily increasing your fishing speed.
Tempoross, the fishing boss, offers several notable rewards that enhance fishing training. The Tackle Box is a valuable reward, consolidating various fishing equipment into a single inventory slot. The Fish Barrel doubles your inventory space when fishing, albeit requiring banking to empty. Spirit Flakes, another reward, provide a 50% chance to catch an extra fish without bonus experience, beneficial for profit-focused fishing.
Completing the Kourend & Kebos Achievement Diary unlocks Rada’s Blessing, another fishing boost. When worn, Rada’s Blessing offers a 2% to 8% chance of catching an extra fish, again without additional experience, making it advantageous for profit-oriented fishing.
Aerial Fishing in Prifddinas allows you to acquire Molch Pearls, which can be exchanged for equippable fishing rods. These rods free up an inventory slot by being equippable, providing more space for fish, particularly beneficial for AFK training methods.
Pathways to 99 Fishing
Choosing the right pathway to 99 Fishing depends on your priorities: speed, AFK ability, or profit. Here are four example pathways to consider:
Fastest Pathway (Approximately 105 Hours): This route focuses on maximizing experience per hour and is the quickest way to 99 Fishing. It incorporates tick manipulation methods like 3-tick and 2-tick fishing, demanding high attention and precise actions. This pathway is ideal for players prioritizing speed above all else.
Barbarian Fishing Pathway (Approximately 120 Hours): Barbarian Fishing is a popular and balanced pathway, offering a good mix of experience rates and moderate AFK potential. It can be trained regularly or with 3-tick manipulation for faster rates. This method also provides training in Strength and Agility alongside Fishing, making it efficient for well-rounded skill progression.
Tempoross Pathway (Approximately 180 Hours): Tempoross is a boss encounter that provides competitive fishing experience and a chance for valuable rewards. Starting at level 35 Fishing, training at Tempoross to 99 offers a balanced approach, slower than tick manipulation methods but more engaging and rewarding. It’s a good option for players who enjoy active gameplay and desire diverse rewards.
AFK Training Pathway (Approximately 300 Hours): For players prioritizing minimal effort, AFK methods like Prifddinas Fly Fishing or Dorgeshkaan Cave Eels are ideal. These methods offer very low click intensity, allowing for long AFK intervals, but they are the slowest pathway to 99. Choose this path if you prefer passive training while multitasking.
Low Level Fishing Training (Levels 1-35)
The initial levels of Fishing can be quickly overcome with efficient training methods.
Questing: Starting with quests is the absolute fastest way to gain early Fishing levels. Completing the “Sea Slug” quest and “Fishing Contest” quest will boost you from level 1 to level 26 Fishing immediately. “Sea Slug” does require a small amount of Firemaking training, but it’s easily achievable. Further questing with “Freeing Pirate Pete” subquest, “Tai Bwo Wannai Trio,” and “The Fremennik Trials” can push you to level 33 Fishing.
Bait Fishing (Sardines): If you prefer traditional training, bait fishing for Sardines is the fastest regular method from level 1. You can start at level 1 by using an Admiral Pie for a +5 boost. Sardines are caught using a Fishing Rod and Bait in various locations. A convenient early location is south of Lumbridge, near the Fishing Tutor. Sardine fishing provides the best experience until level 20, when Trout become available.
Shrimp Fishing (Ironman Early Levels): For Ironman players or those with limited starting capital, Shrimp fishing south of Lumbridge is a good alternative to Sardines, especially if Admiral Pies are scarce. You’ll need a Small Fishing Net, obtainable from Tutorial Island or found for free on the ground at the Lumbridge fishing spot. Fish Shrimp until level 5, then switch to Rod and Bait fishing for Sardines at the same location until level 20.
Fly Fishing (Trout & Salmon): At level 20, Fly Fishing for Trout unlocks, becoming the fastest regular training method. You can even start at level 15 with an Admiral Pie boost for the absolute fastest experience at level 16. Trout and Salmon fishing remain the optimal regular training method until level 58, when Leaping Salmon at Barbarian Fishing becomes available. For Trout and Salmon, you’ll need a Fly Fishing Rod and Feathers. You’ll require approximately 5,000 feathers to reach level 58. Good fishing locations include Lumbridge near the goblins or the Barbarian Village.
3-Tick Fly Fishing: For the absolute fastest XP per hour at level 20, 3-tick Trout fishing is the method to use. This tick manipulation technique requires items to initiate a 3-tick action, such as Herb Tar, Teak Logs, Kebbit Vambraces, or Snow. Start a 3-tick action, then click the fishing spot, repeating these actions every 3 game ticks. From level 20, 3-tick Trout can yield over 20,000 Fishing XP per hour, scaling up to over 90,000 XP per hour at level 99.
Fastest Fishing Methods (Level 35+)
Continue with Trout and Salmon fishing until you reach the levels required for these faster methods.
Barbarian Fishing (Level 58+ Leaping Salmon): At level 58 Fishing, you unlock Leaping Salmon at Barbarian Fishing, significantly increasing the XP rates compared to lower-level Barbarian Fishing. Barbarian Fishing is done at Otto’s Grotto or near the Chambers of Xeric, with Otto’s Grotto being the more popular location. To begin Barbarian Fishing, you must start Barbarian Training, requiring level 48 Fishing, 15 Agility, and 15 Strength. Once you find the special Barbarian Rod under Otto’s bed, you can start. It’s recommended to start seriously at level 58 to capitalize on Leaping Salmon for optimal XP.
Barbarian Fishing can also be 3-ticked for even faster experience, nearly doubling your XP rate. However, even without tick manipulation, it’s an excellent AFK training method. XP rates range from 20,000 to 100,000 per hour, depending on your level and whether you 3-tick. Simultaneously, you’ll gain one-tenth of the Fishing XP in both Strength and Agility. AFK intervals average around 50 seconds.
2-Tick Harpooning (Level 35+): 2-Tick Harpooning is the absolute fastest Fishing method in OSRS, but requires tick manipulation. It’s performed in the Piscarilius House on Zeah. You need to aggro two rats nearby so they attack you every 2 game ticks. Then, repeatedly click on and off the fishing spot in a 2-tick cycle. To aggro the rats, use non-damaging spells like Weaken or Confuse.
While 2-tick Harpooning XP rates are not highly competitive at level 35, they become exceptional once you unlock Swordfish. You can achieve over 70,000 XP per hour with Swordfish, and at maximum efficiency, it’s possible to reach up to 130,000 Fishing XP per hour, making it the fastest training method in the game.
Tempoross (Level 35+): Tempoross, the fishing boss, requires level 35 Fishing to participate. It offers XP rates between regular Barbarian Fishing and 3-tick Barbarian Fishing. At level 35, you can expect around 30,000 XP per hour, scaling up to 95,000 XP per hour at higher levels. To reach Tempoross, take the boat near the Al Kharid bank. No starting items are needed, as you obtain all necessary equipment within the boss encounter.
The Tempoross battle involves catching and firing fish at the boss, then harpooning Tempoross when it becomes vulnerable. Optionally, you can cook the fish caught during the encounter for Cooking experience, slightly reducing Fishing XP rates.
Fishing at Tempoross from level 35 to 99 with cooking can yield approximately 50 million OSRS gold in profit, while focusing solely on Fishing experience (without cooking) results in around 20 million profit.
Drift Net Fishing (Level 47+): Drift Net Fishing, performed underwater off Fossil Island, is a highly efficient method, providing both Fishing and Hunter experience simultaneously. You need Drift Nets to train here. At level 47 Fishing, you can already achieve over 50,000 Fishing XP per hour, alongside 60,000 Hunter XP per hour. At level 70 Fishing and Hunter, rates can reach 85,000 Fishing XP and 115,000 Hunter XP per hour, making it exceptionally efficient for training both skills concurrently.
The main drawback of Drift Net Fishing is a net loss of around 40 million OSRS gold on the way to 99 Fishing, and it’s extremely click-intensive. The method involves luring fish into Drift Nets by clicking on them. Using a Trident spell to lure fish is crucial for maximizing XP rates.
AFK Fishing Methods
For those seeking low-intensity training, these methods offer significant AFK time.
Trout & Salmon in Prifddinas: Fishing for Trout and Salmon southeast of the Prifddinas gate is an excellent AFK method. Depending on your Fishing level, AFK intervals can range from 2 to 4 minutes because the fishing spot never moves or depletes. Maximum XP rates reach around 50,000 per hour, not the fastest, but the static fishing spot allows for very relaxed training. Access to this area requires starting the “Regicide” quest to enter the elven lands; “Song of the Elves” is not necessary.
Cave Eels in Dorgeshkaan: Bait fishing for Cave Eels in the caves south of Dorgeshkaan is another very AFK option. This fishing spot also remains static, offering slightly lower XP rates than Prifddinas Trout/Salmon. However, Cave Eels provide more XP per catch, resulting in longer AFK intervals, up to 5 minutes depending on your level. Access to this area requires completing the “Death to the Dorgeshuun” quest, and a light source is needed inside the caves.
Profit Methods
Fishing becomes significantly profitable starting from level 62.
Monkfish (Level 62+): After completing the “Swan Song” quest, you can fish for Monkfish at the Piscatoris Fishing Colony. Training from level 62 to 99 here can yield approximately 20 million OSRS gold in profit, with AFK intervals around 1 minute. XP rates are moderate compared to purely experience-focused methods but still decent for profitable fishing.
Karambwans (Level 65+): At level 65 Fishing, Karambwans become available. This requires completing the “Tai Bwo Wannai Trio” quest. Karambwanji are used as bait, caught south of Tai Bwo Wannai with a Small Fishing Net (AFK). Karambwans are then caught next to the DKP fairy ring north of the camp. Training from 65 to 99 Karambwans can net over 80 million profit. XP rates are relatively slow if banking, but a Fish Barrel from Tempoross improves AFK time to around 3 minutes; without it, AFK time is about 1.5 minutes.
Infernal Eels (Level 80+): Infernal Eels, available at level 80 Fishing, are caught with an Oily Fishing Rod and Bait in the Mor Ul Rek region of TzHaar City. Using a Hammer to convert the eels into Tokkul eliminates the need for banking. Training from 80 to 99 Fishing with Infernal Eels yields about 80 million profit and is reasonably AFK.
Minnows (Level 82+): At level 82 Fishing and with the full Angler Outfit, you can fish for Minnows near the Fishing Guild using a Small Fishing Net. XP rates are decent, and profit to 99 is around 75 million OSRS gold. However, Minnow fishing is less AFK than other profit methods, with AFK intervals around 15 seconds.
Anglerfish (Level 82+): Also at level 82, Anglerfish fishing becomes available in the Piscarilius House, using a regular Rod and Sandworms as bait. Anglerfish is one of the slower fishing methods, maxing out at 23,000 XP per hour at level 99. However, it’s one of the most profitable, netting around 130 million OSRS gold from level 82 to 99, and it’s reasonably AFK.
Dark Crabs (Level 85+): At level 85 Fishing, you can catch Dark Crabs in the Wilderness Resource Area using a Lobster Pot and Dark Fishing Bait (purchased from the Grand Exchange). Dark Crabs provide decent XP rates, up to 40,000 per hour at higher levels, and are highly profitable, netting around 90 million to level 99. However, being in the Wilderness, it’s not suitable for AFK training and carries the risk of player-killing (PK). To evade PKers, bring a Lockpick to enter the Magic Axes house.
Sacred Eels (Level 87+): Sacred Eels, available at level 87 Fishing near Zulrah, are caught with a regular Rod and Bait. Bring a Knife to cut the eels into Zulrah Scales. Maximum XP rates are slightly over 20,000 Fishing and 20,000 Cooking XP per hour, while profiting around 115 million to level 99. This method is also AFK.
Ironman Fishing Tips
For Ironman accounts, Fishing is even more critical for self-sufficiency.
Early Supplies: Obtaining fishing supplies early is important. The Port Sarim fishing shop and Catherby fishing shop are easily accessible at low levels and sell essential equipment. The Shilo Village fishing shop, near a Fly Fishing spot, is another good option. For Anglerfish and Sandworms, Tynan’s Fishing Supplies in Port Piscarilius is the go-to vendor.
Karambwans for Food: Karambwans are an excellent food source for Ironmen – easy to catch, unlikely to burn when cooked, and heal 18 Hitpoints. Obtaining Karambwanji bait is quick, and acquiring a Fish Barrel for increased Karambwan fishing efficiency is highly recommended.
Generally, Ironman accounts can effectively follow the training methods outlined in this guide. Tempoross, in particular, is a valuable source of resources for Ironmen.
F2P 1-99 Fishing
Fishing in Free-to-Play (F2P) is generally slower and less profitable compared to members’ methods.
Fastest F2P Pathway (Approximately 170 Hours with 3-tick): The fastest F2P pathway to 99 Fishing involves Fly Fishing and potentially 3-tick manipulation.
Fly Fishing (Level 20+): At level 20, Fly Fishing becomes the fastest F2P method, using a Fly Fishing Rod and Feathers. Locations include Lumbridge near goblins or east of Barbarian Village.
3-Tick Fly Fishing (F2P): 3-tick Fly Fishing is also possible in F2P using a Snow Globe (obtained from a Christmas event) to collect snow while fishing, enabling tick manipulation for greatly increased XP rates.
Profitable F2P Methods (Lobsters, Tuna, Swordfish – Not Recommended for XP): Profitable F2P methods include Lobsters or Tuna and Swordfish. However, XP rates are very slow, and banks are distant from fishing spots, making them generally not recommended for efficient training unless nostalgia or profit is the sole focus.
Camdozaal Fishing (Level 33+ for Ironman): With the “Below Ice Mountain” quest, F2P Ironmen can fish in Camdozaal using a Small Fishing Net. Starting at level 33 Fishing and Cooking is recommended for better XP rates. This method is more suited for F2P Ironmen as it trains Prayer simultaneously, although Fishing XP rates are very low.
This comprehensive Old Runescape fishing guide covers everything you need to know to reach level 99 Fishing in OSRS. Choose the pathway that best suits your goals and playstyle, and enjoy your fishing journey!
