How to Go Fishing in Far Cry 5

Published March 26, 2018 5:44 PM, by Bill Lavoy

As someone who thinks that going fishing is the greatest way on earth to relax, I’m likely to buy any game that presents it in even the most basic form. I’m the guy who made a career out of just fishing in The Sims 4, so its inclusion in Far Cry 5 had me as excited as any other aspect of the game. Problem is, I wanted to fish right from the beginning, but I had no idea how.

Where to Find a Fishing Rod

If you want to catch fish, you’ll need a fishing rod. There are two ways that I know of to get one in Far Cry 5, one of which costs money, and the other only costing a few bullets. Personally, I prefer the latter since money should be spent on weapons and attachments in the early hours of Far Cry 5 - like the powerful Compound Bow.

Begin by playing through the game’s opening sequence and completing the objective to liberate Dutch’s Island. That should take you to about the hour mark of play time. Once that objective is clear you can get your fishing rod using either of the two methods.

Should you wish to buy a fishing rod you can do so on the east side of Dutch’s Island, assuming north is the top of the map from the default orientation. Look for a man fishing on a dock by the shore. He is a vender who will not only sell you a fishing rod, but also weapons and attachments. Make sure you know how to make money fast in Far Cry 5 so you can buy what you what, whenever you want.

Across the east river from Dutch’s Island is Faith’s Region. Just on the opposite shore of the river is a single house called the Vasquez Residence. If you head there you can take out two thugs from Eden’s Gate and save a civilian, but the real reason you should be interested in this location is inside the house. Look in the back hallway and hanging on the wall is a free fishing rod for you to snag.

All Fishing Rods in Far Cry 5

Four different types of fishing rods exist in Far Cry 5, and virtual anglers hoping to reel in the big ones would do well to track down some of the game's upgraded rods. Here's a breakdown of each different fishing rod and how each can be acquired:

• The Basic Rod can be found near each fishing spot in Far Cry 5. It's not much to look at, but it should get the job done.
• The Natural Rod is a small improvement over the Basic Rod, and it can be purchased at any gun shop found in the game.
• The Wonderboy Rod can be acquired after completing the quests given by Skylar through Dylan's Master Bait Shop in the Whitehill Mountains region.
• The Old Betsy Rod is Far Cry 5's ultimate fishing implement. To earn it, players will have to catch all the most difficult fish at each Hard Fishing Spot, plus beat every regional record. Fortunately for players, catching all difficult fish types should be enough to beat each regional record. More information about each record can be found at record boards located at Hope's Den, Fall's End, and the Hope County Jail.

How to Go Fishing in Far Cry 5

Fishing in Far Cry 5 is as simple as finding water, then pulling out your fishing rod and casting your line. To do that, bring up your weapon wheel and press the button to switch between your weapons and utility items. Select your fishing rod and you can then cast your line. Just be sure you see the telltale sign that fish are in the area you’ve opted to cast your line; fish jumping out of the water.

Players should consider spending four perk points on the Fisher King perk from the Survivalist section. This will cause fish to tire more quickly, plus it unlocks new flies in the fishing wheel that will allow you to catch heavier fish. Heavier fish means more money when you sell them to vendors.

All Fishing Flies in Far Cry 5

Far Cry 5 has five different fishing flies on offer. These lures can't be purchased through any in-game shop; instead, the upgraded fishing flies are earned exclusively through the Fisher King perk on the Survivalist Skill tree. Each different lure has its own strengths, primarily with regard to what types of fish it will attract, and players will need all of them in order to catch each of the game's heavier fish.

• The Basic Mayfly, as its name might suggest, is the basic fishing lure in Far Cry 5. It's a good all-rounder, but it won't be enough to catch some of the game's more elusive fish.
• The Bass Popper, unsurprisingly, is the lure players will want to use in order to catch heavier bass.
• The Hybrid Sturgeon is the lure of choice to bring in some of the game's heavier sturgeon, though it's a decent lure for other fish types as well.
• The Salmon Egg lure is well-suited to catching heavier salmon, but players will find that it's also an acceptable lure for other fish.
• The Trout Bugger follows the same pattern as other lures, being the lure of choice for bringing in the game's heavier trout.

Far Cry 5 Fish Types

There are 12 different kinds of fish available for players to catch in Far Cry 5, with each species having its own heavier version that players will need to track down in order to earn the Old Betsy fishing rod. Catching the heavier variants requires use of the game's upgraded fishing flies, so be sure to put those skill points to use before tackling these angling challenges.

• Arctic Grayling Salmon - these fish can be found in a pond tucked away on the southwestern edge of Jacob's Region.
• Bull Trout - these fish will be spotted in the area north and west of Langford Lake in Jacob's Region.
• Chinook Salmon -players can find these fish in the waters northwest of the F.A.N.G. Center.
• Golden Trout - these little guys can be found swimming around Silver Lake in Jacon's Region.
• Kokanee Salmon - can be found close to the southwestern edge of Cedar Lake in the Whitetail Mountain Region.
• Lake Trout - these hulking trout can be fished out of Wishbone's Lake, a short travel north of Fort Drubman within Jacob's Region.
• Largemouth Bass - these fish can be found not far away from the smallmouth bass swimming in the river within the Henbane River Region.
• Paddlefish Sturgeon - players will need to bring their A-game to take down these massive fish found southwest of Rye and Sons Aviation in the southern extent of the Holland Valley Region.
• Pallid Sturgeon - these smaller-sized sturgeon can be found just south of the Lamb of God Church in the Holland Valley Region.
• Rainbow Trout - players can find these mid-sized trout in a pond just south and west of Rae-Rae's Pumpkin Farm.
• Rock Bass - these rocking little bass can be found in Rock Bass Lake within the Henbane River Region.
• Smallmouth Bass - these fish can be found near the two gun stores in the Henbane River Region, not too far from where their largemouthed-brethren can be caught.

Now that you know how to go fishing, visit our selection of guides for Far Cry 5, learning more about the various mechanics at work in Ubisoft’s latest open world offering.