Fishing is a worthwhile activity in ARK: Survival Evolved. Not only do you get fish meat for food, but you may also fish up valuable resources and blueprints that teach you new crafting recipes! Today, we’ll teach you everything you need to know about fishing in our ARK: Survival Evolved fishing guide!
How to Fish in ARK Survival Evolved
To start your fisherman’s journey in ARK: Survival Evolved, you’ll need to learn the Fishing Rod Engram first, which can be acquired at level 18 with 15 Engram Points. It also requires the Bow Engram as a prerequisite. The Fishing Rod costs 50 Fiber, 20 Thatch, and 12 Wood to craft.
You’ll need bait as well. There are different kinds of bait, and the harder-to-get bait lets you catch bigger and more types of fish. Here’s a table of bait, what they can catch, and how to get them.
| Bait | Compatible Fish | Maximum Fish Size | How to Obtain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sap | Coelacanth | 0.94 | Tree Sap Tap on Redwood Tree |
| Leech Blood | Coelacanth, Sabertooth Salmon, Piranha | 1.88 | Dropped by Leeches, Deathworms, and Lampreys |
| Giant Bee Honey | Coelacanth, Sabertooth Salmon, Piranha | 2.4 | Gathered from Bee Hive |
| Unicorn Residue | Leedsichthys | – | Dropped by Unicorn |
| Ancient Amber | Coelacanth, Sabertooth Salmon, Piranha | Unlimited | Premium Purchase, rare drop from mining |
Fishing is a strenuous activity, so you can’t just run up to any body of water and start fishing—you need to sit down first. Craft either a Wooden Chair, Wooden Bench, or Canoe, then sit down on it. Tamed dinosaurs also work, like the Pelagornis that swims on the water.
Once you’ve planted your tush in your chair of choice, go ahead and take the bait from your inventory and drag it onto your Fishing Rod. You’re now ready to fish, so aim at the nearest body of water. You can check what kind of fish you can catch by literally going into the water and looking for fish.
Cast your line out and be patient—it may take a few minutes for a fish to notice your bait. Once you get a bite, you’ll start a quick-time event where you must quickly press the button displayed on your screen. Be careful not to press the wrong button, as that will immediately snap your line!
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Press enough buttons correctly, and you’ll reel in your catch, which will instantly go into your inventory. You’ll always get some Raw Fish Meat/Raw Prime Fish Meat, but if you’re lucky you might also get a blueprint or resource. The heavier the fish, the better chance of getting good stuff. Try to aim for at least Sabertooth Salmon if you want to get blueprints and resources.
That’s about all there is to fishing, so get out there and nab some huge fish! If you have any other tips or tricks to share about fishing, let us know in the comments below!
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ARK Survival Evolved Fishing Guide: Tips and Cheats