Fishing is a secondary profession in WoW Classic that allows players catch fish from lakes, rivers, oceans, and other bodies of water. Most fish can be eaten, cooked, sold, or used in other professions like Alchemy and Cooking. It’s easy to start—just get a Fishing Pole from a vendor, equip it, and cast your line.
In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about WoW Classic Fishing, including:
- The best professions and classes to pair with Fishing
- How to level Fishing from 1 to 300 fast
- Where to find trainers and herb locations
- Important fishes for endgame potions and flasks
Fishing is a calm, steady way to make gold, level Cooking, or gather rare items—all while exploring Azeroth at your own pace.
WoW Classic Fishing Explained
Fishing is a useful and profitable secondary skill in WoW Classic. It pairs well with Cooking, as most easy recipes for leveling require fish. You can reach Cooking 1-300 using only fish, making it a cheap way to get high-quality food for yourself and others.
Fishing also supports Alchemy—Oily Blackmouth, Firefin Snapper, and Stonescale Eel are used to craft oils for potions and other professions like Tailoring. Raw fish sell well on the Auction House since many players skip Fishing but still need materials.
Hunters benefit from Fishing by feeding their pets quickly and cheaply. Many pets—including Bats, Bears, Cats, and Turtles—can eat raw fish directly, making it a convenient food source while leveling.
Beyond fish, you can catch treasures from floating wreckage or even find pearls inside clams. All you need to start is a basic Fishing Pole, and bait can help but isn’t required early on.
Fishing is simple but rewarding, offering food, gold-making, and profession support with minimal investment. Whether you fish for profit, cooking, or just relaxation, it’s a valuable skill in Classic.
Best Professions to Pair with Fishing
- Fishing in WoW Classic is most commonly paired with Cooking, since nearly all the best leveling recipes require fish. This combo lets you easily stock up on high-quality food while leveling both skills at once.
- Another good match is Alchemy, as key ingredients like Oily Blackmouth and Stonescale Eel come from Fishing. While you could buy these fish, catching them yourself saves gold and ensures a steady supply for potions and oils.
- Some players also pair Fishing with First Aid—not for direct synergy, but because all three secondary skills (Fishing, Cooking, First Aid) can be learned together without conflicting with main professions. However, Fishing stands well on its own, as raw fish and rare catches (like Deviate Fish or Winter Squid) sell reliably for profit.
Unlike other professions, Fishing requires no gathering profession to support it—just a pole and patience. Whether you fish for gold, cooking, or just to relax, it’s one of the most low-effort, high-reward skills in Classic.
Best Classes for WoW Classic Fishing
Fishing is perfect for Hunters, as they can feed their pets cheaply with raw fish. It’s also great for any player who wants to:
- Supply Alchemy with Oily Blackmouth and Firefin Snapper
- Make gold selling Deviate Fish and Winter Squid
- Level Cooking easily with fish-based recipes
Summing up, whether you’re fishing for profit, cooking, or profession mats, Fishing is one of the most useful secondary skills in WoW Classic.
The Fastest 1-300 Vanilla Fishing
Leveling Fishing from 1 to 300 is straightforward, but it can take time due to the random nature of catches. You’ll need to fish in various zones for different types of fish, with some locations offering better chances for rare catches or specific fish required for Cooking or Alchemy. Keep in mind that you might need to fish in specific bodies of water for certain fish, so plan your route to save time.
To make the most of your fishing, focus on areas with high catch rates for your current level. As you progress, some of the higher-level fish will require fishing in specific zones, so it’s important to know where to go. Certain rare fish are valuable for quests, Cooking recipes, or can be sold on the Auction House for a good profit, especially if you find hard-to-get catches like the Blackmouth Oil or Oily Blackmouth.
While leveling, you’ll also want to be on the lookout for any Fishing-related quests that reward you with useful items or items that can increase your fishing skill. Fishing in areas like Stranglethorn Vale and Feralas is popular due to the chance of catching rare fish and the proximity to other gathering spots.
By gathering the right fish and focusing on the best fishing zones, you can level your Fishing profession with minimal downtime and potentially make some gold along the way.
Fishing 1 – 75
Start in any newbie zone, but avoid Tirisfal Glades because it yields a lot of Sickly Looking Fish, which are unusable and unsellable. Instead, Undead characters should take the zeppelin to Durotar to fish there. In most other zones, you’ll catch Raw Brilliant Smallfish (inland) and Raw Slitherskin Mackerel (coastal). These fish drop frequently, though they might get away early on. Using a Shiny Bauble can help you avoid losing fish. Raw Brilliant Smallfish tends to sell for more than Raw Slitherskin Mackerel.
Fishing 75 – 150
Fishing around major cities gives you a good mix of fish that are useful for early Cooking recipes, like Raw Brilliant Smallfish, Raw Longjaw Mud Snapper, and Raw Bristle Whisker Catfish. These areas are safe for fishing since you won’t encounter aggressive mobs.
Fishing 150 – 225
For Horde players, head to the Savage Coast near Grom’gol Base Camp. There, you can fish off small islands south and slightly east of the camp, away from guards if you’re Alliance. You’ll catch Raw Rockscale Cod, Raw Spotted Yellowtail, Oily Blackmouth, and Firefin Snapper.
For Alliance, Dustwallow Marsh is a great spot. Fish inland for Raw Bristle Whisker Catfish and Raw Mithril Head Trout. Coastal fishing along the north beach near Theramore Isle is quiet and safe, with the chance to catch Raw Rockscale Cod, Raw Spotted Yellowtail, Oily Blackmouth, and Firefin Snapper.
Fishing 225 – 300
Tanaris is an excellent place to fish all the way to 300. At Steamwheedle Port, you can catch Raw Spotted Yellowtail, Firefin Snapper, Raw Glossy Mightfish, and Raw Summer Bass or Winter Squid (depending on the season). It’s a quiet and safe location. You can also switch to Feralas or Winterspring around level 275 for additional fishing opportunities, but Tanaris is reliable all the way to 300.
Fishing Trainers (1-300 Skill)
Alliance Trainers:
- Androl Oakhand: Rut’theran Village, Teldrassil, /way 56, 93.6
- Arnold Leland: Canal by Trade District, Stormwind, /way 45.8, 58.2
- Astaia: Temple Gardens, Darnassus, /way 47.6, 56.6
- Brannock: Feathermoon Stronghold, Feralas, /way 32.2, 41.6
- Donald Rabonne: Southshore, Hillsbrad Foothills, /way 50.6, 61
- Grimnur Stonebrand: Forlorn Cavern, Ironforge, /way 48.4, 6.4
- Harold Riggs: Menethil Harbor, Wetlands, /way 8.2, 58.6
- Lee Brown: Goldshire, Elwynn Forest, /way 47.6, 62.2
- Matthew Hooper: Lakeshire, Redridge Mountains, /way 26.8, 50.4
- Paxton Ganter: Brewnall Village, Dun Morogh, /way 35.6, 40.4
- Warg Deepwater: Thelsamar, Loch Modan, /way 40.6, 39.6
- Myizz Luckycatch: Booty Bay, Stranglethorn Vale, /way 27.6, 77
Horde Trainers:
- Armand Cromwell: Magic Quarter, Undercity, /way 80.8, 31.2
- Clyde Kellen: Brightwater Lake, Tirisfal Glades, /way 67.2, 51
- Kah Mistrunner: Middle Tier, Thunder Bluff, /way 56, 46.8
- Katoom the Angler: Revantusk Village, The Hinterlands, /way 80.2, 81.4
- Kil’Hiwana: South of Blackfathom Deeps, Ashenvale, /way 10.8, 33.6
- Lau’Tiki: South of Sen’jin Village, Durotar, /way 53.2, 81.6
- Lui’Mala: Shadowprey Village, Desolace, /way 22.6, 72.6
- Lumak: Valley of Honor, Orgrimmar, /way 69.8, 29.6
- Uthan Stillwater: Bloodhoof Village, Mulgore, /way 44.6, 60.6
- Myizz Luckycatch: Booty Bay, Stranglethorn Vale, /way 27.6, 77
Learning Expert Fishing at 150:
You can learn Expert Fishing at level 20 with a Fishing Skill of 125. Purchase Expert Fishing – The Bass and You from Old Man Heming in Booty Bay for 1 silver. He is located near the docks in the Happy Bobber shop, /way 27.4, 77.
Expert Fishing – The Bass and You will increase your Fishing Skill cap to 225. This book is not Bind on Pickup, so you can buy it for your alts.
Learning Artisan Fishing – Nat Pagle Quest:
To become an Artisan Fisherman, complete the Nat Pagle, Angler Extreme quest from Nat Pagle. This quest is available once you reach a Fishing skill of 225 and are at least level 35 (recommended level 45 due to the difficulty). Be cautious, as some of the areas required are dangerous!
WoW Classic Best Spots for Fishing
1-75: Starting Zones
You’ll fish up various low-level fish here. You’ll get some fish escaping early on, but using a Shiny Bauble can help increase your catch rate.
- Raw Brilliant Smallfish (inland)
- Raw Slitherskin Mackerel (coastal)
Note: Tirisfal Glades isn’t ideal, as you’ll catch many Sickly Looking Fish, which are unusable and unsellable. Undead players should head to Durotar instead.
75-150: Major Faction Cities
These locations offer a safe fishing environment with a variety of fish, useful for early Cooking recipes.
Since these cities are safe from random mob aggro, it’s a good spot for fishing without interruptions.
150-225: Stranglethorn Vale or Dustwallow Marsh
Better for Horde:
- Savage Coast (near Grom’gol Base Camp) – Fish off two small islands south and east of Grom’gol, far enough to avoid Alliance guards.
Fish to catch:
Better for Alliance:
- Dustwallow Marsh (inland) or coastal north of Theramore Isle – A quiet, safe place to fish, even for Horde players, with neutral turtles along the coast.
Fish to catch:
225-300: Tanaris
Though Tanaris is a desert, it’s an excellent fishing location. Steamwheedle Port is a quiet fishing spot with lots of good fish.
- Fish to catch:
Raw Summer Bass (or Winter Squid depending on the season)
You can stay here all the way to 300, or consider moving to Feralas or Winterspring around 275 for additional safe fishing spots.
Best Gold-Making Fish in WoW Classic
- Stonescale Eel
- Use: Converted into Stonescale Oil, essential for crafting high-end Alchemy consumables like Flask of the Titans and Greater Stoneshield Potion.
- Best Locations: Coastal waters of Azshara (notably the Bay of Storms), Tanaris, and Feralas.
- Fishing Tips: Best caught during nighttime hours; higher skill levels increase catch rates.
- Oily Blackmouth
- Use: Used to create Blackmouth Oil, a component in potions such as Free Action Potion and Elixir of Water Breathing.
- Best Locations: Coastal areas of Darkshore, Westfall, Stranglethorn Vale, and The Barrens.
- Fishing Tips: Accessible early in the game; fishing from Oily Blackmouth Schools improves efficiency.
- Firefin Snapper
- Use: Produces Fire Oil, used in crafting Fire Protection Potions and Elixirs of Firepower.
- Best Locations: Coastal zones like Hillsbrad Foothills, Wetlands, and Stranglethorn Vale.
- Fishing Tips: Look for Firefin Snapper Schools to maximize yield.
- Deviate Fish
- Use: Can be cooked into Savory Deviate Delight, a fun item that transforms the user into a pirate or ninja.
- Best Locations: Pools in The Barrens and inside Wailing Caverns.
- Fishing Tips: High demand due to its novelty; sells well on the Auction House.
- Raw Nightfin Snapper
- Use: Cooked into Nightfin Soup, providing mana regeneration buffs for casters.
- Best Locations: Inland waters of Feralas, Azshara, and Eastern Plaguelands.
- Fishing Tips: Only catchable at night (12 AM to 6 AM server time); plan your fishing accordingly.
- Winter Squid
- Use: Used to make Grilled Squid, which grants an Agility buff, favored by melee classes.
- Best Locations: Coastal areas of Azshara, Tanaris, and Stranglethorn Vale.
- Fishing Tips: Seasonal availability (approximately December to March); stock up during this period for year-round sales.
WoW Classic Fishing Items Overview
| Item | +Skill | Min. Skill | How to Get |
| Fishing Pole | +0 | 1 | Buy from Fishing & Trade Supply vendors for 23 copper |
| Blump Family Fishing Pole | +3 | 1 | Reward from “The Family and the Fishing Pole” quest in Auberdine |
| Strong Fishing Pole | +5 | 10 | Buy from Fishing & Trade Supply vendors for 9 silver 1 copper |
| Big Iron Fishing Pole | +20 | 100 | ~5% drop from Shellfish Traps in Desolace |
| Nat Pagle‘s Extreme Angler FC-5000 | +25 | 100 | Reward from “Snapjaws, Mon!” quest in The Hinterlands (Horde only) |
| Arcanite Fishing Pole | +35 | 300 | Reward for winning the Stranglethorn Fishing Extravaganza |
| Shiny Bauble | +25 | 1 | Buy from Fishing & Trade Supply vendors |
| Nightcrawlers | +50 | 50 | Buy from vendors or loot from undead mobs |
| Aquadynamic Fish Lens | +50 | 50 | Reward from “Electropellers” quest in Auberdine |
| Bright Baubles | +75 | 100 | Buy from Fishing & Trade Supply vendors for 2s 50c |
| Flesh Eating Worm | +75 | 100 | Rare drop from Rotted One in Duskwood |
| Aquadynamic Fish Attractor (5 min) | +100 | 100 | Buy from vendors or crafted by Engineers |
| Lucky Fishing Hat | +5 (head) | – | Reward from rare fish “Keefer’s Angelfish” during Stranglethorn event |
| Nat Pagle‘s Extreme Anglin’ Boots | +5 (feet) | – | Reward from rare fish “Brownell’s Blue Striped Racer” in the same event |
| Enchant Gloves – Fishing | +2 (gloves) | – | Enchant from “Formula: Enchant Gloves – Fishing” (drops in Hillsbrad) |
| High Test Eternium Fishing Line | +5 (pole enchant) | – | Reward from rare fish “Dezian Queenfish” in the Stranglethorn event |
