How to Level Fishing from 1 to 99 in Old School RuneScape
Why Train Fishing?
Fishing has several benefits in OSRS:
Money-making: Many fish caught, such as Lobsters, Swordfish, and Sharks, sell for good prices to get OSRS gold on the Grand Exchange.
Supporting Cooking: Fishing pairs naturally with Cooking to create food, essential for PvM (Player vs Monster) and PvP (Player vs Player) combat.
Relaxing Skill: Fishing can be AFK or semi-AFK, making it great for multitasking or grinding while doing other things.
Quest Requirements: Many quests require Fishing, so training it is helpful for game progression.
Skill Cape: At level 99, you earn the Fishing skill cape, a symbol of dedication and achievement.
Basic Requirements and Equipment
Before diving into the best methods, here's what you'll need:
Fishing Rods and Bait: Depending on the fish, you will use a fly fishing rod, lobster pot, harpoon, or a fly fishing rod with feathers as bait.
Fishing Level: Different fish require different minimum Fishing levels.
Optional Items:
Fishing Urn: To gain extra experience while fishing.
Angler Outfit: Offers small experience bonuses.
Dragon Harpoon: For faster fishing at high levels.
Fishing Trawler Minigame: Can be used to obtain the Angler outfit and Fishing experience.
Leveling Fishing 1-99: The Step-by-Step Guide
Levels 1-20: Shrimp and Anchovies
Location: Lumbridge Swamp or Draynor Village docks.
Method: Use a small fishing net to catch shrimp and anchovies.
XP Rate: About 10-20k XP/hr.
Tips: This is the slowest phase but easy to do and helps familiarize yourself with fishing mechanics.
Shrimp and anchovies are the basic fish to catch at the start. Head to Lumbridge swamp or the docks near Draynor Village. Equip a small fishing net and start clicking the fishing spots. These fish sell for low prices but are useful for early Cooking training.
Levels 20-30: Trout and Salmon
Location: Barbarian Village or Shilo Village (requires partial completion of the Shilo Village quest).
Method: Use a fly fishing rod with feathers to catch trout and salmon.
XP Rate: Around 25-35k XP/hr.
Tips: Trout and salmon fishing is more engaging and faster than shrimp.
At level 20, you can switch to fly fishing for trout and salmon using feathers as bait. Barbarian Village is a popular spot because the fishing spots are close to a bank in Edgeville (via the Edgeville ditch shortcut). Shilo Village also offers great fishing, but you need partial quest completion.
Levels 30-40: Lobsters
Location: Karamja (Lighthouse or Musa Point docks) or Catherby.
Method: Use a lobster pot to catch lobsters.
XP Rate: Approximately 35-45k XP/hr.
Tips: Lobsters sell for a decent price and offer faster experience than trout and salmon.
Once you hit level 30 Fishing, you can start catching lobsters using a lobster pot. Karamja is a popular place because you can use the ring of charos or the fairy ring for easy access. Catherby also offers lobsters and has the advantage of being close to a bank.
Levels 40-52: Swordfish and Tuna
Location: Karamja, Catherby, or Piscatoris Fishing Colony (requires completion of Swan Song quest).
Method: Use a harpoon to catch swordfish and tuna.
XP Rate: 50-60k XP/hr.
Tips: Swordfish and tuna bring higher XP and better money than lobsters.
At level 40 Fishing, switch to harpooning swordfish and tuna. The Piscatoris Fishing Colony is often the fastest spot, but requires quest completion to access. Alternatively, Catherby and Karamja remain viable options with banking nearby.
Levels 52-76: Sharks
Location: Karamja or Catherby.
Method: Use a harpoon to catch sharks.
XP Rate: Around 70-85k XP/hr.
Tips: Sharks are more valuable but slower to catch than swordfish; good money but slower XP.
Once you reach level 52, you unlock the ability to catch sharks. Sharks sell for a high price and provide solid experience, though they take longer per catch. Use a dragon harpoon (if you can afford it) to speed up the process.
Levels 76-99: Anglerfish or Minnows (Alternative AFK Method)
Location: Fishing Guild or Hosidius Fishing Area for Anglerfish; Barbarian Village for Minnows.
Method:
Anglerfish: Requires completion of the Fishing Contest quest. Use a fishing rod with bait in the Fishing Guild.
Minnows: Use a small fishing net to catch minnows at Barbarian Village; requires 82 fishing.
XP Rate:
Anglerfish: ~90k XP/hr.
Minnows: ~60k XP/hr but more AFK-friendly.
Tips: Anglerfish provide the fastest Fishing XP but require quest completion. Minnows are great for AFK training and can be banked nearby.
At high levels, the fastest method is catching anglerfish in the Fishing Guild, which offers very high XP rates. However, this method requires quest completion and can be click-intensive. Minnow fishing is more AFK-friendly, requiring less attention, but yields slower XP.
Alternative and AFK Methods
Barbarian Fishing (Levels 48-99)
Requires completion of the Barbarian Training and Fishing Contest quests.
Uses heavy rods to catch leaping fish (salmon, sturgeon, and trout).
Grants Fishing and Agility experience.
XP Rate: 50-70k XP/hr.
Pros: More interactive, faster XP than traditional fishing.
Cons: Requires quests, not fully AFK.
Fishing Trawler Minigame
Can be done at any level but more effective with friends.
Provides chances to get the Angler's outfit.
Fun and social but slow for XP.
You can also buy RuneScape gold.
Tips to Maximize Your Fishing Training
Use Fishing Urns: These add 10% XP back when you fill them with fish, giving more experience for the same effort.
Wear Angler Outfit: The full set grants a 2.5% XP bonus.
Use the Best Tools: Upgrade to the dragon harpoon as soon as you can afford it for faster catches.
Bank Efficiently: Fish near banks or use Teleport tabs (like Karamja or Catherby Teleport tablets) to save time.
Combine Skills: Train Cooking alongside Fishing to immediately turn raw fish into cooked food.
Complete Related Quests: Some fishing locations and methods require quests, but they unlock faster XP methods.
Estimated Time to 99 Fishing
Pure AFK (Shrimp to Lobsters): 100+ hours.
Efficient Route (Using Swordfish, Sharks, Anglerfish): 50-60 hours.
Fastest Route (Barbarian Fishing + Anglerfish): 40-50 hours.
Conclusion
Fishing is one of the most enjoyable and rewarding skills in OSRS. By following this 1-99 Fishing guide, you can level up efficiently while making good money and collecting some of the game's best fish. Whether you prefer a more AFK, relaxing approach or an interactive, click-intensive method, there's a fishing style to suit every player. So grab your rod, bait, or harpoon, and start your journey to becoming a master angler in Gielinor!