How to fish in Monster Hunter Wilds
A definitive fishing guide, including lists of all fish and lures in MH Wilds
Confused about how to fish in Monster Hunter Wilds? While threats lurk around every corner in Monster Hunter Wilds, the game also offers moments of peace and relaxation. And among the many tasks, quests, and side quests available, one of the most serene and meditative is fishing.
Alternatively, it could be the source of much frustration, as the game doesn't do the best job of explaining exactly how to fish. There are also a couple of key differences between the fishing mechanics in previous games, and Monster Hunter Wilds, which can trip up returning players. In this guide, we'll explain how to get started with fishing in MH Wilds, explaining how to unlock fishing, and how the controls and key concepts of fishing work in Capcom's new flagship RPG.
In this guide:
- How to unlock fishing
- How to fish in Monster Hunter Wilds
- Attracting fish with movement
- All fishing lures
- All fish in Monster Hunter Wilds
How to unlock fishing
Fishing is unlocked very early on in the main story of Monster Hunter Wilds. Halfway through the main quest Chapter 1-2: "Village Of Whispering Winds", you'll be given the task to speak to Jack, the Provisions Manager back at Base Camp. As a thank you for collecting Honey for him in the previous part of the quest, he'll give you a number of Essential Items, including the Fishing Rod.
However, it's not until Chapter 1-3: "To The Forest" that you're given the freedom to go out into the larger open world in order to start fishing. Once you're at this point, you can go to any fishing spot, equip your Fishing Rod, and fish to your heart's content.
Fishing becomes more of a focus once you reach the Scarlet Forest Base Camp in the latter half of Chapter 1. Speak to Kanya, who can be found fishing near a pond at the back of the Scarlet Forest Base Camp, and she'll give you the first of several fishing-related side quests: "Fishing: Life, In Microcosm". This quest will guide you through the all-new fishing mechanics in Monster Hunter Wilds.
How to fish in Monster Hunter Wilds
You can only fish at certain specific areas, known as Fishing Spots. Go up to one of these areas, and equip your Fishing Rod using either the Item Bar or the Radial Menu (both of which can be customised to include the Fishing Rod if it's not there by default).
Can't find your Fishing Rod?
Open the in-game menu with
☰ or ESC, and select "Check Pouches" > "Item Pouch". You'll find the Fishing Rod icon in the top-left corner. If it has a red cross icon in its top-right, that means it's hidden. Click it once to make it visible. Now you can find it in the Item Bar using LB + X/B, or Mouse-Wheel Up/Down.If you want your Fishing Rod in the Radial Menu:
Hold
LB or CTRL to open the Radial Menu, and use D-Pad or F1-F8 to select the Essential Items group. Then, with the Item Bar button still held, you can use Right Thumbstick or LMB to select the Fishing Rod. If the Essential Items group isn't there, you can customise your Radial Menu groups by opening the in-game menu with ☰ or ESC, and selecting "Customize Radial Menu".Follow these steps to catch a fish in MH Wilds:
- Equip your Fishing Rod near a Fishing Spot.
- Equip your desired lure with
LB + Y/AorCTRL + Up/Down. - Aim your line while holding
LTorRMB. - Tap
RTorLMBto cast your line into the water. - (Optional) Make small movements with
Left ThumbstickorWASDto attract fish. - Once a fish bites, tap
RTorLMBto reel it in automatically.
Note: there are some very large fish, known as Whoppers, which have a different process for reeling them in after they bite. For all the details you need, check out our guide on how to catch a Whopper in Monster Hunter Wilds.
Attracting fish with movement
To give yourself the best chance of catching a fish, you need to make your lure attractive to the fish. You do this by moving your lure around in the water using the following controls:
- To move your lure left or right: Hold
Left Thumbstick Left/RightorA/D. - To jig your lure: Tap
Left Thumbstick DownorS. - To reel your lure in slowly: Roll
Left Thumbstickor alternateW/S.
Different species of fish respond to different kinds of movement, but most will dislike it when you move the lure around wildly. Try different subtle movements to see what works and what doesn't for your desired fish, and stay patient: instead of chasing the fish around, let it come to you.
How to catch fish with the Capture Net
- Equip your Capture Net from the Item Bar or Radial Menu.
- Aim your Capture Net while holding
LTorRMB. - Approach the fish until the aiming rectangle turns orange (meaning you're in range).
- Cast your Net by tapping
RTorLMB.
All fishing lures
There's a grand total of 6 fishing lures in Monster Hunter Wilds. You're given the default Common Wood Minnow when you first receive your Fishing Rod from Jack, but the others need to be obtained by completing Kanya's various fishing side quests. As you progress through these quests, more advanced and specialised lures will become available.
Here are all the fishing lures you can use:
| Lure | Good For | How to get |
|---|---|---|
| Common Wood Minnow | Everything | Received when you get your Fishing Rod |
| Golden Bughead | Goldenfish, Platinumfish, Goldenfry | Received at start of side quest "Seeking The Goldenfish" |
| Emerald Jitterbait | Sushifish, Whetfish, Burst Arowana, Bomb Arowana, Gunpowderfish, Gravid Bowfin | Received at start of side quest "Seeking The Goldenfish" |
| Tuff Joint Bait | Speartuna, Great Trevally (Whopper), Gastronome Tuna (Whopper) | Received at start of side quest "The Catch Of A Lifetime!" |
| Duster Rig | Petricanths, Gajau (Whopper) | Received at start of side quest "The Catch Of A Lifetime!" |
| Tentacle Jig | Escunite, Grand Escunite, Goliath Squid | Received at start of side quest "Razzle Dazzle" |
The Common Wood Minnow is a jack-of-all-trades lure that is decent at catching anything, but you'll have a better chance of catching a fish by using another type of lure that is more specifically suited to it.
All fish in Monster Hunter Wilds
Here's the full list of all fish in Monster Hunter Wilds, along with the regions and areas you can find them, and the best lure to use when fishing:
| Fish | Region | Best Lure |
|---|---|---|
| Virid Bowfin | Plains - Area 13/14 Forest - Area 2/10/12/15/17 | Any |
| Sushifish | Plains - Area 13/14 Forest - Base Camp, Area 2/10/12/15/17 Basin - Area 12 | Emerald Jitterbait |
| Whetfish | Plains - Area 13/14 Forest - Area 2/10/12/15/17 Basin - Area 12/14 | Emerald Jitterbait |
| Goldenfish | Plains - Area 14 Forest - Area 8/12 Basin - Area 12/14 Cliffs - Area 1 | Golden Bughead |
| Platinumfish | Plains - Area 14 Forest - Area 2/8/12/15/17 Basin - Area 12 Cliffs - Area 1 | Golden Bughead |
| Burst Arowana | Forest - Area 2/10/12/15/17 Basin - Area 12 | Emerald Jitterbait |
| Bomb Arowana | Forest - Area 2/10/12/15/17 Basin - Area 12 | Emerald Jitterbait |
| Petricanths | Forest - Area 16 Basin - Area 14 | Duster Rig |
| Goldenfry | Forest - Area 2/12/15/17 Basin - Area 12 Cliffs - Area 1/20 Wyveria - Area 13 | Golden Bughead |
| Gunpowderfish | Forest - Area 2/12/15/17 Basin - Area 1 Cliffs - Area 1/20 Wyveria - Area 13 | Emerald Jitterbait |
| Gravid Bowfin | Plains - Area 10/13 Forest - Area 1/10/17 Basin - Area 12 Cliffs - Area 1 Wyveria - Area 13 | Emerald Jitterbait |
| Speartuna | Forest - Area 13/17 | Tuff Joint Bait |
| Escunite | Forest - Area 8/12/17 | Tentacle Jig |
| Grand Escunite | Forest - Area 8/12/17 | Tentacle Jig |
| Glass Parexus | Cliffs - Area 1 Wyveria - Area 13 | Any |
| Blind Perch | Cliffs - Area 1 Wyveria - Area 13 | Any |
| Gajau | Forest - Area 12/17 | Duster Rig |
| Gastronome Tuna | Forest - Area 17 | Tuff Joint Bait |
| Great Trevally | Forest - Area 12 | Tuff Joint Bait |
| Goliath Squid | Forest - Area 17 | Tentacle Jig |
For more information on some of the fish you need to catch for Kanya's side quests, check out our guides on where to find Goldenfish and where to find Grand Escunite.
That wraps up this beginner's guide to fishing in MH Wilds, but we've plenty more wisdom to impart! For more handy how-to guides, read our primers on how to capture monsters, how to get layered armor, and how to get Hunter Symbols. And for more general knowledge, consult our Monster Hunter Wilds weapon tier list and monster list, as well as our all-encompassing Monster Hunter Wilds walkthrough.