Noctis’ preferred skill is fishing and it is one of the more involving mini-games in Final Fantasy XV. Throughout the map of Eos, you will uncover fishing spots that can be used to entertain Noctis’ favorite pasttime. Each fishing spot has a number of different fishes you can catch, all of which have different amounts of stamina that need to be depleted before you can call that fish a catch. There are a few things you will need to have before you can actually fish; a rod, a reel, some fishing line and a lure, all of which you already have at the beginning of the game.

Luckily for you, most fishing spots have unmarked loot spots that will give you some fishing line or a lure. If you need more, however, you’ll need to hunt down a store that sells them, either a normal one (the Regalia’s shop will update with a bunch of stuff as you progress in the main story) or the few bait and tackle shops that you might find at some fishing holes. When you find a fishing spot, press the X/A button to begin catching some fish.

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You can find free line and lures at fishing spots.

The first thing you will notice is that you can see where fish are located by the dots on your map. Blue ones indicate fish that will yield non-edible items upon catching them, while yellow ones will give you edible ingredients that can be used for cooking. Should you see any that are flashing, that means that particular fish is a rarer one and will likely give you a challenge. Move the targeting reticule with the left analog stick to one of the dots, so the target turns yellow, then press X/A to cast your line.

Fish behave a bit similar to enemies on land, as if they are interested in your lure, then a red bar will appear at the top of your screen. If not, then you will need to bring your line in with Circle/B and choose another lure, preferably one that will entice that fish you are trying to go after. You can do this by pressing the Touchpad, which will bring up a menu where you can change your rod, reel, line and lure. If your line has been depleted, then select another of that same line to instantly refresh it to its maximum.

How To Fish¶

Fishing can be a bit complicated and you might have some trouble with it in the early game, especially when you don’t have access to the better rods and reels. Even so, getting good at fishing is all in the technique of it and it’s quite possible to reel in some of the bigger and tougher fish without the best equipment (it does make it easier though). Upon successfully hooking a fish, there will be a quick QTE where you need to push the left stick in a certain direction, causing the battle will begin, so you will want to pay attention. Instead of looking at the top of the screen, which shows the fish’s stamina, look directly at the fish itself.

As the fish moves around, you will see an analog stick symbol on your screen, telling you to push it in a direction. In fact, you should always be holding the left analog stick in the direction the fish is swimming, prompt or not. You will always want to push the stick in the direction that the fish is swimming, otherwise you will cause tension on the line and decrease its durability, signified by the stick symbol flashing red. If your line breaks, then you will also lose your lure. So, whenever you see the tension prompt on your screen, stop reeling and tilt the stick in that direction.

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Tension is one of the most important aspects of fishing (left). With some Ascension abilities, you can get more items than normal from fishing (right).

A very useful tip on when to reel in the fish is whenever you don’t feel the controller vibrating (the fish will also be splashing). When it is, that means the fish is struggling and it’s highly likely that you will cause tension, plus the fish’s stamina will decrease a lot less when it is struggling. Also, when the controller stops vibrating so much, then that means the fish is tired and can be reeled in. However, you want to be careful, as you only have a few seconds (depending on the fish) before it will start struggling or decide to turn.

Fishing Levels¶