Breath of Fire III/Fishing

One of the funniest and most rewarding side missions in Breath of Fire III is fishing. Spread across the World Map are many fishing spots that can be accessed as in any other area. To fish, you will need at least a fishing rod and a bait. From the appropriate menu you can choose which fishing rod and which bait to equip. You can also consult the rules for fishing and the data of the fish you have already caught.

When you are ready, press the psx: X button to launch the bait. The length of your shot will depend on the length of the green bar. To cast the lure further, you will have to press the psx: X button again when the green bar is longer. Once the bait is in the water, you will have to move it to attract the fish. The simplest method to catch a fish is to bring the bait right above its shadow. However, be careful not to let the bait end up on the bottom, or you will lose it. To avoid this, check the diagram below frequently. When a fish bites, you have to drag it to the shore. To do this, you will have to press the psx: X button, being careful to keep the fish always inside the green cursor of the rod. The fish in the meantime will move, trying to free itself; its resistance is represented by the thin red line under the cursor. You will have to keep pulling until the distance reaches 0 to catch the fish. However, if the fish remains outside the green cursor for too long, or the distance becomes too great (over 60 meters), the line will break. The fish will be free and you may even lose the bait.

Wooden Rod
It is the first fishing rod you can get, as well as the weakest and the one with the least reach. Only suitable for smaller fish.
 * Range: 27 m
 * Cursor size: Small
 * Strength: Low
 * Where to find it: Purchase at McNeil’s Village or Coffee Shop

Bamboo Rod
Similar to the Wooden Rod. The only substantial difference is that it has a longer range.
 * Range: 35 m
 * Cursor size: Small
 * Strength: Low
 * Where to find it: Momo’s Tower

Deluxe Rod
A medium range fishing rod, with a medium cursor and a decent pull strength. This is a good step forward.
 * Range: 35 m
 * Cursor size: Medium
 * Strength: Average
 * Where to find it: Checkpoint in the Dauna Region

Spanner
It is the strongest fishing rod you can get. With this, you can drag any type of fish ashore without too much trouble. Unfortunately, it’s still medium range and with this you can’t reach the fish that swim offshore.
 * Range: 35 m
 * Cursor size: Large
 * Strength: High
 * Where to find it: Steel Grave

Angling Rod
It's the only long-range rod you can get without beating the game first. With this, you will be able to reach the fish that swim offshore. However, it has a low pull force, so dragging them ashore is not easy.
 * Range: 50 m
 * Cursor size: Medium
 * Strength: Low
 * Where to find it: Faerie Village, handyman shop

Master Rod
It's the best fishing rod in the game: long range, with a large cursor and decent pull strength. However, you will need to have finished the game and have a Master of Angling ++ rank first in order to get it.
 * Range: 50 m
 * Cursor size: Large
 * Strength: Average
 * Where to find it: Fisherman in the Urkan Region, west of Junk Town

Lures
There are several types of lures in the game. Each fish has its favorite type. Some baits will attract certain fish, while others will ignore them. In addition, for each type of lure there are 4 levels. The higher the level of the bait, the more the fish will be attracted to it. The baits can be bought in shops or bartered with Manillo. The following are the various types of lures:

Worm

 * Worm (level 1)
 * Spirit (level 2)
 * Caro (level 3)
 * Heavy Caro (level 4)

Floating

 * Old Popper (level 1)
 * Popper (level 2)
 * Top (level 3)
 * Dogwalker (level 4)

Frog

 * Toad (level 1)
 * Baby Frog (level 2)
 * Frog (level 3)
 * Fat Frog (level 4)

Fish

 * Sinker (level 1)
 * Float (level 2)
 * Hanger (level 3)
 * Deep Diver (level 4)

Others

 * Coin: Needed to catch Manillo
 * Ding Frog: You can catch any fish with this. You will get it from the fisherman on the peninsula west of Junk Town after beating the game once, if you have at least a Master of Angling + rank.

Jellyfish
You will have no problem recognizing them. Jellyfish are very easy to catch, but they are of no use. They will approach any of your bait, generally disturbing you while you are trying to catch a better fish. Just a nuisance then.
 * Required bait: All except Coin
 * Use: Restores 1 HP

Piranha
Piranhas are very easy to catch. They have a small and very marked shadow. They are used to restore a small amount of HP. They are only of some use in the early stages of the game, then they become just a nuisance, just like jellyfish.
 * Required bait: All except Coin
 * Use: Restores 20 HP

Puffer
They have a small and marked shadow like that of piranas, but are attracted only by floating baits. However, they are very easy to take. Puffers can be used in combat and have the same effect as the Flare spell.
 * Required bait: Floating type
 * Use: Flame attack vs one target

Trout
Trout have a fairly pronounced medium shade. They restore a moderate amount of HP and are fairly easy to catch. In the first part of the game they are certainly useful.
 * Required bait: Worm and fish type
 * Use: Restores 40 HP

Rainbow Trout
These trout are a little rarer than the common ones, but they have the same shade and the same bait preference and also a similar stamina. Unlike the normal trout, they restore a small amount of AP.
 * Required bait: Worm and fish type
 * Use: Restores 5 AP

Red Catfish
This fish is found in only one fishing spot in the world in the Dauna Region and is frustrating to catch because it has the same type of shade as bass and therefore cannot be distinguished from them. It also has decent stamina. To catch it, it is best to use a good level frog-type bait. It is used in combat and has the same effect as the Quake spell.
 * Required bait: Frog type
 * Use: Earth attack vs all targets

Bass
Bass are a very common fish of a decent size. They have a large and marked shadow. They restore a good amount of HP. They bite on any type of bait and are not very difficult to catch.
 * Required bait: All except Coin
 * Use: Restores 80 HP

Martian Squid
These pink octopus have decent stamina and aren't so easy to catch, especially if you're using a low-level fishing rod. They have the characteristic shade of polyps. They are used in combat and have the same effect as the Blind spell. Master Hachio will ask you to bring him one.
 * Required bait: Worm type
 * Use: Induces blindness in one target

Black Bass
These black bass are much rarer than the common ones. It is difficult to distinguish them from normal ones, because they have a similar shade, albeit lighter. It is preferable to use high-level bait to catch them. In addition, they have greater resistance and it is more difficult to drag them ashore. However, they are also very useful for healing the entire group.
 * Required bait: Worm and fish type
 * Use: Restores 80 HP to all party members

Barandy
It is the hardest fish in the game to catch, except maybe whales. It is present in only one fishing spot in the world, in the Dauna region. It swims offshore so it is difficult to reach with a medium range fishing rod. To reach it more easily you will have to wait for the Angling Rod. It has a large and very light shade. To catch it, you need to use a high-level frog-type bait. Plus, it has a lot of stamina, so dragging it ashore isn't easy, but it's worth it.
 * Required bait: Frog type
 * Use: Restores 240 HP to all party members

Man-o-War
Same as Jellyfish. Really.
 * Required bait: All except Coin
 * Use: Restores 1 HP

Flying Fish
Similar to piranhas, with the same shade, flying fish are very easy to catch and have the same use. The only difference is that they prefer only floating baits and therefore they will bother you less if you are not interested in catching them.
 * Required bait: Floating type
 * Use: Restores 20 HP

Blowfish
Very similar to Puffers, even if they are found in sea water. Easy to catch. They have the same effect as an antidote.
 * Required bait: Floating type
 * Use: Cures poison in party members

Sea Bream
Although their appearance is different, these fish are very similar to rainbowtrout. In fact, they have a medium shade, a modest resistance and restore a small amount of AP.
 * Required bait: Worm and fish type
 * Use: Restores 5 AP

Sea Bass
These fish are very common in sea waters and closely resemble common bass. In fact, they have a large and marked shadow. The main difference is that they are bigger and have more stamina, so pulling them ashore is slightly more difficult.
 * Required bait: Worm and fish type
 * Use: Restores 80 HP

Black Porgy
A not very common fish, one of the most useful in the game. It allows you to restore a fair amount of AP. It is advisable to always have a good number of them in your inventory. They have a medium-sized shade and a good stamina, so dragging them ashore with low-level fishing rods is not that easy. It is better to use a good frog-type bait to make them bite more easily.
 * Required bait: Frog type
 * Use: Restores 20 AP

Octopus
Octopus are the most common type of polyp. You will have no problem recognizing their shadow. With any worm-type bait it is easy to get them bitten, however dragging them ashore can take some time with a low-level fishing rod, because they can have a decent stamina.
 * Required bait: Worm type
 * Use: Induces blindness in all targets

Angler
A rather unusual fish. Anglers have a large and light shade and are generally found quite offshore. To get them to bite you will need to use a high-level fish-type bait. These fish have a high resistance and you will have to fight to drag them to the shore. They are used in combat and have the same effect as the Quake spell. Master Hachio will ask you to bring him one.
 * Required bait: Fish type
 * Use: Earth attack vs all targets

Devilfish
Devilfish are the largest species of octopus, as well as the more difficult one to catch. It is advisable to use a high-level worm-type bait to get them to bite. They generally have high stamina, but if you can catch them with the Deluxe Rod or the Spanner you should have no problem hauling them ashore. They are used in combat and have the same effect as the Myollnir spell.
 * Required bait: Worm type
 * Use: Electric attack vs one target

Spearfish
Spearfish are among the most difficult fish to catch. They have a large and light shade, which can still be confused with that of the Sea Bass. You will need to use a high-level fish-type bait to be able to bite them. Also, these fish have a lot of stamina, so once they have taken the bite, it is not easy to drag them ashore. You won't have any problems with the Spanner, but since they almost always swim out to sea, you'll typically have to fall back on the much weaker Angling Rod.
 * Required bait: Fish type
 * Use: Restores 240 HP to all party members

Whale
They are the biggest fish in the game, as well as the hardest to catch. You'll only find them at the Lost Shore fishing spot. The whales have a large and light shade that makes them difficult to see and an extremely high stamina. To get them to bite you will necessarily have to use a high-level fish-type bait. It is difficult to catch them with the Spanner, because they almost always swim offshore, while if you use the Angling Rod there is a high chance that the line will break and you will lose the bait: not only is it difficult to follow their movements, but they can also drag easily the lure too far out, over 60 meters. On the other hand, if you manage to catch them, the whales will give you a very high score and have the same effect as the very rare Moon Tears.
 * Required bait: Fish type
 * Use: Restores all members’ HP & status

Mackerel
The mackerel is only for making shisu and you will find it only in a dedicated fishing spot near the Maekyss Gorge, which will appear after starting this mission. It has a medium-sized shade similar to that of trout and is quite easy to catch.
 * Required bait: Worm and fish type
 * Use: shisu ingredient

Manillo
This half man and half fish being is present in some fishing spots. You will have no problem recognizing its shadow. To catch it you will have to use the coin bait. Manillo will head directly to the bait and drag him ashore after he has taken the bite is a joke. After getting it, Manillo will make his trading shop available to you, where you can exchange the fish you have caught for some useful items. The items Manillo will offer you vary according to the fishing spot where you caught him, so it is highly advisable to log into his trading shop whenever you find him in a new fishing spot. There are some particularly useful and powerful items in the game that you can only purchase by exchanging them for the fish you have caught.
 * Required bait: Coin
 * Use: Manillo Trading Shop

Rank
As you catch new fish, you will get a score. The bigger the fish you have caught, the more points you will be awarded. Once you have caught a certain type of fish, your score will only go up if you manage to catch a bigger one. Your rank as a fisherman will then rise as your score increases. Below are the various ranks and the score needed to reach them:


 * Novice: 0
 * Novice + : 100
 * Novice ++ : 200
 * Rodman: 600
 * Rodman + : 1000
 * Rodman ++ : 1500
 * Rodmaster: 2000
 * Rodmaster + : 3000
 * Rodmaster ++ : 4000
 * Master of Angling: 5000
 * Master of Angling + : 7000
 * Master of Angling ++ : 9000
 * THE FISH: 9500

Your fishing rank is needed to unlock some useful things. Master Giotto will take you as an apprentice only if you have a minimum rank of Rodmaster. After beating the game once, by talking to the fisherman who is at the tip of the peninsula in the Urkan region, west of Junk Town, you can get some very valuable items. If your rank is Master of Angling +, he will give you 3 Ding Frogs, while if you have achieved Master of Angling ++ he will give you the Master Rod. Finally, when you have a rank of "THE FISH", the fisherman will give you the the Fountain Pen, which has the same function as Skill Ink, but can be used over and over again.