Palworld Fishing Guide: How to Catch Rare Pals, Unlock Fishing Ponds, and Find the Best Spots

Ready to ditch Pal Spheres and try something new in Palworld? Thanks to the fresh Tides of Terraria update, you can now catch Pals by fishing—yep, just grab a rod, some bait, and a bit of patience. It’s a surprisingly fun mini-game that also gives you loot like manuals, rare ores, and even Pal Reverse items. Curious how to start? Keep reading for a quick, friendly guide on how to fish in Palworld!

How to get your first Fishing Rod and bait
Where to find the best Fishing Spots
How the fishing mini-game works
How to build your own Fishing Pond
What’s up with the Fishing Magnet

How to Get a Fishing Rod and Bait in Palworld

First things first: to start fishing, you need the Beginner Fishing Set, which unlocks at Technology Rank 15 (for 2 Technology Points). Craft it at a High Quality Workbench or better, using:

10 Paldium Fragments
3 Pal Fluids
8 Ingot
8 Fiber

But don’t stop there! You’ll also need Simple Bait (recipe included in the set, no extra points needed). To craft 10 bait, grab:

2 Pal Fluids
4 Red berries
2 Flour

Tip: The Beginner Fishing Rod is tricky, especially for rare fish. Upgrade to better rods and bait as soon as you can for a smoother experience:

High Quality Bait: Technology Rank 22
Intermediate Fishing Rod: Rank 29
Deluxe Bait: Rank 38
Advanced Fishing Rod: Rank 45
Alluring Bait: Rank 52

Best Fishing Spots in Palworld

You’ll find plenty of fishing locations, but the easiest early-game spot is just south of the Tower of the Rayne Syndicate, near Plateau of Beginnings. Further along? Head to Fisherman’s Point, south of Mount Obsidian, for a bigger variety of fish.

Look for fish-shaped shadows in the water—those are your targets! Equip your rod, hold the aim button (right mouse on PC, LT on console), and hover over a fish. Try to get the green plus sign as close as possible before casting (left mouse or RT).

How the Fishing Mini-Game Works

When you see a double yellow exclamation mark, a fish has bitten! Pull the lure quickly (same button as casting) or the fish will escape.

Now for the mini-game: follow the yellow fish icon along the green bar by pressing and releasing your button (left mouse or RT). Keep the icon inside the green area to fill up the meter above. When it’s full, congrats—you’ve caught your fish!

{palworld-terraria-fishing-6_20250703_210126.jpg}

Note: The mini-game is harder with a Beginner Rod, but upgrades will make it easier by widening the green bar.

Fishing Spot Rarity and Special Fish

Not all fishing spots are equal. Higher rarity spots = rarer, larger fish and better loot. Here’s how to spot them:

Beginner: Early-game areas (e.g., Plateau of Beginnings)
Intermediate/Advanced: Mid-game (Deep Sand Dunes, Land of Absolute Zero)
Master: Endgame areas (Scorched Ashland, Feybreak)

Fishing Spot rarity is displayed when you aim at a spot. Rarer fish are harder to catch, so stick to easier spots if you’re just starting.

Fish Shadows: Learn to spot special Pals:

Blue line: Common fish—ordinary Pal
Purple sparkles: Alpha Pal
Purple sparkles + glow: Alpha with Lunker passive (+20% water/ice attack, +20% defense)
Green sparkles: Rainbow Skill (rare passive)

Tip: Master Fishing Spots have a much better chance of spawning rare Pals with sparkles!

How to Build a Fishing Pond in Palworld

Don’t want to fish by hand? Build a Fishing Pond in your base! Unlock at Technology Rank 31 (Large Pond at 55, for big Pals). Assign a Pal with “Handiwork” skill and pick the size of fish you want—small, medium, or large (this affects species, not rarity). Use the right bait for each size. Your Pal will fish for you and deliver random catches.

*Examples: Small = Fuack/Kelpsea, Medium = Surfent/Finsider, Large = Ghangler Ignis/Dumud Gild.*

How to Use the Fishing Magnet

If you’re after loot instead of fish, try the Powerful Fishing Magnet (unlocked at Technology Level 61). Use it along the shoreline to collect flotsam and valuable materials. Take your rod, the magnet, and a swimming mount (not flying!). Start the mini-game by holding the interaction button near flotsam. When the yellow pin hits the green bar, press the button to collect. Missed? Try again!