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Destiny 2: Season of the Deep is water-themed, and one of its most notable additions is a very unexpected one: fishing. Yes, the long-running looter-shooter is now home to a full-on fishing minigame, and while you shouldn’t expect anything that compares with the in-depth mechanics of a proper fishing game, it does make for a fun distraction. And there are some layers of complexity, such as bait, a Focused Fishing meter, and shifting locations of fishing ponds to account for, which we break down below. Fishing is also a key component of a new secret Exotic quest.
How does fishing work in Destiny 2?
Fishing is a fairly straightforward activity in Destiny 2, provided you know where to go (more on that below). You’ll need to advance through the opening portion of the Season of the Deep questline, at which point you’ll get a quest from Hawthorne to go fishing. Fishing ponds appear almost like public events on three destinations–Nessus, the EDZ, and the Throne World–and you’ll often see other players congregate on the makeshift docks that emerge when these ponds are active.
To fish, you simply stand on the dock and hold your Interact button/key to cast a line into the water. When a fish eventually grabs on, you’ll see your lure go under the water and a message will appear. Press Interact again–ideally the instant the message pops up in order to secure a “perfect catch.” Even if you don’t time that correctly, you can still reel in your catch, though wait too long and you’ll get nothing.
Be sure to actually pick up the fish you catch–they’ll be laying on the ground around you, and you’ll need to walk over them to collect them. (Sadly, the Shoot to Loot perk won’t grab them for you.) Fish can have different weights, with larger ones (those 18kg and above) progressing a particular Triumph, We’re Gonna Need a Bigger Tank. Catching fish more generally will also contribute toward a Week 1 seasonal challenge, The One That Didn’t Get Away.
Where are fishing pond locations in Destiny 2?
Fishing ponds are perhaps the most confusing aspect of fishing when you first get started, as ponds are not always available, and they are not always in the same exact spots. There are three destinations with fishing ponds: The Cistern on Nessus, the Outskirts on the EDZ, and Miasma on the Throne World. But these function sort of like public events, with fishing ponds periodically spawning and then disappearing after some period of time, often when a nearby public event begins.
Although there is a marker on the map for each destination, this won’t guide you to the exact location of a fishing pond, assuming there is one currently available. Instead, you’ll need to explore the area to find one:
On the EDZ, somewhere along the southern coast of the OutskirtsOn Nessus, in the Radiolarian fluid in The Cistern, east of the Well of FlameOn the Throne World, on the northern coast of Miasma
Fortunately, there is a relatively easy way to spot these fishing ponds: Look for a beam of light being emitted into the sky. You should be able to see this from a fair distance away, signaling the presence of a fishing pond on the ground below it.
How does bait work?
Although you can fish without bait, bait is needed in order to be eligible to catch higher-rarity fish (effectively preventing you from grinding indefinitely). Bait will automatically be used when fishing, provided you have any on hand. You can check on how much you have by looking at the on-screen message that pops up before casting your lure, or by hovering over the Fishing Tackle item in your inventory.
You can hold a maximum of 500 bait at a time. Bait is earned from completing various activities–the new Salvage and Deep Dive modes, for instance, as well as patrols, public events, and playlist activities like Crucible and Gambit–or by collecting destination materials.
How does Focused Fishing work?
Fishing with a higher-level Focused Fishing buff increases your likelihood of catching higher-rarity fish, including the Exotic fish you need to get Broken Blades. The Focused Fish meter can be seen on the left side of the screen while near a pond.
By catching legendary or Exotic fish, this meter will increase. All nearby players’ catches will contribute to your meter, even if they aren’t in your fireteam. This means you ideally want to be fishing at a pond with multiple other players, and you’ll want to do so for as long as possible, as the meter will reset when the pond despawns, even if you don’t leave the destination and wait for another pond to appear. You don’t have to be present the entire time to benefit from Focused Fishing, as the buff is tied to that fishing location.
Reaching each of the increments will boost your chances of rarer fish, and you’ll see messages like, “Nearby fish have begun to take notice” to denote your progress.
Destiny 2 fishing rewards
As with the amount of bait you’re carrying, you can check on how many fish you’ve collected–and their rarity–by hovering over the Fishing Tackle in your inventory. You can carry a maximum of 500 fish at a time.
At any time, you can head to the nearly opened wing of the HELM to release your fish into the aquarium, which is done with a hilarious, Gambit-dunk-style flourish. This is how you receive rewards for your time spent fishing, as depositing fish will get you glimmer, Sonar Station reputation, and–in the case of legendary or Exotic fish–actual weapons and items, including the new Just in Case legendary sword.
Fish you deposit will then appear in the aquarium, alongside various other themed items from the game’s past. There are numerous Triumphs to complete related to fishing, with some unlocking additional decorations for your aquarium.
