Fishing in 99 Nights in the Forest isn’t just a side activity—it’s one of the most reliable ways to secure food, resources, and even rare weapons. Whether you’re surviving on the basics or aiming for rare loot, mastering fishing will make your journey through the forest much easier.
This guide covers everything you need to know: how to get started, upgrade rods, the full list of fish and items you can catch, and the best spots for rare finds.
How to Start Fishing
To begin fishing, you’ll need an Old Rod, the entry-level tool. There are three main ways to obtain it:
- Fishing Shack – Look for the fishing pole icon on your map. Several Old Rods can be found here.
- Pelt Trader – You can trade for one if you have enough resources.
- Fisherman Class – If you select this class, you start with an Old Rod by default.
Once equipped, head to any pond marked by white ripple spots. Casting your line into these ripples begins a mini-game: time your button press so the red bar overlaps with the green zone. Success fills a progress bar, eventually pulling up a catch. Rare fish make this trickier with faster, smaller zones.
See also: All Weapons in 99 Nights in the Forest & How to Get Them
Fishing Rod Progression and Upgrades
Fishing rods level up as you catch fish. Each successful pull grants rod XP, with rarer fish awarding more. When the XP bar fills, visit the Fishing Shack to upgrade.
- Old Rod – Basic tool; harder to land rare fish.
- Good Rod – Larger timing windows and better odds for uncommon catches.
- Strong Rod – End-game rod, designed for high-value fish like Sharks and Swordfish.
Upgrading takes time, but stronger rods dramatically increase your chances at rare loot.
All Fish and Gear You Can Catch
Fishing yields not only food but also resources, healing supplies, and weapons. Here’s the complete list of what you can reel in:
Fish
- Mackerel – Common; restores small hunger.
- Salmon – Common to uncommon; restores more hunger than Mackerel.
- Clownfish – Widely available; basic hunger recovery.
- Swordfish – Valuable, tougher mini-game.
- Jellyfish – Grants a temporary speed boost when eaten raw.
- Char – Cold biome exclusive; decent hunger restore.
- Eel – Cold biome exclusive; slightly rarer than Char.
- Shark – Massive hunger recovery, especially when cooked.
- Old Boot – Junk catch with no practical use.
Extra Loot
Fishing can also bring up survival gear and rare drops, including:
- Healing items – Bandages, Medkits.
- Ammo & weapons – Revolver rounds, Rifle rounds, Trident.
- Crafting materials – Sheet Metal, Radio, Tires, Car Engines, Broken Fan/Microwave.
- Special loot – Cultist Gem, Gem of the Forest Fragment.
Fishing Spot Breakdown
Different ponds yield different rewards. Knowing where to fish is crucial:
- Fresh Pond – Mackerel, Salmon, Clownfish, Swordfish. Also drops Bolts, Radios, Bandages, Sheet Metal.
- Algal Pond – Salmon, Clownfish, Jellyfish, Swordfish, Shark. Special drops include Cultist Gem.
- Bone Pond – Swordfish, Jellyfish, Shark. High-value pond with rare weapons (Trident) and resources (Car Engine, Medkit, Gem Fragment).
- Cold Pond (Snow Biome) – Char, Eel, Tires, Broken Microwave. Exclusive cold-biome fish only appear here.
Among these, Bone Pond offers the most rewarding loot pool, while Cold Pond is essential for completing the fish index.
Best Fishing Tips
- Upgrade early – The Old Rod makes rare catches frustrating. Upgrade as soon as possible.
- Target rare ponds – Bone Pond for high-value loot, Cold Pond for exclusives.
- Cook your fish – Cooking doubles hunger restoration for most catches.
- Use Jellyfish wisely – Eat raw if you need a burst of speed to escape danger.
- Fish during safe nights – The mini-game leaves you exposed, so quieter nights are best for farming.
Fishing Rewards and Achievements
Fishing isn’t only about survival—it’s also tied to progression challenges:
- Baiting – Upgrade your Fishing Rod to max level.
- Fishing – Catch 100 fish.
- Trophy Fishing – Complete the fish index board in the Fishing Hut.
- Deep Sea Fishing – Catch 30 Sharks.
Each badge rewards currency and sometimes limited items, making fishing essential for completionists.
See also: Grounded 2 Best Mods– Top QoL, Performance & Fun Upgrades
Fishing in 99 Nights in the Forest is more than a food source—it’s a reliable way to gather weapons, healing supplies, and unique gems. By upgrading your rod, learning pond-specific loot pools, and timing your catches well, you’ll quickly turn fishing into one of your best survival tools.
Whether you’re stocking up for tough nights or chasing rare catches like Sharks and Swordfish, this system is worth mastering. Play Now!
