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 Fishing (Profession)
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Required fishing skill
Each zone has an associated level of fishing that defines the difficulty of catching a fish. The higher your fishing skill is in relation to the level that a zone requires, the easier it will be to catch fish (you have fewer fish get away). If your skill is below the zone's requirement, you will not be able to cast at all.
The skill required to comfortably fish in a zone is usually about 5 times the average level of monsters in the zone, although some zones vary considerably from this rule of thumb.
Based upon data collected by El's Extreme Angling fishing guide, these are the approximate fishing skill levels required:
| Tier | Zone | Minimum skill required ( 5% catch rate ) |
Skill for 100% catch rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Level 1-10 zones: Racial starting zones, outside of cities | 1 ( 76% catches at skill 1 ) ( 5% catches equates to -70 skill ) |
25 |
| 2 | Level 11-20 zones: Darkshore, Silverpine Forest, The Barrens, Westfall, etc. Racial Capital Cities: Darnassus, Ironforge, Orgrimmar, Stormwind, Thunder Bluff, Undercity |
1 ( 26% catches at skill 1 ) ( 5% catches equates to -20 skill ) |
75 |
| 3 | Level 21-30 zones: Ashenvale, etc. | 55 | 150 |
| 4 | Level 31-40 zones: Desolace, Dustwallow Marsh, Stranglethorn Vale, etc. | 130 | 225 |
| 5 | Level 40-55 zones: Azshara (coastline), Felwood, Feralas, The Hinterlands, Moonglade, Tanaris, Western Plaguelands, etc. | 205 | 300 |
| 6 | Hellfire Peninsula | 280 | 375 |
| 7 | Zangarmarsh (East of Serpent Lake, The Lagoon) | 305 | 400 |
| 8 | Azshara (Bay of Storms), Winterspring, Zul'Gurub, Burning Steppes, Deadwind Pass, Eastern Plaguelands, etc. | 330 | 425 |
| 9 | Zangarmarsh (Serpent Lake and West), Terokkar Forest (ground level), Isle of Quel'Danas | 355 | 450 |
| 10 | Nagrand (East of Halaa including Elemental Plateau), Netherstorm (Eco-Dome Midrealm), Isle of Quel'Danas | 380 | 475 |
| 11 | Nagrand (Lake Sunspring and Skysong Lake) | 395 | 490 |
| 12 | Terokkar Forest (Silmyr Lake, Blackwind Lake, Lake Ere'Noru and Lake Jorune) | 405 | 500 |
| 13+ | Nothrend (Dalaran, Howling Fjord, Borean Tundra) | 380 | 475 |
Silmyr Lake was raised in to the highest fishing tier in patch 2.4. With the addition of the Wrath of the Lich King expansion, Northrend now has many zones which exceed this tier.
The lowest fishing skill, trained as an apprentice with no experience, is 1. Training is required in order to use a fishing pole to fish, so the lowest skill required is 1.
The number of fish that get away seems to diminish as a linear function from 95% at the base skill requirement to fish an area, to 0% at the 'no fished get away' skill requirement. You'll notice that the gap is 95 skill points for all tiers except the lowest ones. This implies that the base skill requirements for the two lowest tiers are negative, and the negative values act as 'free skill' for the character while fishing in those tiers. The character still needs a skill of 1 to fish, but the fish that are caught/get away are as if the character had a higher level of skill.
Note that the highest unaided fishing skill that a character can have is 450. Ensuring a catch in the upper tiers, or even attempting to fish in the highest tiers gear with bonuses to fishing skill. The bonuses to fishing skill from equipped items stack.
Fishing skill above the skill required for 100% catch rate is wasted, so you do not always need to equip a lure. For example, fishing in tier 1, the +25 fishing skill 
[Shiny Bauble] lure would be helpful when you are first starting out (or you can endure a few missed fish), but once you've caught around 30 fish, it would be superfluous to use a lure in the starting area.
See also
Fishing equipment
Fishing locations
External links
El's Extreme Anglin' Fishing locations and fishing skill required to fish there.