Fishing

[Dein]

I've been running into trouble with terrible bite rates lately when I fish and I can't find a good answer to why it's happening. Today, I tried fishing up Nebimonites on the boat between Selbina and Mhaura but I was having a really low bite rate with a Halcyon rod with crayfish paste. I'm lvl 18 base fishing so according to everything I read I should be at the proper level to get a good bite rate from these things.

[Windfoxster]

I've been running into trouble with terrible bite rates lately when I fish and I can't find a good answer to why it's happening. Today, I tried fishing up Nebimonites on the boat between Selbina and Mhaura but I was having a really low bite rate with a Halcyon rod with crayfish paste. I'm lvl 18 base fishing so according to everything I read I should be at the proper level to get a good bite rate from these things.

Bite rate is random regardless of your fishing level. You are probably fishing at a crappy moon phase assuming you are using the appropriate bait/rod to fish it. Sorry i don't fish nebimonites so i am not sure of the right rod/bait.

[Dein]

My rod/bait combo is one of the suggested setups so I'm certain it's not that. The moon phase the other day was 30-38% and all I've heard is that half moon is the worst time to fish. Perhaps its just the bite rate of saltwater fish that's the main problem.

[Julian]

Bite rate is random regardless of your fishing level.

Forget the moon. Some days bite rate will be shit, other days it will be good. In the end it will average out.

[evilpaul]

I've been running into trouble with terrible bite rates lately when I fish and I can't find a good answer to why it's happening. Today, I tried fishing up Nebimonites on the boat between Selbina and Mhaura but I was having a really low bite rate with a Halcyon rod with crayfish paste. I'm lvl 18 base fishing so according to everything I read I should be at the proper level to get a good bite rate from these things.

Try a Shrimp Lure. Let "Something caught the line!!!" go as they're either Gugru Tuna which can snap your rod (iirc), Ryugu Titans which you probably couldn't pull in if you wanted to, or monsters which waste your time (or kill you if you fish on a level 21 mule or something).

Forget the moon. Some days bite rate will be shit, other days it will be good. In the end it will average out.

This.

[Dein]

Try a Shrimp Lure. Let "Something caught the line!!!" go as they're either Gugru Tuna which can snap your rod (iirc), Ryugu Titans which you probably couldn't pull in if you wanted to, or monsters which waste your time (or kill you if you fish on a level 21 mule or something).

Ok, I'll give that a try since I have alchemy high enough to repair my rod should it break.

[Julian]

Also, if you plan on taking fishing seriously at all, get a Lu shang's, it's worth every penny.

[evilpaul]

I'd still let Tunas go as Shrimp Lures even if you're making your own aren't cheap.

And Lu's is very much worth it and pays for itself quite quickly. You can drag pretty much all sushi fish around level 30 with Lu's pretty easily.

[Dein]

I already planned on getting a Lu Shang's (1474/10000 moats currently). I'm skilling on nebs and using the money I get from them for more moat carps but I'm beginning to consider just outright buying the rod off of the AH since the price of the rod is less than what it'd cost me to buy the remaining amount of carps.

[Mayura]

Just get a Lu Shang off the AH & if you can HQ at a decent rate the Shall Shells/Istirydies into pearls ( 14k per stack @ npc ) & black pearls ( 4/5k per @ AH & usualy selling quickly ) then just fish Istirydies at Nashmau ( i started on them @ 17 & i'm soon 30 ) & you'll make your money back really fast, as i did. ^^

[cdgreg]

Forget the moon. Some days bite rate will be shit, other days it will be good. In the end it will average out.

I never bought much into the moonphase crap either. Random shit is random and fish whenever you have time, not just when the moon seems to be "best."

[urat]

Forget the moon. Some days bite rate will be shit, other days it will be good. In the end it will average out.

Sorry to say Julian but bite rate vs moon phase is quite confirmed.

Its right in plain text in the ole ffxi guide, new moon/full moon increases bite rates, as does any weather that makes water ripple (wind/lightning/rain)

[nibu]

All I'm going to say is this:

The game has been out for almost 7 years (though maybe ~5 years since the "new" fishing system), and people are still debating what effects bite rates. What does this mean? Even if there is a statistically significant greater bite/catch rate during certain times, it's so small that it doesn't really matter (at least, not enough to worry about it). Were the difference an obvious one, we wouldn't still be in the same boat discussing this business every 10 pages or so, 7 years later, going around in circles.

Now, for those who want to continue talking about theories, ideas, and whatnot: Seasons (not necessarily weather, though of course the two are correlated) could affect bite rates. It's something people don't usually consider, but could explain "bad" full moons, "good" quarter moon phases, and other things. I'm not proposing anyone actually bother to test this, but if you're keeping records while you're fishing, take it into account.

[tsaroth816]

Not that it matters much anymore, but New/Full Moon does help fishing, wish I could remember the interview SE confirmed this. Heck, even the Fishing Smock says Moon Phase affects its hidden synergy skill.

Why doesn't it matter much anymore? Because we nearly have a 100% bite rate as it is (maybe not the fish you want, but still). Back when I was fishing Moat Carp for Lu (old fishing system) I'd go 14+ casts no bites (and a /wait 8~13 timer to next cast too) commonly, 'cept during new/full.

Also back then, zones could be fished out easy and fast (bots running 24/7, ruining the pool of fish) so new/full moon added more fish "to the pool".


Edit: About "debating", this only happens because so many new people join or start fishing and just have no clue. It's all been confirmed, but back then we didn't have massive forums or databases or people willing to spend days testing stuff when there was so much to be done.

[smokerx]

I never bought much into the moonphase crap either. Random shit is random and fish whenever you have time, not just when the moon seems to be "best."

omg cdg dont anger the se moon gods! btw are gugs really going for 16k each on odin now i havent been playing much at all but last time i log in to check my char thats what i saw in bazar >.<

[urat]

All I'm going to say is this:

The game has been out for almost 7 years (though maybe ~5 years since the "new" fishing system), and people are still debating what effects bite rates. What does this mean? Even if there is a statistically significant greater bite/catch rate during certain times, it's so small that it doesn't really matter (at least, not enough to worry about it). Were the difference an obvious one, we wouldn't still be in the same boat discussing this business every 10 pages or so, 7 years later, going around in circles.

Now, for those who want to continue talking about theories, ideas, and whatnot: Seasons (not necessarily weather, though of course the two are correlated) could affect bite rates. It's something people don't usually consider, but could explain "bad" full moons, "good" quarter moon phases, and other things. I'm not proposing anyone actually bother to test this, but if you're keeping records while you're fishing, take it into account.

Well in by proxy I suppose seasons can effect fishing. The months 4-6 are vanadiels "monsoon" season, and have dramatically higher rainfall and thunderstorms, so itd stand to reason that fishing would be better then around those times.

the farther you get from the middle of the year, the more rainfall and storms drop, so they'd suck for fishing.

Along with this I've ALWAYS noticed a large boost to bite rates and lower line snaps on darksdays when fishing liks. Nearly every darksday my line snap rate cuts in half and I'll see myself reeling up 2-3 liks in a row, landing 10-12 by the end of the darksday. There'll almost always be a thudnershower during it as well around noon.

Have you guys noticed this as well or just me? Its not just an occasional thing but every single time.

Edit:

Also! There's the time of day, which is also confirmed. I believe it was 6:00 and 18:00 (dawn/dusk) that are generally considered to be the best times of day to catch fish, no? Along with this though soem fish have special patterns they follow, but the people at the guild will tell you about these when asked about. I specifically remember, I think it was gold lobster? That the guild guy told me they only like to come out at night, and true to his word my bite rate soared up after 20:00 through to 4:00

Summed up, there's a lot of variables that can and do effect fishing, so it's hard to pick one out as whats giving you a good or bad haul: Weather? Day? Time of day? Rod? Bait? Skill? Moon Phase?! <(@_@>

[Julian]

Forget the moon. Some days bite rate will be shit, other days it will be good. In the end it will average out.

I'm still gonna go with this.

[cdgreg]

I'm still gonna go with this.

Same. Otherwise I'll also face NE while fishing on 0% new moon, at 9:00 in-game, on dark day, in rain weather, hoping for a skill up.

[Electro]

I know this is just shitty luck but I want to complain. Since the update I have not been able to catch a Ryugu Titan. All have been broken rods. Before update I had pulled in 20+ with only a few line breaks. This time I have been 12/12 on broken rods. Damn my luck sucks

[Sho]

I've noticed some exceptionally shitty days while fishing, regardless of the moonphase (even on the SAME moonphase), but I'ma fan of "If you want to fish, take your lazy ass out to the fishing hole and get to it."

And fuck those Ryugu Titans, still a bitch to pull up sometimes, even with Heron.