UPDATE: Fishing is not required for Pieces of Heart, etc. It just fills out your fishing catalog with a 3D model for each species. There are 24 species in all. Filling out your catalog is the REAL 100%!
THE REAL MAJORA'S MASK STARTS HERE
CUE THE MUSIC... Maybe I'm the only one hooked on fishing in this game. (Ha!) And maybe this thread will sink before it can swim. (HA!) But that's never stopped me before.
I wanna share notes and figure out how to catch more fish! Including my "white whales," Lord Chapu-Chapu and the Great Fairy Fish — be sure to check out the epic videos I've posted below!
(Shot looks amazing in 3D)
OVERVIEW:
There are two fishing holes in MM3D: The Swamp Fishing Hole, and the Ocean Fishing Hole. Previously, MM didn't have fishing. These are all-new areas. And unlike OoT, which just had two types of fish (the Hylian Bass and the Hylian Loach), MM has 24 types of fish — 11 in each hole, plus a legendary in each hole. That's right, each hole has a mighty "boss fish," complete with boss music.
You pay 50 rupees to fish, or a Fishing Hole Pass to fish for free. You can switch freely between the Standard Lure (for fish near the surface) and Sinking Lure (for fish deep underwater) by speaking to the man at the counter. The man also gives tips and will mention which fish are present in the pond if you keep talking to him.
You can stay as long as you want. Time continues to pass in each fishing hole. You can use all of your masks and transformations except the Giant's Mask... Yes, this means you can even fish as the Fierce Deity.
Certain fish are drawn to certain things. For example, the Sweet Ranchfish appears sometimes when you play Epona's Song. The Cuccofish is drawn to you when you march with the Bremen Mask. The Fragrant Reekfish can be sniffed out with the Mask of Scents, a purple cloud appearing over the water where he swims. There are hints for each fish (except the legendaries) listed on the wall of each fishing hole. The telltale "puzzle jingle" usually plays when you've drawn out the fish.
Also note that Tatl remembers which fish you've caught. You can review them by checking the chart on the wall. You'll see a 3D model for each species you've caught. The game keeps track of the fish you've caught, so technically, completing the game 100% means catching all 24 fish. Because you don't want your fish chart looking barren, now do you?
(Caught this fellow using the Gibdo Mask!)
Now that I've compelled your OCD to play along, let's talk strategy. I'll start this thread by compiling information and videos I've collected. Please correct any errors you see.
First, a few general tips:
- Cast the line with B, then break the line with A
- When a fish bites, hook it by tapping forward and A
- Reel in with A; reel faster with A plus R
- Pull in the opposite direction the fish is moving (I.E. towards its tail)
- When trying to attract fish, gently flick the line left and right
- By tapping B, you can reel in slowly
- Use Zora Link to scope out fish (selection is random)
- Leave the fishing hole and re-enter to spawn new fish
- If you stay, it seems new fish will eventually appear
- Goron Ground Pound scares away most fish
- Deku Link can reel in even the largest fish
And a note on RARE FISH (i.e. catfish, sharks, etc):
- Rare fish are more likely to spawn by catching many other fish
- Try catching as much as you can on Day 1 and 2, then leave and re-enter until they spawn
- If a rare fish escapes, they'll stay in the pond and return to their starting place, so don't leave
- They appear in the same places every time, described in the lists below
SWAMP FISHING HOLE
1) Termina Bass — Common fish — Standard Lure — All Days
2) Termina Loach — Near bottom of stone platform; feeds near the surface when it rains — Sinking Lure — All Days
3) Groovy Carp — Swims in the shadows of the foliage, to the right when you enter pond — Sinking Lure — All Days
4) Sweet Ranchfish — Rarely appears near the waterfall alcove; attract with Epona's Song — Sinking Lure — All Days, from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.
5) Fragrant Reekfish — Use Mask of Scents to detect purple cloud on surface of pond — Standard Lure — All Days
6) Mooranha — Stand in shallow water and wear Romani’s Mask to lure them to shore — Standard Lure — All Days
7) Postal Salmon — Swims in circles around pond; stop it with Postman’s Hat — Sinking Lure — Days 1 and 2, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
8) Cuccofish — Rare (in my experience); attract by marching in place with Bremen Mask — Standard Lure — First and Final Days
9) Ancient Fish — Semi-rare, spawning near the underwater cave; attract with Gibdo Mask — Sinking Lure — All Days
10) Ferocious Pirarucu — Rarely appears in main pond; hook a fish smaller than 15 cm as "bait," and let it swim around — Sinking Lure — All Days
11) Colossal Catfish — Rarely appears near bottom of stone platform; attract with a Goron Ground Pound on platform — Sinking Lure — All Days
BOSS FISH: LORD CHAPU-CHAPU (bites at 1:00) — First, you’ll need to fish in the hole for a few in-game hours. It’s not clear whether you have to catch several random fish in this time. Then, leave the hole and re-enter. Walk on the bottom of the pond as Zora Link, and check the plant-covered opening on the right side when you enter. Keep leaving the hole and re-entering until you see Lord Chapu-Chapu has spawned.
Next, rent a sinking lure and change to Deku Link. Skip across the water to stand on the lilypad closest to the boss’s lair. Cast your line and hook one of the Groovy Carps swimming in the shadows of the foliage. Once you hook it, let it swim around the area, tapping A periodically to keep it from escaping. As you’ll see in the video, this will attract Lord Chapu-Chapu, who will eventually eat the fish caught on your line. What follows may take 10-15 real-life minutes! O_O
Swamp visual reference (courtesy of Semajer):
OCEAN FISHING HOLE:
Tips provided by Semajer. For the purposes of this guide, note that the "left side" is the side that has the tree when looking from the entrance, while the "right side" has the wooden structure and crystal cave.
1) Termina Seabass — Common — Standard Lure — All Days
2) Goodta Goby — Common, appearing near the shore — Standard Lure — All Days
3) Ambrosial Amberjack — Common, appearing in the middle, between the two sets of islands — Sinking Lure — All Days
4) Bashful Angler — Won't appear without the Stone Mask; splashes around left set of islands — Standard Lure — All Days
5) Dancing Sea Bream — Attract with Kamaro’s Mask; fish will briefly follow you near shore — Standard Lure — All Days, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. (NOTE: Not sure on time…
6) Fairy Fish — Attract with Great Fairy’s Mask; found on right side, mainly during day — Standard Lure — All Days
7) Ninja Flounder — Invisible until you use Garo's Mask; near left set of islands — Sinking Lure — All Days
8) Skullfish — Attract with Captain’s Hat; near crystal cave on far right — Sinking Lure — All Days, from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
9) Nuptuna — Attract with Couple’s Mask; near far back right, near deep part of ocean — Sinking Lure — First and Final Days
10) Grand Swordfish — Swims between two sets of islands on path that lines up with crystal cave, but closer to right set of islands— Sinking Lure — All days
11) Savage Shark — Hook fish smaller than 100 cm, wait for shark to bite; swims between two sets of islands, on path aligned with crystal cave, but closer to left set of islands — Standard Lure — All Days
BOSS FISH: GREAT FAIRY FISH (bites at 2:50): Like Lord Chapu-Chapu, you’ll have to fish for a few in-game hours without leaving the hole, maybe catch a few random fish in that time, and then leave and re-enter the hole, going underwater to check the crystal cave to the right until you see that the Great Fairy Fish has spawned. Some say it helps to catch as many fish as you can on the first and second days. You can detect her as soon as you enter the fishing hole by donning the Great Fairy's Mask. However, the mask also sparkles if Fairy Fish are present. You need both fish — sometimes only one spawns, and not the other. Once you see both, rent a Standard Lure, don the Great Fairy’s Mask and hook a Fairy Fish near the boss’s lair. Let the fish swim around on your line, tapping A every now and then to keep it from escaping. The Great Fairy Fish will come out of its lair and eventually eat the fish caught on your line. Cue 10-15 minutes of valiant struggle!
Ocean visual reference (courtesy of Semajer):
The information in this guide comes from fellow GAF members and various guides I've seen online. Hopefully it helps, but feel free to note corrections or add nuance!
Also, be sure to try casting your line at the fishing operator. Like with OoT, you can reveal he's wearing a wig!
And don't forget to take selfies with Miiverse!
~ ~ "Wish you were here!" ~ ~
UPDATE: I tested this theory, and it works: How to make rare fish appear.
THE REAL MAJORA'S MASK STARTS HERE
CUE THE MUSIC... Maybe I'm the only one hooked on fishing in this game. (Ha!) And maybe this thread will sink before it can swim. (HA!) But that's never stopped me before.
I wanna share notes and figure out how to catch more fish! Including my "white whales," Lord Chapu-Chapu and the Great Fairy Fish — be sure to check out the epic videos I've posted below!
(Shot looks amazing in 3D)
OVERVIEW:
There are two fishing holes in MM3D: The Swamp Fishing Hole, and the Ocean Fishing Hole. Previously, MM didn't have fishing. These are all-new areas. And unlike OoT, which just had two types of fish (the Hylian Bass and the Hylian Loach), MM has 24 types of fish — 11 in each hole, plus a legendary in each hole. That's right, each hole has a mighty "boss fish," complete with boss music.
You pay 50 rupees to fish, or a Fishing Hole Pass to fish for free. You can switch freely between the Standard Lure (for fish near the surface) and Sinking Lure (for fish deep underwater) by speaking to the man at the counter. The man also gives tips and will mention which fish are present in the pond if you keep talking to him.
You can stay as long as you want. Time continues to pass in each fishing hole. You can use all of your masks and transformations except the Giant's Mask... Yes, this means you can even fish as the Fierce Deity.
Certain fish are drawn to certain things. For example, the Sweet Ranchfish appears sometimes when you play Epona's Song. The Cuccofish is drawn to you when you march with the Bremen Mask. The Fragrant Reekfish can be sniffed out with the Mask of Scents, a purple cloud appearing over the water where he swims. There are hints for each fish (except the legendaries) listed on the wall of each fishing hole. The telltale "puzzle jingle" usually plays when you've drawn out the fish.
Also note that Tatl remembers which fish you've caught. You can review them by checking the chart on the wall. You'll see a 3D model for each species you've caught. The game keeps track of the fish you've caught, so technically, completing the game 100% means catching all 24 fish. Because you don't want your fish chart looking barren, now do you?
(Caught this fellow using the Gibdo Mask!)
Now that I've compelled your OCD to play along, let's talk strategy. I'll start this thread by compiling information and videos I've collected. Please correct any errors you see.
First, a few general tips:
- Cast the line with B, then break the line with A
- When a fish bites, hook it by tapping forward and A
- Reel in with A; reel faster with A plus R
- Pull in the opposite direction the fish is moving (I.E. towards its tail)
- When trying to attract fish, gently flick the line left and right
- By tapping B, you can reel in slowly
- Use Zora Link to scope out fish (selection is random)
- Leave the fishing hole and re-enter to spawn new fish
- If you stay, it seems new fish will eventually appear
- Goron Ground Pound scares away most fish
- Deku Link can reel in even the largest fish
And a note on RARE FISH (i.e. catfish, sharks, etc):
- Rare fish are more likely to spawn by catching many other fish
- Try catching as much as you can on Day 1 and 2, then leave and re-enter until they spawn
- If a rare fish escapes, they'll stay in the pond and return to their starting place, so don't leave
- They appear in the same places every time, described in the lists below
SWAMP FISHING HOLE
1) Termina Bass — Common fish — Standard Lure — All Days
2) Termina Loach — Near bottom of stone platform; feeds near the surface when it rains — Sinking Lure — All Days
3) Groovy Carp — Swims in the shadows of the foliage, to the right when you enter pond — Sinking Lure — All Days
4) Sweet Ranchfish — Rarely appears near the waterfall alcove; attract with Epona's Song — Sinking Lure — All Days, from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.
5) Fragrant Reekfish — Use Mask of Scents to detect purple cloud on surface of pond — Standard Lure — All Days
6) Mooranha — Stand in shallow water and wear Romani’s Mask to lure them to shore — Standard Lure — All Days
7) Postal Salmon — Swims in circles around pond; stop it with Postman’s Hat — Sinking Lure — Days 1 and 2, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
8) Cuccofish — Rare (in my experience); attract by marching in place with Bremen Mask — Standard Lure — First and Final Days
9) Ancient Fish — Semi-rare, spawning near the underwater cave; attract with Gibdo Mask — Sinking Lure — All Days
10) Ferocious Pirarucu — Rarely appears in main pond; hook a fish smaller than 15 cm as "bait," and let it swim around — Sinking Lure — All Days
11) Colossal Catfish — Rarely appears near bottom of stone platform; attract with a Goron Ground Pound on platform — Sinking Lure — All Days
BOSS FISH: LORD CHAPU-CHAPU (bites at 1:00) — First, you’ll need to fish in the hole for a few in-game hours. It’s not clear whether you have to catch several random fish in this time. Then, leave the hole and re-enter. Walk on the bottom of the pond as Zora Link, and check the plant-covered opening on the right side when you enter. Keep leaving the hole and re-entering until you see Lord Chapu-Chapu has spawned.
Next, rent a sinking lure and change to Deku Link. Skip across the water to stand on the lilypad closest to the boss’s lair. Cast your line and hook one of the Groovy Carps swimming in the shadows of the foliage. Once you hook it, let it swim around the area, tapping A periodically to keep it from escaping. As you’ll see in the video, this will attract Lord Chapu-Chapu, who will eventually eat the fish caught on your line. What follows may take 10-15 real-life minutes! O_O
Swamp visual reference (courtesy of Semajer):
OCEAN FISHING HOLE:
Tips provided by Semajer. For the purposes of this guide, note that the "left side" is the side that has the tree when looking from the entrance, while the "right side" has the wooden structure and crystal cave.
1) Termina Seabass — Common — Standard Lure — All Days
2) Goodta Goby — Common, appearing near the shore — Standard Lure — All Days
3) Ambrosial Amberjack — Common, appearing in the middle, between the two sets of islands — Sinking Lure — All Days
4) Bashful Angler — Won't appear without the Stone Mask; splashes around left set of islands — Standard Lure — All Days
5) Dancing Sea Bream — Attract with Kamaro’s Mask; fish will briefly follow you near shore — Standard Lure — All Days, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. (NOTE: Not sure on time…
6) Fairy Fish — Attract with Great Fairy’s Mask; found on right side, mainly during day — Standard Lure — All Days
7) Ninja Flounder — Invisible until you use Garo's Mask; near left set of islands — Sinking Lure — All Days
8) Skullfish — Attract with Captain’s Hat; near crystal cave on far right — Sinking Lure — All Days, from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
9) Nuptuna — Attract with Couple’s Mask; near far back right, near deep part of ocean — Sinking Lure — First and Final Days
10) Grand Swordfish — Swims between two sets of islands on path that lines up with crystal cave, but closer to right set of islands— Sinking Lure — All days
11) Savage Shark — Hook fish smaller than 100 cm, wait for shark to bite; swims between two sets of islands, on path aligned with crystal cave, but closer to left set of islands — Standard Lure — All Days
BOSS FISH: GREAT FAIRY FISH (bites at 2:50): Like Lord Chapu-Chapu, you’ll have to fish for a few in-game hours without leaving the hole, maybe catch a few random fish in that time, and then leave and re-enter the hole, going underwater to check the crystal cave to the right until you see that the Great Fairy Fish has spawned. Some say it helps to catch as many fish as you can on the first and second days. You can detect her as soon as you enter the fishing hole by donning the Great Fairy's Mask. However, the mask also sparkles if Fairy Fish are present. You need both fish — sometimes only one spawns, and not the other. Once you see both, rent a Standard Lure, don the Great Fairy’s Mask and hook a Fairy Fish near the boss’s lair. Let the fish swim around on your line, tapping A every now and then to keep it from escaping. The Great Fairy Fish will come out of its lair and eventually eat the fish caught on your line. Cue 10-15 minutes of valiant struggle!
Ocean visual reference (courtesy of Semajer):
The information in this guide comes from fellow GAF members and various guides I've seen online. Hopefully it helps, but feel free to note corrections or add nuance!
Also, be sure to try casting your line at the fishing operator. Like with OoT, you can reveal he's wearing a wig!
And don't forget to take selfies with Miiverse!
~ ~ "Wish you were here!" ~ ~
UPDATE: I tested this theory, and it works: How to make rare fish appear.
