Fishing for Skill

[Lancil]

Once I got my Lu Shang I shot up 60ish lvls in about two weeks with the Pelican Ring. However, once I got to 85 the skill up slowed down horribly. Now at 90 I can go days without seeing a .1 and I've been using 2 Pelican Rings now a days.

I've found that armored pisces seem like a fairly easy catch, but I was wondering what everyone is catching for skill and if you notice a difference.

[Retsujo]

post 60 every crafting skill slows down quite a bit in skill. Fishing is the only skill that can see higher than a 0.1 per skill up, but from my experience the skill ups are horrendous. I skilled up from 80-something to Black Sole's cap on Black Sole, then capped to 99 with Pterygotus in Nashmau, then capped that last skill level on Armored Pisces.

And frankly, I'd rather still be skilling up... haha. Trying to fish for Guild Points (furnishings, gear, and KIs), Ebisu rod quest items, and farming gold boxes for the new fishing equipment is really a pain.

[Godofgods]

60 levels in about 2 weeks? I couldnt get one level in a month! After 4~ years my skill still stuck at 20ish

[Lancil]

Yes, I fished in East Sarutabaruta untill about 55. Then went to nashmau for 88. This was also probably fishing 100+ each day with the Pelican Ring.

@Retsujo The reason I stopped going to nashmau was because at 90 I get a new message saying something about an epic catch is on the line. This leads me to believe that when I don't get that message( which Pterygotus don't give half the time) then perhaps the fish isn't skill up worthy? Please correct me if I'm wrong, because I would much rather fish there than having to run to Oldton Movalpolos.

[Retsujo]

The "Epic" catch is just for fish at skill level 100 or above I believe. If you're not getting it every catch then perhaps that's just a part of Angler's Discernment. I got 100 before those messages started coming, but all the 100+ fish I catch say "epic" every time.

[FrankReynolds]

I ran into the same brick wall in nashmau. Just keep in mind that your making money (very slowly) while you skill up. It might make it feel a little less painful.

[Protey]

I just turned 81. I was fishing Cave Cherax, though I had to use Seagull Ring and Albatross Ring. I got three 0.3s and two 0.2s in a 4 hour period. Maybe I was just lucky, but I was sure ecstatic that day. It's a good thing you can get skillups even if you don't catch the fish since Cave Cherax have a tendency to break line/rod.

[Lancil]

I wouldn't bother with the Cave Cherax. They are kind of far to get to -imo- and they can break your rod. If you're fishing so that later you can use Dwarf Pugil then I'd suggest to switch fish. Lik can just as easily be fished up with minnows. Sure, minnows don't single them out, but you wont have to run back and forth every time you run out of bait.

I also retract what I said before. I thought getting "the epic catch" message meant you could only get skill ups then. Last week I caught 1 random black sole without the "epic catch" and got a .2 for 92.

[Willowtail]

I was getting basically nothing in Nashmau after about 92. IIRC I got to 95 just on the Lik/Gugru I needed for Ebisu.
For the last few points, the Pelazoea in [A] La Theine were giving me regular 0.1s (used Pelican and Seagull rings, only went during New Moon), and they're not hard to catch.

Fishing skillup at the end is very slow. I really recommend not going fishing just for skill, since you may not get anything for days and get all bitter and twisted. There's lots of 100+ fish that give good items from Zaldon, or NPC for 10k a pop. Focus on the gil/items/whatever and the skill will come slowly.