Records of Eminence, Big Fish, and Small Fish.

[Zarchery]

I saw some of the new objectives include "Reel in Multiple Small Fish I" and "Reel in Multiple Big Fish I". In both cases "Multiple" means 30, but what I'm not so clear on is the definition of "Small Fish" and "Big Fish". I'm a newbie fisherman. I can figure out how to catch specific fish, but can anyone tell me what a "big" or a "small" fish is?

[Dragoy]

I would guess the line is drawn somewhere between where the catch gets titled with three exclamation marks (Something caught the hook!!!).

I've yet to try, however, so I'm not entirely sure.

[Sekhmet]

I saw some of the new objectives include "Reel in Multiple Small Fish I" and "Reel in Multiple Big Fish I". In both cases "Multiple" means 30, but what I'm not so clear on is the definition of "Small Fish" and "Big Fish". I'm a newbie fisherman. I can figure out how to catch specific fish, but can anyone tell me what a "big" or a "small" fish is?

Small fish are ones that can stack to 12, big fish are the ones that don't stack. At least that is how I've always seen it. I could be wrong.

[Sapphire]

Small fish are ones that can stack to 12, big fish are the ones that don't stack. At least that is how I've always seen it. I could be wrong.

Overall, yes, but then there are things like Coral Butterflies, a small fish that doesn't stack. Because reasons?

[Lithera]

The fish is like ores and beds? Kidding idk why they don't stack. Also most big fish have their weight printed on their info box.

[Zarchery]

Thanks for the input folks. What do you think would be the lowest level "big" fish and "small" fish?

Based on the hypothesis that a "big" fish is a non-stackable one, a Phaneut Newt would be the lowest big one. Any veteran fishermen able to confirm or deny this?

[Dragoy]

This may be more or less off now that skill level should matter more, but I might carefully guess that it's, at least to some extent, still true: lower level fish does not necessarily mean it's easier to reel in.

There are (or at least were) several fish around level 30 for example, which were/are a lot more annoying than some level 90-100+ fish.

Moreover, while I don't remember ever going for the phaneut newt on my way to level 90 and beyond, I highly doubt that's a “large fish”. I may very well be wrong though. I'll make a note to myself to go and see, but you'll probably be able to confirm it yourself before that.

I'm not sure I'd consider myself a veteran regardless of the skill level and the years my fishing spans over and about, so take it for what it's worth. :)

I might suggest trying for a giant catfish. They are at least easily accessible, and I don't remember them being too bad what comes to their behaviour.


Again, though, I've not done any testing at levels lower than 93; it could be impossible to reel in a level 30 fish with level 1 skill now for all I know, but I do strongly doubt it.

[dasva]

Well you could reel in the catfish at level one before though would be hard without a lu shangs

[Zarchery]

I fished up several non stacking Muddy Siredons in Carpenter's Landing and didn't get credit as big fish, so I guess the "non-stacking" hypothesis is false. I hooked something down there while using a Frog Lure that was definitely a big fish, but I couldn't reel it in. Tried 4 times and got line breaks each time. Gonna try to gradually level up to 30 doing 1 hour of fishing a day then go back there.

[Dragoy]

dasva,

How so? I surely fished them before I got mine, and can't remember it being hard.


Zarchery,

That might have been a giant catfish, actually. I'm thinking that's the only big fish around there.

While fishing cave cherax, a couple of friends were playing with the monsters around there, and I had one (with skill level 19) try the giant donko that dwell there. It was apparently easy, so that's probably something worth trying as well.


Edit:

Just tested a giant catfish with skill level 0: first catch lost due to lack of skill, second catch successfully reeled in. Was pretty easy, too. ^^

Third catch successfully reeled in as well, but regretfully released due to not being able to carry more items. Oopsies!

[Zarchery]

dasva,
Edit:

Just tested a giant catfish with skill level 0: first catch lost due to lack of skill, second catch successfully reeled in. Was pretty easy, too. ^^

Third catch successfully reeled in as well, but regretfully released due to not being able to carry more items. Oopsies!

Interesting. Where were you? What rod and bait were you using? I was using Frog Lures in Carpenter's Landing near the central area, with a Halcyon Rod. My line kept breaking and I lost my lures. Couldn't find any more for sale so I had to give up. I heard that Composite Rods are good for big fish. Maybe I should switch to one of those.

[Dragoy]

I would recommend halcyon for small, and composite indeed for big fish, when Lu Shang's and Ebisu are not an option.

I was in the southern parts of Bastok Markets, with a composite fishing rod and a minnow. Check for example here (http://ffxi.gamerescape.com/wiki/Giant_Catfish) for more (the table may look odd, as I'm currently working on doing something new for them).

[Zarchery]

Dragoy, your suggestion worked. With a Composite Rod I synthed with my mad Alchemy skills (level 100), some minnows I bought at the Fishing Guild, and a paltry level 3 Fishing skill, I was able to reel in one giant catfish. It was harder than the moat carp and crayfish I've been reeling. It had the regen effect and I got smaller stamina depletions, but I got it. I only had time to do one so far, but I'm excited to get back into it.

There's annotation at the bottom that says "<90[lm]/461[Pz]>" Is that for this "Fish Ranking" thing the other RoE talks about?

[Dragoy]

Cool.

I'm still trying to think of a big fish that's lower level, or at least something that bites often enough to something else than a lure, as losing those is not fun. I don't think the catfish would bite a little worm too often. I should remember that pretty well from fishing most of my 10,010 moat carps for the dude.

Perhaps sliced sardines and trout balls could be an idea. Minnows might work just fine if going for only 30 of them, of course.


There's annotation at the bottom that says "<90[lm]/461[Pz]>" Is that for this "Fish Ranking" thing the other RoE talks about?

That would indeed be the size in ilms and ponzes, which are used in the Fish Ranking (http://ffxi.gamerescape.com/wiki/Fish_Ranking) as you guess. Which fish they request, and what size (smallest, largest, heaviest, or a mix) changes from contest to another.

[Zarchery]

Haven't had trouble depleting the catfishes' stamina, but I am constantly getting "You lost your catch due to lack of skill." Probably about 70% of the time. But I've reeled in 3 giant catfish so far. I'm wondering if I should go back to the drawing board and try to level fishing to 10 and try again or keep at it with the catfish. Gonna take a fair amount of time either way, but skilling I'll get more sparks and moat carp (got a friend working on a Lu Shang who is buying them straight, no AH involved).

[Zarchery]

I'm still 1 objective away from "Reel in Enemies". Is there a place where it's easier to reel in monsters consistently? Obviously not gonna fish any up in Bastok. Isn't there some NM in Abyssea that you need to fish up? I remember trying to get it and reeling in a lot of normal mobs.

[Lithera]

Yes there is one

[Dragoy]

I did some quick tests, and it looks like sliced sardines are not good at all. I had none of the 'cats' with quite a few casts.

Trout balls seem to work pretty well. Depending on the location, these will also get black eels, though, but out of 10 casts, 6 were of the giant catfish kind.

What comes to monsters, well, I can't really think of a specifically awesome place for that. One could look at the fish one area has, and then what they catch into. Then it's a simple matter of using bait/lure that they don't want.

For example, in South Gustaberg, it would seem as if only the jellyfish wants trout balls. It may be the moon-phase, or my luck and want for a monster to bite, but either way, I had only 2 of those in 14 casts (6 nothing, and 6 jellyfish/items).


Something like a minnow around the bridge to the entrance of the Temple of Uggalepih seems to be pretty okay for only monsters only, too.

The eastern side will have pipiras (small fish around level 29) and jungle catfish (big fish around level 80) bite as well. The fish populace differs from side to another, changing at under the bridge. The western side does not have the pipira, I think, and a minnow mostly gets either monsters or the jungle catfish.


The monster you are thinking of, is probably Nahn.

[Zarchery]

Halfway through the "reel in big fish" objective, with only level 4 Fishing skill. It's slow going, but probably faster than trying to level up to the low 30s.

Still haven't been able to do the fish ranking one. I guess I never realized how infrequently you get a chance to do it.

[Zarchery]

I managed to get 30 giant catfish earlier this week and finish that one. That left me with only "Particpate in Fish Ranking". I had to wait a while for that one. Fish ranking finally came up today (I had no idea there was such a long time between them). So I finally got that last one and now I am at 346/346 Records of Eminence. Perfect score! Until the next update... which appears to have more harvesting objectives. :( As long as it's no nonsense like "Harvest this particular item" I guess that won't be so awful.

I'm really surprised I was able to do all the new fishing objectives with no fishing skill. I thought I'd have to give up my quest to have them all done once those came out.

[Dragoy]

Good job!


I can almost remember how it was to me to see how big fish I could actually reel in, when I first started some 7 years ago. It was only recently when I continued my way, and went from 45 to 95 presently. It's still very slow, too slow, but I'm more or less at my goal.

Well, my only real goal with regards to fishing was to finish the quest for the Lu Shang's fishing rod, which I probably started around the same time I started fishing at all. I had not touched carp any more than a fishing rod for years, being at a low 2000 or so delivered, but just as the year changed from 2013 to 2014, I finished the quest up.

That was a goal finished. I never expected I would get the Ebisu fishing rod, or my skill to anywhere above 50 or so. However, I saw some people selling the fish and I had 12 million gil in my pocketses, which I wasn't using for anything else, so I bought some fish, when available.

Some 10,320,446 Gil and a couple of months later, I had both of the items to make my Ebichu. Then it was a matter of getting the skill up for the key item.

I was actually well on my way already, as I had decided to try some matsya, Ebisu or no Ebisu. A friend wants the shawl, so I'll be giving all the chances I can find to them. I guess I'd like one myself. That will probably take another 7 years. ^^;


The Fish Ranking is something that could certainly use some adjustment(s), too. Twelve (12) times a year is rather bleh to say the least...

[DerianX]

I resurrected this thread from the dead for slightly off-topic questions:

Reel in Multiple Small Fish II?
Reel in Multiple Big Fish II?

[Sirmarki]

I resurrected this thread from the dead for slightly off-topic questions:

Reel in Multiple Small Fish II?
Reel in Multiple Big Fish II?

I definitely think more incentives need to be introduced into fishing, more so with people who spent so much time getting the high-end rods. Unfortunately, no thanks to RMT and people botting, a lot of the perks were lost in the past.