ARR/Heavensward Fishing RNG could use a nerf.

[Gemina]

Which just serves to be annoying. Especially when your stats should be overkill for the activity you're doing.

I totally get why you feel that way. The tooltip for the gathering stat itself does say, "Affects the rate at which items are gathered". So naturally, you think having a high stat should ensure a catch on fish 10-20 levels lower than you. Especially in relation to how the other gatherers work, and even how combat content works. But that's just it, fishing is totally it's own thing, unrelated to anything else in the game; mostly.

I actually admire the harder combat content that has mechanics that unsynced parties still need to deal with or they wipe. Fishing is similar in the sense that you can't make big fish catches any easier by just ramping up your gathering stat. The devs want and force you to go through the RNG gates so it remains rewarding instead of just knocking another big fish off the list like its a white.

The RNG in fishing is so vicious that even opportunities and bites are rewarding. Not as rewarding as the actual catch, obviously. But I have literally fished certain holes for hours on end without even an opportunity at making the catch (usually holes requiring intuition or certain fish eyes, or effin both). However, for some reason, at least getting close keeps the motivation and hope going opposed to not even getting an opportunity in the given window, which is just disheartening.

I'm a masochist though. I find this kind of stuff fun, and will actually probably cry the day I catch all fish as there will no longer be any fish to catch. It's the grind of grinds. It's not meant for any dote to just pick up a rod and, 'doot-deet-doo', clear the log, you know? It is made so that only the most dedicated angler gets their glowy rod, but by that point, the catch itself is extremely rewarding, acknowledged by all those who know what it takes to get it.