Now that the race of achievements has officially begun, players are going to great lengths to rack up some points. Some achievements are dead-easy, while others are going to take some work.

Enter the fabled fish of Ironforge, stage left. [Old Ironjaw] is spoken of only in whispers, deep in the dwarven taverns. Rumors speculate that he is uncatchable, but this will not deter you. After all, you rival the legendary Nat Pagle, Angler Extreme with your fishing prowess.

Getting down to business, it is important to set out prepared. If you are a member of the Alliance, all you will need to do is cast your rod into either the waters of the Mystic Ward or the Forlorn Cavern in Ironforge, and expect to be there for awhile. Don't worry about your actual fishing level; skill is for chumps.

For the Horde, the achievement Old Ironjaw will be much more difficult. Preparation will require the affectation of humility. You must accept that you will die and that you will probably have to grovel. Try donning your best fishing or fancy holiday garb to appear as harmless as possible.

I recommend entering Ironforge through the front gates in order to minimize the Alliance buzz about your Hordely presence. Taking the tram means surviving through two cities, and the bored players in Trade chat will call you out. Make sure to choose a time of day that is quite deserted; for example, early in the morning when the children are at school.

Once you've entered, perhaps under the cover of stealth or an [Orb of Deception], quickly duck down onto the grates above the lava to avoid being seen. Kill any guards that follow you, and rest up. You only need to camouflage for a couple of seconds.

Run up the ramp into the main city and make a beeline for the Forlorn Cavern. If you die along the way, that's okay. It is better if no one sees where you're really going.

Once there, jump into the water and let yourself sink. Here is where water breathing potions will come in handy. When you're certain people have stopped bothering with you, walk to the back of the water body and sit down. Only the tip of your head and your name will appear above water, unless you are a Tauren. Most people will ride by and not even look over. Start fishing!

The estimated drop rate on this fellow is approximately 1 in 100 catches, so if your skill is very low, you might want some lures. Also keep in mind that this is an average. Many players will fish up hundreds of low-level fish before finding this sucker.

Dealing with the Alliance:
Should your paths cross with a member of the opposing faction, try to resist the urge to make rude gestures. This will only result in all of Ironforge coming and kicking you soundly. While this might sound fun to some players, it will negate all of your efforts to fish peacefully. Try hugging them; you'd be surprised how far a little lovin' can go.

Handy tools:

• [Invisibility Potions].
  
• Fishing gear, holiday gear, or other light-hearted apparel.
• Orb of Deception, [Noggenfogger Elixir], [Deviate Fish] or [Savory Deviate Delight].
  
• Fishing rod and lures.
  
• [Elixir of Water Breathing] or [Nagrand Cherries].

Tags: fishing, fishing-achievement, fishing-ironforge, forlorn-cavern, ironforge, mystic-ward, nat-pagle, old-ironjaw, patch-3.0.2, salty

Filed under: Horde, Alliance, Fishing, Patches, How-tos, Guides, Achievements