I leveled my fishing up when it was painful - if you were too low for an area, you had to sit around in some boring, lowbie area to level up. (Though I found it more fun to do in Durotar, as a human just thinking I might get puzzled looks, and in the Barrens, where you can get the Savory Deviate fish).

BUT for me, it was worth it, because I could fish anywhere I wanted to. Not everyone could. With my epic fishing pole, fishing hat and lager and some water-walking elixirs to make things better, I was all set. My reward for all the hours spent, getting useless low-level fish, suffering mind-numbing boredom? BEING ABLE TO FISH ANYWHERE AND GET THE BEST FISH ANYTIME i WANTED. Along with maxed cooking, I was able to provide myself and my friends with all the best buff foods anyone could have wanted.

And a few times, I made good amount of gold on my fish.

So, now I have to compete for those pools with people who've spent ZERO time leveling fishing?

I think if they are going to do this, they should give those of us who DID level to max some kind of reward. How about . . . . higher the fishing level, the better chance you get to have multiple fish (and get MORE fish as you go) without depleting the pool any faster? OK - max level, fishing in Dragonblight, you get FIVE dragonfins. OR . . . a MUCH MUCH better chance to get the fish you actually WANT from the open waters around it. So, instead of sculpin or snapper, you might have a 90% chance, at max level, to get dragonfin angelfish in the lake at Indu'le Village, outside of the pools. So, when all the people too lazy to level fishing take up all the pools, I can still get what I need, and also, not have to move around all over the place looking for a pool or waiting for respawns or getting frustrated when another person appears to fish there as well.

I almost always fish in the pools because I'm there for a reason - to get something very specific. Only in Wintergrasp (where there are no pools but all the fish are useful) can I feel like it was worth it. Of course, people ruin that too by ganking people who just want to get mats for the fish feast. HEY, maybe they should put 5000 resilience and 300 stam or something on those fishing poles too . . . so we can at least have a chance when we get attacked . . and there would actually be a purpose to the fishing equipment we've collected.

At least with things like gear, the best raiders will always be ahead . . by the time other people catch up, the good raiders have moved onto getting even better gear.

With fishing, I feel like those who have worked hard and attained max level really get no advantage - seems completely meaningless somehow.

Oh well . . guess I'll take advantage of it . . . I'll take my lvl 50 Lock with low lvl fishing to Moa'ki or Unu'pe and get some haste fish or something, instead of fishing in the Dalaran fountain. Her cooking's been over 400 for months so she can actually cook them too. OR get the man-o-war . . the only items that will actually level her cooking atm.

***sigh***