Patch 5.4 patch notes
Virtual Realms feature revealed
The Proving Grounds are coming
The latest patch 5.4 newsPatch 4.3 changes make leveling fishing a breeze
by Anne Stickney 
Dec 2nd 2011 at 3:00PM
Do you loathe leveling the fishing profession? Can't stand spending hours casting in pools? According to El over at El's Professions, there was a change put through in patch 4.3 that nobody noticed, one that will make your plight a little easier. In patch 4.3, the number of catches required to level fishing from 1 to 525 has been roughly halved. In addition, the number of catches per skill point above 300 fishing and especially above 450 also seems to have had an adjustment -- one point of skill can take between one and 13 casts to gain.
El has put together a new skill-up table over on El's Extreme Anglin', but be warned, the pattern may not be fully understood just yet. El is welcoming any observations over on the El's Extreme Anglin' forums for fishing enthusiasts.
At any rate, if you've been putting off picking up your fishing pole and finishing off those skill points, now would be an excellent time to start fishing!
Brace yourselves for what could be some of most exciting updates to the game recently with patch 4.3. Review the official patch notes, and then dig into what's ahead: new item storage options, cross-realm raiding, cosmetic armor skinning and your chance to battle the mighty Deathwing -- from astride his back!
El has put together a new skill-up table over on El's Extreme Anglin', but be warned, the pattern may not be fully understood just yet. El is welcoming any observations over on the El's Extreme Anglin' forums for fishing enthusiasts.
At any rate, if you've been putting off picking up your fishing pole and finishing off those skill points, now would be an excellent time to start fishing!
Brace yourselves for what could be some of most exciting updates to the game recently with patch 4.3. Review the official patch notes, and then dig into what's ahead: new item storage options, cross-realm raiding, cosmetic armor skinning and your chance to battle the mighty Deathwing -- from astride his back!
Filed under: News items, Cataclysm
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 2)
Tanddori Dec 2nd 2011 5:34PM
My "Salty" Paladin shakes her fists at all you young whippersnappers having it easy while leveling fishing!
Noyou Dec 2nd 2011 7:05PM
Haha! Salty is one of my favorite titles. Mainly because it's rare and it doesn't take much skill to get, just sheer will. I usually /salute anyone I see with the "Salty" title. So Tanddori, /salute.
Tanddori Dec 2nd 2011 7:07PM
Thanks NoYou!
I wear my title with pride. Kingslayer? That's cool, but I still rock my Salty title when I'm downing Deathwing.
Philster043 Dec 2nd 2011 5:40PM
Now I don't feel nearly as accomplished that I got my main's Fishing up to 525 the old-fashioned way... But, I suppose at least I got The Coin Master while leveling it. That's something that kept me on track for that achievement. Now future fishermen will feel less inclined to do it if their fishing is already at max level.
Musicita Dec 2nd 2011 7:05PM
Y'know, I was just fishing with my 85 yesterday I thought it was odd I was getting a skill point so often. I thought I had just remembered the chart incorrectly....
Evlyxx Dec 2nd 2011 7:59PM
Fishing is currently one of the easiest farming professions in WoW.
If you have a fishing rod and are level 1 fishing you can go to Tol Barad and fish the floating wreckages and Fathom Eel pools there and on my server I make around 2000 gold per hour or get my guild a healthy stack for their raid teams Seafood Magnifique Feasts.
The cost of the eels is about 10g per (http://goo.gl/x3lzA) and the wreckages also give Embersilk Cloth, volatiles, herbs and ores. Having a class ability to water walk (priest, shaman or death knioght helps but even if not a healthy stack of water walking potions - from daily q/AH/friendly alchemist work too).
Another high value fish from pools is Highland Guppy also approx 10g per (http://goo.gl/qw5h8) only available from Twilight Highlands and the pools are a pain to farm.
If you want to stand in 1 place and fish I recommend Lavascale Catfish fishing in Uldum simply port to Ramkahen and fish off the jetty there, fish are once again approx 10g per (http://goo.gl/dfCGp) but as you're NOT fishing in pools, 90% of your catch will be vendor trash/low value fish with maxed out fishing skill, which seriously lowers the gold per hour. its the trade off for a static fishing spot.....
milka.hanhela Dec 2nd 2011 8:25PM
I fished from 210 to 270 on an alt tonight to test this out. The amount of casts needed were in between 1 and 7 all the time, and more often 1 than 7. It might've been that I just got lucky, but the amount of casts needed per skill point is definitely less than what it used to be, and I can't even begin to say how glad I am about it, being a bit of a completionist when it comes to my alts' professions. :)
Drakkenfyre Dec 2nd 2011 9:54PM
I like fishing as it currently is. Could they add something to it and make it more interesting? Sure. But some people like the click and loot mechanic.
It would be neat if they added specific lures and specific species, but they would probably change it to be some terrible RNG grind, with a minigame as the interface. I would rather not have to do a complicated minigame with RNG ontop of RNG, compared to how simple fishing is now.
I think it would be great if we could use upgraded lures, and upgraded line (actual upgrades, not just the +Skill stuff we have now, like better line for different fish or conditions) but it would probably end up as some miniprofession getting all the items, and add yet another thing for people to overcharge for ("You want the +3 Monofilament of Gold? 500g.")
I think it would be neat to keep it as it is, but add a slightly more involved method which produces better results (You want to actively fish instead of just sitting there? You get better fish, some of the lesser "dropped" fish.)
newskooltrooper Dec 3rd 2011 10:58AM
Great. Now can they make Old Ironjaw drop a little more frequently? I'm at least 3000 casts deep in my pursuit of that beastie. I'm reaching Ahab levels of madness.
jasonfelliott Dec 3rd 2011 6:45AM
Fishing is relaxing, enjoyable, and a great way to catch up on movies or tv.
And if Intellect, Agility or Mastery is your desired stat, it's incredibly helpful.
vanye111 Dec 5th 2011 12:29PM
Not to mention, the Darkmoon Faire quests that give you +5 points to a skill; the fishing one requried 5 fish, and I got them with 5 casts.
The archaeology one required 15 fossil fragments.
The tailoring one I did required 1 coarse thread, one blue dye, one red dye.
There were also skinning, first aid, and mining skill quests, all of which gave +5 points per turn in.