Before you start
5 things to know
- No bait means no fish, only trash. Chapter 4
- Fish where the water ripples. Empty water gives almost nothing. Chapter 5
- Do not step backwards while fighting a fish. Plant your feet. Chapter 6
- The line wears out, not the rod. Bring spare line and nails. Chapter 6
- Below freezing, bites drop to half speed. At -10°C, a quarter. Chapter 7
Chapter 1
Fishing in Build 42
Fishing is quiet, endless food. In Build 42 it is also a real game of skill, not a click-and-wait timer.
What changed from older versions
| Before | Now in Build 42 |
|---|---|
| Right-click the water and wait. | You aim and cast with the mouse, like a weapon. |
| Fish were everywhere. | Fish swim in schools. You must find them, and they react to noise. |
| A catch just appeared. | You fight the fish with a tension meter. Reel too hard and the line snaps. |
| A few generic fish. | Real Kentucky fish: bass, catfish, crappie, perch, sunfish, walleye, muskellunge and more. |
| Spear fishing. | Gone. Rods and nets only. |
The whole trip in 7 steps
- Gear upRod, line, hook and bait.
- Pick the timeDawn or dusk. Mild and rainy is best.
- Find ripplesThat is where the school is.
- Cast far8 or more tiles from shore.
- FightReel, then give slack, then reel.
- FilletCut the fish. Keep a bit for bait.
- CookNever eat it raw.
Why fishing beats most food
Fish are filling and high in calories. A river never runs out the way a supermarket does. And a rod makes no noise.
Chapter 2
Build your angler
The Fishing skill does not make fish bite faster. It makes your catches bigger, your trash rarer, and your gear break less.
What the skill does
- Bigger fish. Higher levels roll bigger sizes more often.
- Less trash. Fewer rags and bottles on the hook.
- Tougher gear. Your line and rod fail less often.
- New recipes. Rods at 4, chum at 5, nets at 6, net salvage at 7.
Best picks on the character screen
Fishing Guide (job, 2 points)
Starts at Fishing 3. Already knows how to make rods, fix rods, make nets, salvage wire from nets, and make chum. Everything a fisher needs. It used to be called Fisherman.
Angler (trait, 4 points)
Raises Fishing. Knows how to make and fix a rod, and make chum. Does not know nets.
Former Scout (trait, 6 points)
Raises First Aid, Foraging and Fishing. Also knows how to make and fix a rod, and make chum.
Fast Learner (trait)
130% XP in every skill, including Fishing.
Watch out: point costs change
The game makers still tune traits and jobs. Always read the numbers on your own character screen.
Books, magazines and tapes
Fishing is a normal skill, so its 5 books give the full boost: 3, 5, 8, 12 and 16 times XP at levels 0-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 and 9-10.
| Magazine | Teaches |
|---|---|
| Angler USA, June 1993 | Make a fishing rod, fix a rod, make chum |
| Angler USA, May 1993 | Make a fishing net, salvage wire from a broken net |
Secret: the TV teaches fishing on Day 1
The Life and Living fishing show airs on day 1, before 6 in the morning. The normal game starts at 9, so you miss it. Sandbox: Start Hour Set your sandbox start hour earlier and you get free Fishing XP. Another fishing show airs that evening at 6. Exposure Survival VHS tapes also give XP.
Chapter 3
Rod, line and hook
A rod is 3 parts working together. Each part matters.
The rod
A Fishing Rod is found in the world. A Makeshift Fishing Rod is crafted from a Wooden Rod. Found rods can take a hard fight about 25% longer and can be repaired.
The line
3 kinds: twine, fishing line, and premium fishing line. Premium line lasts about 3 times as long as twine. Weak line snaps on big fish.
The hook
A real hook is best. A nail works. A paperclip works, but badly.
| Hook | Bite bonus |
|---|---|
| Fishing Hook, Forged Hook, Bone Hook | 1.2 times (best) |
| Nail | 1.0 (normal) |
| Paperclip | 0.8 times (worst) |
Make a Makeshift Fishing Rod
You need to know the recipe first. The Fishing Guide job, the Angler trait, the Former Scout trait, or the June 1993 Angler USA magazine teach it. Then craft it from a Wooden Rod, 2 units of line, and a hook piece. You also need a sharp knife.
Watch out: old rod recipes are wrong
Videos from Build 41 say "plank plus twine plus nail". That recipe is gone. Trust your crafting menu.
Secret: a rod is also a weapon
A rod can whack up to 2 zombies at a time. It does almost no damage. Use it only to shove something back while you switch weapons.
Chapter 4
Bait
No bait means no fish. Only trash. Bait is not optional.
| Bait | Where you get it | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Worms | Foraging, especially farmland after rain | The all-round bait. Even muskellunge take them. |
| Crickets, grasshoppers, cockroaches | Foraging with the Insects focus | Work on most fish. |
| Maggots | Dead zombies | Endless supply. A workhorse bait. |
| Fish fillets | Cut from your own catch | Keep 1 fillet from every fish for the next cast. |
| Bait fish | Fishing nets | The bait muskellunge and gar want. |
| Lures (Jig Lure, Minnow Lure) | Loot, tackle stores | Almost never used up. Most fish take them. |
Fish sizes
Your Fishing level sets the size odds, not your bait. Level 0: 95% small, 5% medium. Level 10: 10% small, 40% medium, 50% big.
Lures last
At level 0, a lure is lost about 1 catch in 30, and less often as you level. Live bait is eaten on most catches.
Watch out: bait gets wasted on lost fish
If a fish bites and you are too slow, or it gets away, your bait is gone. Landing trash does not use up bait. Reel in as soon as you feel a bite.
Secret: the forager is the angler's best friend
Insects come from Foraging. Worms love farm soil at night and in rain. Fill a jar of bugs before each trip. See the Foraging guide.
Chapter 5
Find the fish
Fish live in schools. A school makes ripples. Empty water gives almost nothing.
Read the water
Walk the shore and look for ripples or splashes on the surface. That is a school. Cast into it. The more fish under your bobber, the faster they bite.
| Fish near your bobber | Bite speed |
|---|---|
| None | 0.1 times. Almost nothing. |
| 1 to 9 | 0.5 times |
| 10 to 25 | Normal |
| 26 or more | 1.5 times |
The 3 placement rules
- Cast 8 or more tiles from the shore. Closer casts halve your chance of medium and big fish, and bites take twice as long. A pier does not count as shore.
- Cast at least 3 tiles from yourself. Closer than that, bites take 3 times as long.
- Keep it quiet. Schools react to noise. No shooting, no shouting, no zombies stumbling in.
Best waters
- The Ohio River and the big lakes are the best grounds.
- Ponds work, but small ponds run out of fish. Rotate between spots.
- A riverside base turns fishing from a trip into a chore you do at home.
Secret: chum makes ripples
No ripples? Throw in chum. It draws fish into a new school where you want it. Chapter 9 explains how to make it.
Chapter 6
Cast and fight
This is the part that catches new anglers out. Fishing now has controls, and a line that can snap.
Bait the hook and take aim
Equip the rod in both hands. Attach bait or a lure. Stand by the water and hold the right mouse button. A targeting cursor appears, just like aiming a gun.
Cast onto the ripples
Move the cursor onto the ripples, far from shore. Click. Your bobber lands there. Now wait. Do not walk around.
Feel the bite
When a fish bites, your survivor arches backwards and starts working the rod. A tension meter appears above their head.
Play the tension game
Hold left mouse to reel. The fish comes closer, but tension rises. When the fish tugs and the meter climbs high, hold right mouse to give slack. Tension drops. Then reel again.
Keep the meter in the middle. Too high and the line snaps. Too loose for too long and the fish escapes.
Try it: the tension game
Hold the Reel button to bring the fish in. Let go to give slack. Keep the bar out of the red.
This toy shows the idea, not the game's exact numbers.
Watch out: do not move while fighting
Stepping backwards mid-fight causes failures. Plant your feet and work the mouse.
Watch out: the line is a consumable
A found Fishing Rod does not wear out. Its line does. Every snap costs line. Bring spare twine or fishing line and a few nails.
Chapter 7
Best times and weather
Fish bite on their own schedule. Fish at the right time and you wait half as long.
Bite calculator: how good is right now?
The calculator multiplies the game's own bite bonuses together. The numbers come from the official wiki.
Best day
- Dawn or dusk
- 15 to 30°C
- Light rain
- A real hook
- A big school
Worst day
- Midday
- Below freezing
- Fog or wind
- A paperclip
- Empty water
Watch out: winter fishing is slow
Below freezing, bites drop to half speed. At -10°C or colder, a quarter. Fish hard in spring, summer and autumn. Freeze or dry the extra.
Chapter 8
Meet the fish
7 common fish, each with a size range. Bigger fish mean more food and more XP.
| Fish | Small | Medium | Big | Takes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 10 to 23 cm | 24 to 37 cm | 38 to 51 cm | Maggots best. Worms, bait fish, lures |
| Channel Catfish | 10 to 16 cm | 17 to 23 cm | 24 to 30 cm | Dog food best. Meat, worms, bread, lures |
| White Crappie | 10 to 16 cm | 17 to 23 cm | 24 to 30 cm | Tadpoles best. Bait fish, leeches, worms, lures |
| Yellow Perch | 10 to 16 cm | 17 to 23 cm | 24 to 30 cm | Snails best. Insects, leeches, worms, lures |
| Muskellunge | 10 to 40 cm | 41 to 70 cm | 71 to 101 cm | Little Bait Fish best. Worms, meat, lures |
| Bluegill | 10 to 13 cm | 14 to 16 cm | 17 to 20 cm | Crickets best. Leeches, worms, insects, lures |
| Walleye | 10 to 33 cm | 34 to 56 cm | 57 to 80 cm | Leeches best. Insects, bait fish, worms, lures |
The game has 20 kinds of fish in all. Others include white bass, sauger, freshwater drum, paddlefish, blue catfish and alligator gar. Big kinds only bite once your Fishing level is high enough. Muskellunge need Fishing 8. Alligator gar need Fishing 10.
Secret: how much a fish feeds you
A bigger fish weighs more. The heavier the fish, the more hunger it fixes. A big catfish is a feast.
Secret: the gar only comes when you reel
Predators only strike while your line is tight from reeling, never while the bobber sits still. They are the alligator gar, muskellunge, blue catfish and flathead catfish. Keep the line moving if you want one.
Watch out: trash is normal, even at high skill
Seaweed, dirty rags, tin cans, empty bottles and broken nets all come up. Skill cuts the rate at levels 5, 7 and 9. Empty water gives trash at any level.
Chapter 9
Nets, chum and the pike loop
Nets catch bait fish while you sleep. Bait fish catch muskellunge, the giant of the pike family. It is one of the biggest prizes in the water.
Make chum
Chum is fish-attracting mush. Throw it in the water to create a new school where you want one.
Make a fishing net
A net is a passive trap. Place it in the water. Walk away. Come back later for bait fish. Nets also catch crayfish, tadpoles, frogs and mussels. Bait a net with chum and it can even catch a catfish.
Watch out: nets need both materials
Old guides say "10 twine or 5 wire". In the current game you need both. Wire is the hard part. Strip it from electrical junk.
Go for muskellunge
A muskellunge only bites once you reach Fishing 8. Bait your rod with a bait fish from the net. Use your strongest line. Cast far into a school at dawn. Keep the line tight, because it only strikes while you reel. When it bites, be patient on the tension meter. It fights hard and long.
Chapter 10
From catch to plate
A fish on the bank is not food yet.
Fillet it
Right-click the fish with a sharp knife. Slice it into fillets. Filleting trains the Butchering skill, not Fishing. Keep 1 fillet as bait for next time.
Cook it
Raw fish can make you sick. Fry it, or add fillets to a soup or stew. Cooked fish is filling and healthy.
Store the rest
Fish rot fast. Freeze what you cannot eat today. After the power dies, dry or salt it if you can, or catch only what you need each day.
Secret: fish roe
Filleting a fish sometimes gives a Fish Roe Sac, most often in spring. Mix it with a little water in a bowl to make fish roe. That gives 10 Fishing XP.
Chapter 11
Fixing your gear
Lines snap. Rods break. A good angler carries the fix.
Reline a rod
When the line breaks, right-click the rod and fix it. The nail or paperclip is used up. Some line is used up. You need to know the recipe.
Found rod
The rod itself does not wear out. Only its line. A lineless found rod still works as a weapon.
Makeshift rod
When the line goes, the makeshift rod is used up. Craft a new one.
Secret: the fishing kit
Keep a small bag with 2 rods, spare line, 10 nails, a knife and a jar of bait. Grab it and go. No trip ends early.
Chapter 12
Training plan: 0 to 10
XP scales with the length of the fish: 2 XP per centimeter, before boosts. Big fish level you fast. Trash gives just 1 XP.
Levels 0 to 2: learn the meter
Read Fishing I. Watch the Exposure Survival tapes. Take worms and a nail-hooked rod to a school at dawn. Cast far. Practice the reel-and-slack rhythm on small fish, where a snapped line costs little.
Levels 3 to 6: the slow middle
Players report this stretch drags. Read Fishing II and III. Use a real hook and better line. Fish only at dawn and dusk in mild, rainy weather. Every bite now counts for more.
Levels 7 to 10: go big
Build nets at 6. Catch bait fish. From Fishing 8, hunt muskellunge with premium line. Each one is a pile of XP. Read Fishing IV and V as you reach them.
Secret: start as a Fishing Guide and skip the grind
Level 3 on day 1 skips the easy levels and lands you in the slow middle with all the recipes already known. For a river base, it is the best 2 points you can spend.
Level by level: Fishing
The best single thing to do at each level. Read the matching book first when one exists.
| Level | Do this for most of your XP | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 1 | Read Fishing I. Cast a rod at dawn from a dock | Dawn and dusk give a 1.2x bite multiplier |
| 1 to 2 | Same dock, same hours. Use a hook, not a bare line | Better hooks raise bite odds |
| 2 to 3 | Cast 8 or more tiles from shore | Deep water, more bites |
| 3 to 4 | Read Fishing II. Fish a second spot | Fish population drops in an over-fished spot |
| 4 to 5 | Build a net at 5 wire and 10 twine when you can | Nets catch while you do other things |
| 5 to 6 | Read Fishing III. Fish through the tension minigame carefully | Bigger fish give more XP if you land them |
| 6 to 7 | Worms and bait fish in big water | Each new level lets bigger kinds of fish bite |
| 7 to 8 | Read Fishing IV. Rotate 3 spots | Keeps population high at each |
| 8 to 9 | Fish in good weather at dusk | Weather and time multipliers stack |
| 9 to 10 | Read Fishing V. Fillet every catch for Butchering too | Two skills per fish |
Fishing trip checklist
Gear
Timing
Safety
Your ticks are saved in this browser, on this device only.
Chapter 13
Tips, tricks and fixes
20 tips from the riverbank
Before you cast
- Start the game before 6 AM to catch the Day 1 fishing TV show.
- Take the Fishing Guide job for a river base. Level 3 plus every recipe.
- Fill a jar with worms and insects before each trip.
- Use a real hook. It is a 20% bite bonus over a nail.
- Fish at dawn or dusk, in mild weather, in light rain.
On the water
- Look for ripples. Never cast into flat water.
- Cast 8 or more tiles from shore.
- Cast at least 3 tiles from your own feet.
- Stand still during the fight.
- Reel, then slack, then reel. Never hold reel through a tug.
- Barely any tension? It is trash. Reel it in fast and recast.
- Keep reeling now and then if you want a gar.
- Rotate spots. Small ponds empty out.
- Be quiet. Schools scatter from noise.
After the catch
- Fillet on the bank. Keep one fillet as bait.
- Cook everything. Raw fish is a gamble.
- Freeze the surplus the same day.
- Reline your rod at home, not at the water.
- Build nets at Fishing 6 for free bait fish.
- Save bait fish for muskellunge and your strongest line.
Fix-it table
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Nothing bites for ages. | Empty water, cold, or midday. | Find ripples or use chum. Fish at dawn in mild weather. |
| I only catch trash. | No bait, or a bad spot. | Bait the hook. Cast into a school, far from shore. |
| The line keeps snapping. | Reeling through the tugs, or weak line. | Give slack when tension spikes. Upgrade twine to fishing line. |
| The fish escapes. | Too much slack for too long. | Reel whenever the tension is low. |
| Every fish is tiny. | Casting too close to shore, or low skill. | Cast 8+ tiles out. Level up. |
| I cannot make a rod. | You do not know the recipe. | Angler USA June 1993, or a fishing job or trait. |
| I cannot make a net. | No recipe, or missing wire. | Angler USA May 1993 or Fishing 6. You need twine and wire. |
| No muskellunge or gar ever bites. | Your Fishing level is too low, or your line is still. | Reach Fishing 8, then keep reeling. |
| I got sick from fish. | You ate it raw or rotten. | Cook it fresh. |
| Fishing feels slow to level. | Levels 3 to 6 drag, players say. | Read the books. Chase bigger fish. |
Chapter 14
Angler's test
7 questions. Get them all right and the river is yours.
Chapter 15
Words and sources
Angler's word list
- School
- A group of fish swimming together. It makes ripples.
- Ripples
- Rings and splashes on the water. The sign of a school.
- Cast
- Throwing your line out onto the water.
- Bobber
- The float on your line that shows where your bait is.
- Tension
- How tight the line is. Too tight and it snaps.
- Reel
- Winding the line in. Brings the fish closer, raises tension.
- Slack
- Letting line out. Lowers tension.
- Lure
- Fake bait that is almost never used up.
- Chum
- Mush thrown in the water to attract fish.
- Bait fish
- Tiny fish caught in nets, used as bait for big fish.
- Fillet
- A boneless slice of fish, ready to cook.
- Roe
- Fish eggs. Sometimes found when you fillet a fish.
- Reline
- Putting a new line on a rod after a snap.
How sure are we?
Every fact here was checked in September 2026. We checked the game files for version 42.21.0. The order of trust was: the official wiki first, then well-sourced fan guides, then player reports.
The game still gets updates. A few things may differ in your game:
- The bite multipliers. From a fan guide quoting the official wiki's 42.18 fishing page. The official wiki confirmed the minigame controls directly.
- Makeshift rod recipe requirements. Sources disagree on which skill level auto-learns it. The guide says to trust your crafting menu.
- Net materials. "10 twine and 5 wire" comes from a fan guide checked on 42.20.4.
- Filleting. The official wiki says filleting trains Butchering. One fan guide claims a high Butchering level is required to fillet. That claim is not repeated here.
- Predators only striking while reeling. First a player report about the alligator gar. The game files confirm it.
- Job and trait costs. Confirmed on the official wiki, but they may change.
- Checked against the game files (42.21.0). Bite multipliers, cast distance rules, fish kinds, sizes and baits, the Fishing level each big fish needs, XP per fish, trash items, recipes, jobs, traits and TV show times.
Sources
- PZwiki (the official wiki): Fishing, Fishing Rod, Makeshift Fishing Rod, Fishing Guide, Angler (trait), Former Scout, Butchering
- Build42guide.wiki fishing page (multipliers, fish table, recipes), citing PZwiki's 42.18 Fishing page and the official Build 42 feature list
- PZfans fishing and fishing net guides (controls, rod parts, hook values, net recipe on 42.20.4)
- Vortex Gaming Build 42 fishing guide (rod, line and hook comparison)
- Steam Community discussions (chum, trash rates, gar behavior)