How to get a fishing rod and catch fish - Valheim

Get a fishing rod and bait and start catching fish in Valheim.

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One thing that everyone loves to do in survival-crafting games is catch fish and Valheim is no different. Before you can put on your angler hat and start reeling in fish, you will need to first get a fishing rod, which is actually a bit of an involved process. Here’s what you need to know about getting a fishing rod and catching fish in Valheim.

How to get a fishing rod

fishing rod valheim
You must buy a fishing rod from Haldor the merchant if you want to go fishing. Don't forget to buy bait!

In Valheim, there is currently no way to craft a fishing rod. The only way to get one is to buy a fishing rod from Haldor the merchant. A fishing rod costs 350 gold coins and fishing bait costs 10 gold coins for a stack of 50. Early on in the game, it’s unlikely players will have access to 360 gold coins, so consider fishing once you’ve set up your base and progressed through the various ages.

How to catch a fish

catching fish valheim
Catching fish in Valheim is a great way to source other types of food.

Unless you happen to find a fish washed up on the shoreline, you will actually need to learn how to go fishing in Valheim. Once you’ve purchased your fishing rod and bait, take it to the water. You will need to find some water where fish are swimming about.

Thankfully, fishing in Valheim is rather easy and only uses two buttons on the mouse:

  • Left-click: Casts the line out. Hold click to charge it and cast further.
  • Right-click: Hooks the fish and reels in the line.

After casting out the fishing line, wait for bubbles to appear around the bobber, at this point a fish is interested. Wait for the bobber to dip below the water and then right-click and hold it to hook the fish and begin reeling. A message will appear on-screen saying “hooked” and you will see the line coming back toward you.

Keep in mind, reeling in a fish uses stamina and if you run out of stamina the fish will be lost. Make sure you eat up before your fishing trip. Things like neck tail and cooked meat will provide you with more stamina than a fruit diet.

Now that you’ve got a fishing rod and know how to catch fish, you can start adding a new type of food to your Viking’s diet. Take a moment to stop by the Shacknews Valheim guide for more tips and guides to get you started.

Guides Editor

Hailing from the land down under, Sam Chandler brings a bit of the southern hemisphere flair to his work. After bouncing round a few universities, securing a bachelor degree, and entering the video game industry, he's found his new family here at Shacknews as a Guides Editor. There's nothing he loves more than crafting a guide that will help someone. If you need help with a guide, or notice something not quite right, you can message him on X: @SamuelChandler 

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