Lore:Fishing Mastery
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Book 1
So you have decided to learn how to fish! Good for you! It's a noble endeavor, and with plenty of practice, it can be profitable one.
Keep in mind that every journey begins with a single step, one that is usually clumsy and will end with you falling on your face. That is why, for your first lesson, it's recommended that you stick to calmer skies and fairer climates, where the fish will happily bite on even the most unattractive of hooks.
This guidebook details four types of fish that are ideal for beginners. They are most common on a clear day near streams and lakes in the fairer parts of Skyrim away from snow and ice.
The places one can catch these fish are too numerous to mention here, but an excellent way to begin one's fishing journey is to start by casting your line right off the docks near the Riften Fishery into Lake Honrich.
Once you've had your fill of lake fish, head west to try your hand at fishing from the river that runs alongside Ivarstead. End your journey at Vilemyr Inn with aching arms and a full belly.
Caught in Temperate Lakes and Streams
Large in Size
Uncommonly Caught
Seen in Fair Weather
They say the carp is the Jarl of the Karth River. Royal, stately, and austere. This sounds like it would taste very tough and chewy, but that is not the case! Eat until your scales swell!
Carp are very popular for many reasons. Some even keep them as pets. But they are too big for most fish tanks. Better to eat them.
Caught in Temperate Lakes
Small in Size
Commonly Caught
Seen in Fair Weather
Glassfish are a common fish one can see through like a window! They are not so different than us on the inside. The best time to catch them is on a clear day, but if you are lucky, you can catch them on a rainy day as well.
While their natural habitats are deep subterranian waterways, glassfish can be caught in the open waters of warm, clear lakes when they swim above ground for spawning.
They say that if you eat a glassfish, you'll become clear as glass yourself.
Caught in Temperate Lakes
Small in Size
Uncommonly Caught
Seen in Fair Weather
Goldfish are known for being kind. They would much rather talk things out than get into a fight. This doesn't mean they will be friends with your hook. You will need to woo them, like any fish.
Like glassfish, you won't find them in a river. The next time you think you've spotted a septim glistening at the bottom of a small pond, there's a chance it might be a friendly goldfish staring back instead.
Caught in Temperate Streams
Large in Size
Commonly Caught
Seen in Fair and Rainy Weather
A long, bright fish with silver scales and a claw-shaped mouth. I should ask Viriya what she thinks of pogfish. Perhaps she might like them just as much as mudcrab.
You can also find a pogfish on a rainy day. Sometimes they are just in a gloomy mood.
Pogfish use their powerful fins to swim up and down the rivers of Skyrim, most commonly in the Reach. Spend some time fishing along a stream and your lure will catch the clawed face of a pogfish before you know it.
If you manage to obtain all these fish, congratulations! You have graduated from novice to apprentice. If you are so inclined, feel free to bring proof of your catches to the Fishery in Riften. We are always looking for new friends to add to our collection!
Book 2
Come rain or shine, the fish will bite! Well, some fish come when it shines, others when it rains. For our next lesson, we will focus on the latter.
The fish in this guide come to the surface more often in the rain in the temperate parts of Skyrim. Some say they like the rain, or that they are gloomy fish who hate the sun.
In truth, they enjoy watching the ripples dance along the surface above them and want to join in on the festivities. Even fish want to enjoy themselves from time to time.
For advice on where to fish, refer to the first volume of this illustrious series of guides. The places are the same, the only difference is... rain! For a change of pace, try fishing along the White River east of Whiterun, and follow it south to Lake Ilinalta.
Caught in Temperate Lakes
Large in Size
Commonly Caught
Seen in Rainy Weather
Catfish are very large, nosy fish, and it will know them by their whiskers. They can be found in any warm lake in Skyrim large enough to swim freely in.
Keep in mind catfish do not meow like cats, nor will they pick your pocket, so feel free to let your coin purse dangle.
Caught in Temperate Lakes and Streams
Small in Size
Uncommonly Caught
Seen in Rainy Weather
The pearlfish comes next on the list. They are less common than catfish, and smaller too, but they are adorable little fish all the same.
As a side note, a pearlfish has no pearls. Their name comes from the way they gather near clams along the northern shore. Strange, then, that it is not called a clamfish.
Caught in Temperate Lakes
Small in Size
Commonly Caught
Seen in Rainy Weather
A small lake fish named after the sun but seen most often in the rain. I am not saying the fish is a liar, but if you ever meet the person who named it, they are not to be trusted. They can also be found on a sunny day, but it is as rare as the sun in a storm.
Pygmy sunfish are often seen by travelers who stop to enjoy the hot springs of Eastmarch. If you aren't paying attention while you relax, you may be in for a surprise!
Caught in Temperate Streams
Small in Size
Uncommonly Caught
Seen in Rainy Weather
The spadefish is shaped like a disc, with brush-like teeth. Maybe it will give your hook a good cleaning while it bites.
It's best to stick to rivers to catch them. I've heard rumors that they love to splash about beneath waterfalls in the Reach.
That concludes our guide to fishing in the rain. Keep in mind that these are but four of many species you can catch on a rainy day, so be sure to keep at it until you reel in what you desire.
If you feel your skill is lacking, do not lose confidence! Fish can tell when you have cast a nervous line. They will tell their entire school what a bad fisher you are and how your bait shakes like a bone trap. Do not give them the satisfaction.
Once you have managed to catch the fish in this guide, you have risen to the rank of adept!
Book 3
Skyrim is known for its cold. Just say the word to an outlander and a shiver will run up their spine before biting them in the neck. But for an aspiring fisher, this miserable frozen snowscape is more bark than bite, and an opportunity to discover new, deep water fish.
In this guidebook you will find tips for catching fish in arctic, snow-fringed waters. The most important tip being to keep yourself warm, your cast true, and your line steady. Let the shivers crawl up the fish instead.
Any place with freezing water will do, but if you're looking for a few places to get started, try fishing the Yorgrim River off the docks of Windhelm. Fishing from the sea near the ships in Dawnstar should also lead to a few bites. Finally, Nightgate Inn has a small lake that visitors have been known to enjoy casting their lines into during their stays.
Caught in Freezing Waters
Small in Size
Commonly Caught
Seen in Any Weather
To catch an angler is a feat best reserved for master fishermen, but their hatchlings are a different story. Angler larvae thrive along the sea floor, but often come to the surface and become enticed by the gleam of a fisherman's shiny hook.
Size does not matter here. The Fishery will not judge you for trying to catch a baby fish. The fully grown angler will be yours in due time.
Caught in Freezing Waters
Large in Size
Uncommonly Caught
Seen in Any Weather
The char is a cold-water, spotted fish, native to the coastal shores of Skyrim. It is less common than the grayling, so patience must be had when fishing for it. When I need to be patient, I like to count fish in my head, but you must come up with your own method. If you copy mine, you must pay royalties.
Some have taken to calling it "Captain's Bane" as they are known to gather near shipwrecks. For that reason, having an arctic char swim alongside your vessel is an ill omen indeed.
Caught in Freezing Waters
Large in Size
Commonly Caught
Seen in Any Weather
A long, tapered fish that is a cousin of the salmon. Ours is to wonder if they have family gatherings, but this is unlikely, given how the grayling prefers the cold.
Some say the grayling is the "Lady of the Ice." True to its name, it is an elegant fish, and dances in the water beneath the ice floes in the Sea of Ghosts. I have seen it.
Caught in Freezing Waters
Large in Size
Uncommonly Caught
Seen in Any Weather
The cod is at home in any frozen river, such as the coldest parts of the White River as it winds its way past Windhelm.
The cod is a remarkable fish, which you can identify by its three dorsal fins. They say all the best things come in threes. A good play has three acts. A sandwich has three parts. The Dunmer worship three gods. Triangles.
Speaking of threes, this concludes the third volume on our guide to fishing mastery. Once you have caught all of the fish in this book, you have risen to the enviable rank of expert. Well done!
Book 4
If you ever find yourself staring into the abyss and wondering what you've done with your life, do not fret. It is likely not the void of death that is standing before you, but rather, one of Skyrim's many caverns, mines, and other dark places. It is a darkness that, if you're lucky, will be full of water and teeming with fish.
But be forewarned, while you may be a seasoned adventurer, only an expert fisherman should attempt to fish these uncharted waters. While they won't kill you, if you fail to catch one you may just die of embarrasment, and that is a fate far worse. Fortunately, this guidebook will help you avoid having to hear the mocking laughter of fish echoing in your skull.
Before we get to the fish, we should first discuss the places one can go that are suitable for fishing in the dark.
Brood Cavern, in the mountains south of Morthal, is well known by hunters as a place of shelter and hungry fish eager to bite your hook. You may have to contend with wild animals that sometimes reside in its cool depths, so pack something sharp to go along with your fishing rod.
Embershard Mine near the sleepy town of Riverwood is said to be flooded deep within, and may be a hidden gem for subterranean fish seekers. It is too bad that bandits and thugs have been seen by many coming and going from its entrance. It may be best to fish elsewhere for now.
For the truly brave, Chillwind Depths south of the Dragon Bridge is rumored to have dark waters that ripple with life. Take care not to venture far from the entrance, as this cave is known to be infested with frostbite spiders.
These are only a few of the many deep places one may find a good fishing spot. Those that fancy themselves as explorers will no doubt turn up numerous places to cast their lines underground.
Caught Underground
Large in Size
Commonly Caught
Legend has it that the direfish has a bit of dragon blood coursing through its fish veins. It would be a dire situation indeed if you pulled your rod up and a dragon was on the other side.
Direfish have been known to enjoy giving underground explorers a fright by splashing the waters of the underground lakes they inhabit when anyone passes by.
Caught Underground
Large in Size
Commonly Caught
The glass catfish is also known as the ghost catfish, or the phantom catfish. Those names might be too frightening for timid fisherman, so we call it the glass catfish to help soothe your nerves.
To me, cutting my scales on glass is a scarier thought than a ghostly catfish. Perhaps I am alone in thinking this way.
Like the glassfish, the glass catfish is native to deep subterranean waters where the sun is a distant memory.
Caught Underground
Large in Size
Uncommonly Caught
I will let you in on a secret. I have a fear, one that is quite common in Skyrim. I am terrified of... things with three legs. Why use three, instead of four? It seems like an accident waiting to happen. What, you thought I was terrified of spiders? They are good for pest control.
I know I said good things come in threes, but the tripod spiderfish is an exception. It is a long, terrifying creature, found stalking the bottom of underground lakes. It does not use its eyes to find food, but rather it perches on its fins and senses the movement of its prey.
Caught Underground
Large in Size
Uncommonly Caught
Caves are dark, and creatures of the night are drawn to their shadowy splendor. The vampire fish is much like its namesake, swimming in dark pools, baring sharp fangs. Ours is to wonder if they also have tiny coffins to sleep in. If you manage to catch such a fish, let me know.
We have completed our dark and treacherous journey into the world of underground fish. If you have the determination to catch all of the fish within these pages, you are a true fishing master. Fine work!
Book 5
As a master fisherman, you have accomplished almost everything.
You have fished in pools where the weather is fair, and hooked curious fish that come out for the rain. You have dipped your rods in half-frozen lakes, and in waters tucked away in bottomless caves. You have fished the breadth of Skyrim, from Winterhold to Falkreath, and become an expert of the craft. However, you still have more to learn.
The rarest fish cannot be lured with technique alone. One must center themselves, and be in tune with the water mentally and spiritually. You also need more specialized rods, not the cheap ones you find at the general goods store.
The Nords are excellent craftsmen, but for the rarest, most exquisite, most delectable, most vaingloriously spectacular fish, you must use rods of Alik'ri and Argonian make.
If you have managed to obtain such rods, then you are ready to embark on your final test. Good luck.
Caught in Temperate Lakes
Small in Size
Rarely Caught
Seen in Any Weather
Caught with Alik'ri Fishing Rod
The angelfish is a rare jewel of a fish. They prefer freshwater lakes in mild climates, but they are far from delicate. While they are small, angelfish can be quite aggressive towards other fish.
Their natural habitat is a mystery, but stories of angelfish swimming in glades untouched by man or mer have sparked many fisherman's imaginations.
Caught in Freezing Waters
Large in Size
Rarely Caught
Seen in Any Weather
Caught with Argonian Fishing Rod
The angler is an ugly brute of a fish that swims in the deepest trenches of the Sea of Ghosts. It fancies itself a fisherman by wearing a lure on its head to attract other fish. However, in this world there is always a bigger fish, and a bigger lure. You are the angler that will catch the angler, if your rod is up to it.
Caught in Temperate Streams
Small in Size
Rarely Caught
Seen in Any Weather
Caught with Alik'ri Fishing Rod
It is said that the lyretail anthias is a social butterfly. One look at its color and you can see why. Its vibrant scales make even an Argonian jealous.
A local legend is one of a fisherman who became lost in the woods and was lured into a beautiful grove by the sound of the wind through the evergreen trees. There, he saw lyretail swimming in a pool that was clear as glass. Of course, the spriggan that dwelled there made his legend a short one.
Caught Underground
Large in Size
Rarely Caught
Caught with Argonian Fishing Rod
They say there exists a cavern so dark that it drives any who delve it to madness. It is in these untouched depths that the scorpion fish finds its home. They also say that fishermen have plenty of time to concoct the most outlandish of tales.
When I think about the scorpion fish, I am reminded of the old tale about the frog and the scorpion. The scorpion wanted to cross the water, and the frog said "Why don't we fish in the water instead?" So that's what they did, and they became the best of friends.
You have made the fishing hero's journey, legendary fisherman. In conclusion, I will leave you with the words my master told me.
Think back to the tripod spiderfish. In many ways, it is a lot like you. A fisherman can feel the movements of a fish underwater as they swim curiously around their hook. They make their lure an invitation rather than a threat. And when they sense the subtle tug on their line, they know the moment they must strike. It is an unexplainable oneness with nature, the lure, and their prey.
No matter your techniques or peculiar habits, the truth is on the hook. For when you catch the rarest of fish, you will have proven once and for all that you are a fishing legend, one who bows to no one.
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