Fishing in Valheim can be both relaxing and useful, fish can be used to create a few different items which will help you along with your adventures. You might be a little confused as to how to get started, and that's what we're here for. If you're curious about how to get a hold of a rod to start catching fish then keep reading below.
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Where To Get a Fishing Rod
At the time of writing Fishing Rods are the only tool that you can't make, whereas others can be crafted, you'll have to buy this one. First, you need to find Haldor the Merchant, you can find out more about him here. Once you locate him buy the Fishing Rod from him for 250G, also grab yourself some Fishing Bait which costs 10G for 50 pieces.
It's a little odd that players can't make their own Fishing Rod, thought this might be something that changes further down the line in terms of development. Overall it just adds to the challenge of the game, Haldor isn't the easiest to find so be sure to carry gold with you just in case you stumble across him.
How To Catch Fish
You can catch fish in rivers and general bodies of water, to get started equip your Fishing Rod. To cast, press and hold the Left Mouse button and let it go when you want to cast out. As with many games like Stardew Valley, the longer you hold onto the cast button the further it will go. Bear in mind that you'll lose a piece of Fish Bait every time you cast so be mindful of this. When a fish bites, the bobber will drop below the surface of the water, to hook the fish press the Right Mouse button then click and hold again to reel it in. Doing this will drain your stamina and it happens fast, as does most things in Valheim, so you might want to do some shorter casts, as it means less of a distance to reel in and less of a stamina drain. Pick up the fish when close enough and it will enter your inventory as raw fish.
As mentioned above, finding the merchant can be draining and your chances are usually quite slim but there is another way to fish if you're patient. You can actually catch fish without needing a rod at all, you'll need to enter into the body of water, enough so you're close to the fish but not enough that you begin swimming. Stand still and eventually the fish should begin swimming near you, use E to grab one. This is a much more tedious way to do it but it's the only other alternative.
How To Use Fish
Raw fish can be used to make Fish Wraps which is a consumable that will boost your stamina, just like all fish-based recipes. Just like meat, raw fish can also be cooked and eaten.
Although you currently can't craft a fishing rod, no doubt this could change in future updates, read more about the plans for Valheim with the 2021 roadmap. It's also worth checking out the most recent patch note for the titles here.