How to fish in Destiny 2 and how to catch exotic fish

Want to learn how to fish in Destiny 2? Added in Season 21 of Bungie’s space-faring FPS, fishing has quickly become one of the game’s most relaxing activities. There’s no high octane action to be had here, just chill vibes and scenic vistas. Fishing has received plenty of praise as a relaxing little feature that adds something fun to the game.

We’re going to cover everything you need to know about how to fish in Destiny 2, including focused fishing, how to catch exotic fish, and more. There’s plenty of satisfaction to be had here, but it’s also a necessary step if you’re looking to pick up the Aquanaut title or the new Wicked Implement exotic.

How to go fishing in Destiny 2

To start fishing in Destiny 2, you’ll need pick up the Fishing Tackle. Once you have this item, you can carry out the fishing-related quest which originally launched with Season of the Deep. After this, you’ll be able to fish at any of the three fishing spots around the system. You also need to have bait in order to fish, but this is fairly easy to come by.

How to get bait in Destiny 2

Bait isn’t too hard to obtain, as you can earn it fairly passively just by playing the game. Make sure you have the fishing tackle, as you’ll need it in order to collect any bait at all. Completing playlist activities, patrols, public events, and seasonal activities will all reward fishing bait. Deep Dives are particularly good for this as you can also collect bait as destination materials. They should be available as an activity until at least the end of Season 23.

Where to fish in Destiny 2

To catch fish, you’ll need to take part in the activity at fishing platforms, found in assigned locations. There are three different coastal zones across the system. The exact spots can vary a little along the coastal zones, and are only active temporarily. When a nearby public event opens, they’ll close, then come back shortly after the event concludes. The zones are:

Earth – the outskirts in the EDZ

Nessus – The Cistern

Savathun’s Throne World – The Miasma

When you get close to a pond, you should be able to see a beam of light in the sky helping to lead you to it. It’s also worth noting that some fishing ponds will be more active than others on some days, giving you better chances to catch higher quality fish.

How to get the Fishing Tackle in Destiny 2

The Fishing Tackle is your bait container, and you’ll need it if you want to gather bait to go fishing with. Initially, you needed to load in and complete the opening three seasonal missions for Season 21, starting with The Descent. These three missions were also free to all players.

Now, rather than Operation Thunderbolt and Into The Depths, you should be able to grab the fishing tackle directly from Suraya Hawthorne at the tower. She can be found down near the bazar, not far from Ikora Rey. When you collect it, she’ll give you the Gone Fishin’ quest.

How to complete the Gone Fishin’ quest

You’ll next need to collect 20 bait to start your initial fishing spree. Once you’ve got it, you’ll be able to begin the Gone Fishin’ quest to catch fish and deposit them into the aquarium onboard the H.E.L.M. Completing this last fishing-specific mission will open up the activity permanently, allowing you to fish as often as you like.

With your Fishing Tackle and your bait in hand, head over to the EDZ. You’ll find a fishing hook icon on your map showing roughly where the new fishing spot is.

After you’ve fished here, head to the spot on Nessus and the spot on Savathun’s Throne World, catching some fish in each. Once you’ve done some fishing in all three locations, you can finally complete Hawthorne’s quest and return to the H.E.L.M to bank your fish into the fish tank gambit style. This will conclude the Gone Fishin’ quest. From here on, you’ll be free to fish at any of the spots as often as you like.

How to fish in Destiny 2

Once you reach the fishing area, use the interact button to throw your line into the water. Wait patiently, and your line will go taut. You’ll get an interaction on screen called “catch”, prompting you to use the interaction button again to pull your fish out of the water. Do so successfully and you’ll pull up a fish. If you time this right, you can also get “perfect catch”, which increases your chances of pulling up a rarer fish.

Keep in mind though that even a perfect catch doesn’t guarantee you’ll get a better fish – it just boosts your chances.

How to catch exotic fish in Destiny 2

Exotic fish are the rarest catches in the game, and they require a lot of patience, practice and luck to get. You will also need to catch them to get the Aquanaut title. And if you want to get your hands on the Pond Pals emblem, you’ll need to catch at least one of every exotic fish species in the game.

To catch exotic fish, you need to continue fishing in one spot for a long amount of time. You’ll usually catch them through luck, with exotic grades dropping very occasionally. An active fishing surge at the fishing spot and landing perfect catches will increase the chances that you reel up an exotic fish. The best way to boost your chances though is through having a high Focused Fishing metre.

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Did you know?

There are quite a lot of different fish to catch in Destiny 2. Specifically there are four uncommon types, 14 rare types, 22 legendary types, and four exotic types you can catch.

Focused fishing in Destiny 2

Focused fishing is a buff that’ll show up as a bar near the bottom left above your super. This buff will improve your chances at catching very rare fish. It will occasionally fill up any time you catch a fish and is likelier to fill up faster for perfect catches. It’ll fill up more when you catch legendary or exotic fish. Essentially, fishing in one location for a dedicated amount of time will increase the metre. Once high or full, your chances to catch legendary and exotic fish are improved substantially.

How to get rewards for fishing in Destiny 2

Though the relaxing nature of the activity will be reward enough in its own right for some, you can also pick up more tangible rewards for the activity. There are a number of triumphs for the Season of the Deep title, Aquanaut, that require some fishing.

Whenever you catch legendary or exotic fish, you’ll be able to return to the H.E.L.M to bank them again. Banking these can grant you legendary and exotic gear and materials, making it a decent method of farming in-game loot. Exotic fish will also show up in the central aquarium exhibit as you catch them.

That’s everything you’ll need to know about how to fish in Destiny 2 Season of The Deep. There are plenty of fish to collect, and while not the most intense activity out there, it’s certainly a relaxing event to participate in, and a good way to unwind in-game.

Season of the Deep introduced quite a bit, so if you’re stepping back into Destiny 2 and have more to catch up on, check out our other guides. From new weapons like the Epochal Integration hand cannon or the Centrifuse exotic auto rifle, to new items and materials, like Deepsight Harmonizer, we’ve got you covered. Alternatively if you’re looking for newer content, why not have a look at our step-by-step breakdown of the Starcrossed exotic mission so you can pick up the Wish-Keeper bow for your Guardian?

How do I get the Fishing Tackle in Destiny 2?

Complete the first three seasonal quests, The Descent, Operation Thunderbolt, and Into the Depths. After this, you’ll be able to speak to Hawthorne in the tower to acquire the Fishing Tackle.

How do I fish in Destiny 2?

Go to one of the fishing ponds in either the EDZ, Nessus, or Savathun’s Throne World. Make sure you have some bait. Approach the pond and use the interact button to throw out your line. When prompted, use the interact button again to reel the line back in and catch a fish.