How To Catch Fish In ARK Survival Ascended: Complete Fishing Guide

When it comes to gathering food in ARK Survival Ascended, fish stands out as one of the top choices, and fortunately, collecting it is remarkably straightforward. While you can attempt to catch fish by jumping into the water and grabbing them, there's an even easier option at your disposal: fishing.

Fishing in ARK Survival Ascended comes in two forms, using a Fishing Rod or hunting fish with a tame, and understanding both of these options is crucial for satisfying your culinary needs. Continue reading to discover how to fish in ARK Survival Ascended and ensure an abundance of delicious fish to satisfy your hunger.

How to Fish with a Fishing Rod in ARK Survival Ascended

The simplest method for obtaining fish in ARK Survival Ascended is by employing a Fishing Rod to capture Coelacanth, Sabertooth Salmon, or Piranha in bodies of water. To access the Engram for the fishing rod, you need to reach level 15, but it's worth noting that you must first unlock the Bow (at level 10) before being able to craft the rod. 

Crafting the fishing rod requires 50 fiber, 20 thatch, and 20 wood, and you can create it within the crafting tab of the player's inventory. And once crafted from your inventory, use Sap, Leech Blood, or Giant Bee Honey as bait. Craft a chair or bench, as fishing can only be done when sitting on something (you can also fish from the back of a mount). 

From there, you're ready to begin fishing. Drag your chosen bait onto the fishing rod to equip it, and position your chair or bench where you face a significant concentration of fish. When a fish bites your bait, a quick time event is triggered, requiring you to press the keys that appear on your screen within a 21-second timeframe. 

Successfully pressing the correct buttons results in the disappearance of the fish, and items appear in your inventory, accompanied by a message indicating that the fish has been reeled in. Pressing any button other than the indicated one or running out of time will cause the line to snap, resulting in the loss of the fish and the bait. 

It's crucial to emphasize that the fishing rod cannot be repaired, necessitating the crafting of a new one each time it wears out. Additionally, for those seeking a high-quality fishing rod, there's an opportunity to obtain one as a potential drop.

Alpha Tusoteuthis has a 100% drop chance for a really good fishing rod, while an Alpha Mosasaur provides a 20% drop chance. If you're up for the challenge, facing these Alpha creatures increases your chances of acquiring an exceptional fishing rod.

How to Hunt for Fish using Dinos in ARK Survival Ascended

If you lack patience and prefer a more active approach to fishing, you can enlist the help of your tamed creatures to catch fish for you. Specifically, you can command a tamed animal like Ichthyornis to hunt fish and store them in its inventory for you to collect.

To do this, approach your tamed dino, open its access settings, and change its behavior to Hunt and Retrieve. Choose a fish as its target, and it will hunt the fish, storing the deceased fish in its inventory. These stored fish can then be harvested for Raw Fish Meat or have a chance to yield Raw Prime Fish Meat. 

And with that, you now have a comprehensive guide on how to fish in ARK Survival Ascended, whether utilizing the Fishing Rod or employing a tamed dino. Make sure to gather an ample supply of fish to meet all your needs, and we extend our best wishes for success on your survival journey.