Key points
- You can start fishing after crafting your basic coarse net.
- Head over to the crafting table to find the coarse net recipe.
- After fishing three times with the net, you will unlock the recipe to craft the Ash Rod.
In the latest update for RuneScape: Dragon Wilds, you get to craft a fishing rod and a fishing net to catch elusive fish in the various water bodies across the regions. But first, you need to learn how to catch fish, and you can do that by following a secret questline.
Read More: RuneScape Dragonwilds – Biohazard Quest Guide
Runescape: Dragon Wilds – Fishing Overview
| Quest | Shrimp Catcher |
| Quest giver | Wise Old Man |
| Location | Bramblemead Valley |
How to Start Fishing

I stumbled across the fishing mechanics after interacting with the crafting table post the update. There were a couple of new recipes listed here: the coarse net, mystic net, wool net, and fine net. You will also find different fishing rods and bait listed, too.
Each net, rod, and bait type is region-specific, meaning that you can’t use certain net or rod types in other regions. Starting regions like Temple Woods and Bramblemead Valley will only allow the coarse net and Ash Rod to be used in their waters.
Next, you need to craft your starting coarse net, which requires 2x Thread. Once done, check your quest log to find a new quest called Shrimp Catcher. To start the quest, find the Wise Old Man in Bramblemead Valley.
This character and his location should be familiar to you, since he is one of the first NPCs you will interact with in the game. Speaking to him will start the fishing quest, and you can now head over to any nearby water body to start fishing.
How to Fish
This part had me a bit confused, since I couldn’t find the right spot in the water to fish. After a while, I realised that there are different spots in the water that pertain to different fishing equipment. For fishing rods, you need to fish within the larger circles that show up on the water’s surface, further away from the shoreline.
As for nets, you can only use them within the smaller circles near the banks. To start fishing with the fishing next, step close to the encircled area on the shoreline and cast your net. You will see your character using the net to catch small creatures under the water. Do this three times to unlock the Fishing Rod.
How to Get the Fishing Rod
After fishing three times, head over to your crafting table to find craftable fishing rods and baits. There are different levels of bait, and like the fishing net and rod, each bait is region-specific. The higher the level of the region, the better the bait should be to catch high-level fish.
Most baits will require creatures that you capture with the fishing rod or fishing net, so you should have the right ingredients to craft them. To use the fishing rod, first catch some shrimp using the coarse net and craft bait out of it. Then, use 1x Ash Log and 1x Coarse Thread to craft your first fishing rod, the Ash Rod.
How to Use the Fishing Rod
With these items in your inventory, make your way back to the water body and look for larger circles on the water. Stand near the edge of the water and press LMB to cast the line. Once the fish has latched on, use the left and right movement keys to pull the rod in the opposite direction of the fish’s movement.
If the fish is swimming left, then press the right movement key to pull the rod to the right. Keep doing this until the fish is tired, after which you can use the LMB to reel it in. You have now caught your first fish, so return to the Wise Old Man and hand it over to complete the quest.
Read More: RuneScape Dragon Wilds – How to Unlock & Craft Tier 6 Tools
FAQs
What rewards will I get for completing the quest?
You will get the following rewards:
- 3x Shrimp Bait
- 3x Feather Bait
- 1x Tome of Fishing
When can I craft better nets and rods?
You can craft them as soon as you get the right crafting materials, but you can’t use them until you reach the required regions.
I can’t find the Wise Old Man. What do I do?
This could be a bug, so restart the game and make sure you have the coarse net crafted and in your inventory to get the quest objective.

