"Rune Slayer Fishing Guide: Basics and Tips"

If you ever questioned whether Rune Slayer qualifies as an MMORPG, here’s the answer: it includes fishing. And as everyone knows, if a game features fishing, it’s officially an MMORPG. But seriously—you’re here to understand how fishing works in Rune Slayer, and we’re here to guide you. We struggled with it too, but after some trial and error, we’ve figured out exactly how to catch fish in Rune Slayer. Spoiler: it’s nowhere near as straightforward as in Fisch.

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Before you catch fish in Rune Slayer

Screenshot by The Escapist Before you start fishing, make sure to accept the fishing quest from Simon the Fisherman (the white-haired NPC standing at one of the piers where the Barracuda swims). Simon wants you to catch five “fish,” and in exchange, he’ll give you a Tackle Box—more on why we used quotes later.

Here’s the catch: to catch fish, you need a fishing rod and some bait or tackle, and who sells those? You guessed it—Simon the Fisherman.

Screenshot by The Escapist So, buy a Wood Fishing Rod and some Worms from Simon. Most players suggest having at least five worms, but we grabbed ten just to be safe. Before you ask—no, you can’t equip the bait. Here’s how it works: the Worm just needs to be in your inventory. Even though you don’t equip it, it still counts when you fish. Each time you catch something, one Worm is automatically removed from your inventory.

But here’s the real hurdle: you can’t catch anything unless you have at least five bait items in your inventory. We tried with just one Worm—and got nothing. Only after we had five Worms did we finally start reeling in aquatic catches. We recommend placing the Worms in your hotbar so you can easily track your supply. Once you’ve got everything ready, you’re ready to move on.

How to catch fish in Rune Slayer

Gif by The Escapist First, select your Wood Fishing Rod. You can’t equip it, so just place it in your hotbar (or open it from your inventory)—your character will hold it with both hands.

Hold M1 to cast your line, and ensure it lands in water (the pier beside Simon the Fisherman works perfectly).

Now, watch the bobber closely. When you see it dip once or twice, click M1 again to reel in. That’s all there is to it.

This doesn’t always work. More often than not, you’ll catch nothing at all. Sometimes, you’ll pull up junk—but good news: Simon still counts junk as a valid catch (which is why we put “fish” in quotes earlier).

So basically: cast your line, wait for the bobber to move, press M1, and repeat five times. We actually caught only two real fish—the rest were old cups.

Screenshot by The Escapist Once you’ve caught five “fish,” speak to Simon the Fisherman to finish the quest. He’ll give you a Tackle Box. Select it to open and store all your leftover Worms inside. From now on, you won’t need to clutter your inventory with fishing gear.

That’s it. Enjoy fishing. If you need more help, check out our The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Rune Slayer.