How to get the Big Iron Fishing Pole in WoW Season of Discovery

The Big Iron Fishing Pole is one of the most valuable items you can farm in WoW Classic, especially if you’re a fishing enthusiast.

Even if you’re not a fisherman, you can still farm the Big Iron as a reliable gold-making source, considering the pole usually sells exceptionally well on the Auction House. Especially now during phase one of the Season of Discovery, the Big Iron Fishing Pole is easily the best fishing rod in the game. An extra 20 points to your Fishing skill will practically transform you from an everyday fisherman to Captain Ahab when you’re out there. 

There are currently no better fishing rods on the market in WoW Classic than the Big Iron Fishing Pole. But if you want to get this item for yourself, you’re going to have to be prepared for a bit of a grind. Plus, since that grind is designed for levels above the maximum level bracket in the first phase of SoD, it could definitely present a bit of a challenge. 

Here’s how you can earn the Big Iron Fishing Pole in WoW Classic, specifically during phase one of the Season of Discovery. 

Where to farm the Big Iron Fishing Pole in WoW Classic

The Big Iron Fishing Pole can only be found in one spot on Azeroth: a remote area off the coast of Desolace. Since Desolace is a zone that contains enemies in the level range of 30 to 40, it’s going to be tough to traverse this zone, let alone farm one of its most hostile areas, without encountering some relatively tough-to-fight mobs.

With the level cap in phase one of SoD sitting at 25, you’re going to be outmatched if you encounter any enemies in Desolace while trying to grab the Big Iron Fishing Pole. Be ready to die, and be ready to invest a lot of time into getting this pole.

Still, if you’re a brave enough soul who thinks they can successfully snag the pole while in this hostile environment, you’re going to want to hunker down and be prepared for a lengthy grind. 

The Big Iron Fishing Pole can be found in shellfish traps in the underwater area south of Shadowprey Village in Desolace. This area, called the Sar’theris Strand, can be found approximately near coordinates [23, 77]. To get the pole, head to that area and open as many shellfish traps as you can until one of them yields the Big Iron. 

The Makrura in the area not only patrol around the waters of coastal Desolace, but they can also spawn from the Shellfish traps. You are actually far more likely to catch a Makrura than the fishing pole, as it has an incredibly low drop rate.

Before setting out to this underwater destination, I recommend you bring along several Potions of Water Breathing. These Shellfish traps are fairly far down, but you also might need to wait underwater for patrolling Makrura to pass. If you are not going in a group, I also suggest you mark nearby mobs so you can keep an eye on any potential interrupts. For heavily mobile classes, also make sure you have any movement spells available in case a Makrura spawns on your location.

You must be incredibly careful in this area as there are plenty of crawlers and crustacean enemies that roam along the ocean floor who can easily kill your character. Furthermore, there’s a chance the shellfish traps can contain an enemy that will spawn at random, putting you directly in harm’s way. Most of the mobs in the Sar’theris Strand in Desolace are between levels 33 and 36, meaning you’re going to be fighting for your life more often than not.

Going for the pole now is definitely an intrepid task, but it’ll be well worth it if you’re able to get your hands on it this early in the Classic season.