How to catch fish in Destiny 2, explained

Fishing is one of the most surprising additions to Destiny 2 that came with Season of the Deep. Despite the season’s notably aquatic theme.

Destiny 2 has rarely strayed into the marketplace for MMO-style mini-game content, so fishing was an unlikely activity to see featured in the content lineup. But this is no lackadaisical inclusion—Destiny 2’s fishing has a lot to offer.

Whether it’s a Cuboid Cod on Nessus or one of the EDZ’s Lamian Lobsters, Destiny 2 players have a variety of fish to go out and catch at specific fishing spots located around the system. As the fishing is intrinsically tied to Season of the Deep and its main quest, this does mean players will need to own the season to access the mini-game.

While the ability to fish is pretty immediately available to owners of the seasonal pass, becoming a master angler capable of acquiring the most Exotic fish in the depths will take a few extra steps.

How do you fish in Destiny 2?

To start your journey as a cosmic angler, you’ll first need to complete week one of the “Into The Depths” quest. After you have completed this step, a new quest will be available to acquire at the H.E.L.M’s Sonar Station. After the Guardian’s journey into the depths of Titan’s methane seas, it appears they uncovered some Golden Age fishing equipment, and Suraya Hawthorne in The Tower’s Bazaar knows just what to do with it.

Talking to Hawthorne will give players the “Gone Fishin” quest—a tutorial that introduces you to how the fishing mechanics work in Destiny 2, as well as takes you on a tour of the various fishing spots that exist in the world. While you can fish in these spots from the get-go, you will need Bait to have a higher likelihood of catching rare species of fish.

You can hold up to 500 Bait at any given time in the Fishing Tackle container that Hawthorne gives you, meaning that you can stock up before heading down to the bank. To acquire Bait, you can complete various activities such as public events, patrols, playlist activities, and Season of the Deep activities. With even destination materials netting you a few pieces of Bait, doing pretty much anything in Destiny 2 will fill up your box.

I found the most efficient route to get a lot of Bait quickly was to complete Heroic public events and nearby patrol markers simultaneously, as they allowed me to earn 10 or more pieces of Bait in just a few short minutes of gameplay.

Once you have enough Bait, it’s time to hit the bank. There are currently three fishing spots: one in the EDZ, one on Nessus, and one in Savathun’s Throne World. These spots are marked on the map and are classified as public events, which means they will only be active when there are no other public events live in that area of the map. As you approach one, you will see a beam of blue light in the distance that serves as a waypoint beacon showing you where the fishing spot is currently located.

At the fishing spot, approach the edge of the wharf and hold down the interact button to cast out your fishing line. You’ll need to be patient and wait for something to bite, signified when the bobber is plucked underwater. Hit the interact button again to catch whatever has latched onto it. If you manage to catch a Legendary or Exotic fish, you’ll also increase your Focused Fishing meter—an additional, stacking buff that can net you more rare fish overall.

You can fish to your heart’s content, but as for what to do with those fish that you collect, they belong in the H.E.L.M. Head over to the Wing of the Deep, and you will be able to deposit the fish you’ve caught into the large aquarium space that has been built there. Catching a lot of fish will also net you Triumphs that add decorative set pieces to the aquarium itself, which makes the new home of your gilled friends a little cozier.

What is Focused Fishing in Destiny 2?

The Focused Fishing meter will show up any time you’re at a currently active fishing spot. This is an instance-based meter tied to the fishing spot itself, rather than you as an individual player. Whenever anybody using the spot catches a Legendary or Exotic fish, it will increase the Focused Fishing meter a small amount.

At three different intervals along the bar, marked by the notches, those using the fishing spot together will receive a bonus. Text will appear on the left side of the screen, claiming that nearby fish are beginning to take notice and gather at the spot. This means you are now more likely to catch rare fish when using the spot, which makes chasing those lucrative Exotic species all the easier.

Make sure to be quick about it, though. The fishing spots are only active while there is no public event available in the same location, and the current Focused Fishing meter at a location will reset when the spot does.