If there's any side mechanic that's a definitive staple of the Breath of Fire franchise, it's fishing. Found in the first four games of the series, fishing is typically the path to high-power weapons and items a little earlier than they would normally be available. The fishing system in Breath of Fire III in particular set the standard for similar fishing games throughout RPGs, and is still pretty fun twenty-plus years later.
Fishing can encompass the entirety of a Breath of Fire III playthrough. You can also ignore it almost altogether, if you like, and do just fine. This guide will take you through the process of fishing in Breath of Fire III, as well as cover the game's many Fishing Spots, which fish you can catch, where to find new rods and lures, and how to make the whole process easier.
Fishing for Beginners
At its most basic fishing requires you to have two items: A rod and a lure. You can purchase both as early as McNeil Village, and begin fishing to the west. Fishing becomes more difficult over time, but the general mechanics don't change at all.
- First, if you haven't already, find a Fishing Spot. They're represented on the world map as fish leaping out of the water.
- Next, press the square button to pull up the menu. Here you can choose your rod and your lure. The rod you choose will determine the difficulty of pulling fish in, and how far you can cast. The lure will determine which kind of fish you'll attract.
- Leave the menu and press the X button. Ryu will prepare to cast his line. Watch the green bar at the bottom of the screen as it grows and shrinks, and press X again when you're satisfied with the length of the bar. The larger the bar, the further Ryu's line will go. The line's distance to shore is represented by the meter number in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
- Begin reeling your lure in using the x button. If you hold it down you'll reel continuously. Taps will bring it in a bit more slowly. You can also use the directional buttons to move the lure back and forth in the water, and the down button in particular to jerk the lure in your direction.
- Position the lure on top of, or near, one of the shadows swimming in the water. These are fish, and if they like the lure they will grab it and start fighting. High-quality lures can attract fish from long distances.
- Once you've got a fish on the line you need to bring it in by reeling with the X button. The fish will fight this, and your struggle will be represented in the bar at the bottom of the screen. The green bar represents your area of control, while the fish icon is the fish. Use the directional buttons to keep the fish icon inside the bounds of the green bar. The bar will also move as you reel in the fish. The fish will get away if it spends too much time outside the green bar, and you'll lose your lure.
- Reel the fish in to shore. Once the meter gauge reaches zero you'll have caught a fish, and its type, portrait, and size will appear on the screen. These stats are also recorded under Data in the fishing menu. The fish will be added to your inventory, and can be used as an item, traded to a merchant (more on that later), or sold.
And that's pretty much that. Fish a few times and you'll get the hang of it really quickly. There are a few more things to note before we move on, as well:
- The lure's distance to the sea floor is indicated in the bottom-left corner once you've cast your line. Some lures will sink, others will float, and yet others will do one or the other depending on whether you're reeling them in or not. Regardless of your lure you need to make sure that it never touches the sea floor, as you'll lose the lure.
- In the bottom-left corner of the bar that shows your battle with the fish you'll see a tiny red bar that grows and shrinks. This indicates the amount of fight left in the fish, and it will go down as you reel the fish in. Give the fish too much slack and this bar will grow until the fish is strong enough to get away. Ideally you don't want to see this bar at all.
- If you spend a lot of time at one Fishing Spot you'll slowly deplete its stock of fish. Exit and reenter the Fishing Spot to refresh the fish roaming the water.
- Different fish appear at different lengths from shore. If you can't seem to find a fish that's supposed to be at a particular Fishing Spot, it may be so far from shore that you can't reach it with your current rod. Try again later.
Rods
You won't get very far in fishing without a fishing rod, and you'll need to acquire progressively stronger rods as you make your way through the game. You can find the following rods in Breath of Fire III:
- Wooden Rod - Sold in McNeil and at the Coffee Shop. A beginner's rod, the Wooden Rod has a low range, is slow, and won't pull in any but the most basic of fish. Good for the first few Fishing Spots and that's all.
- Bamboo Rod - Found near the top of Momo's Tower. The Bamboo Rod casts a bit further than the Wooden Rod and reels in much more quickly, but it's still fairly weak. The best you have until Ryu ages up to an adult.
- Deluxe Rod - Found at the Checkpoint near Dauna Mine, accessible only with Rei leading the party. The Deluxe Rod is strong but a bit slow, and has a casting power on par with the Bamboo Rod. A nice step up, and can catch most fish besides those found in late-game areas.
- Angling Rod - Purchased from Handyman faeries in the Faerie Village. (One will come up for sale more quickly if you go with an Ability Handyman.) The Angling Rod has the longest cast in the game besides the Master's Rod, and it reels in quickly, but fish will get away from it rather easily if you aren't careful.
- Spanner - Behind a wall that Momo can blast open in the Steel Grave. The Spanner is the strongest (not best, strongest) rod in the game, and can reel in basically anything it can reach, albeit slowly. The Spanner doesn't quite have the distance to reach every inch of a Fishing Spot, unfortunately.
- Master's Rod - Acquired from a fisherman at a hut to the west of Steel Beach, once you've completed the game and reached the Master of Angling++ fishing level (9,000+ points). The Master's Rod combines the Angling Rod's distance and speed with most of the strength of the Spanner. The best rod - though you'll need to have caught basically every fish in the game to get it.
Lures
Fish aren't interested in a bare line, and you'll need to bait them into grabbing hold with lures. Lures can be acquired in several different ways:
- Purchased in stores
- Found in chests, cabinets, and in random battle zones
- By trading with Manillo merchants
Not every fish is interested in every lure, and if you're looking to catch a specific type of fish you'll need to use a specific type of lure. Lures come in four different varities:
- Worms
- Poppers
- Frogs
- Fish-Shaped
Each lure has a level of effectiveness, and lower-level lures often won't attract higher-level fish, even if you're using the correct type of lure. Try to catch a Whale with a Sinker or a Float, for example, and it won't even give them the time of day. A list of each of the lures, and where to find them, is included at the bottom of the guide.
Tecs
As you try your luck at more advanced Fishing Spots you'll begin to notice that fish aren't always interested in your lure. To tempt them into following the bait you can use Tecs, which are timed taps of the X button and directional buttons to reel in your lure in a tantalizing way. There are four levels of Tec, and each one is more useful - and more difficult to pull off - than the last:
- Tec 1 - Tap, hold, tap, hold
- Tec 2 - Tap, tap
- Tec 3 - Tap, tap, hold, tap
- Tec 4 - Tap, tap, hold, hold, tap, hold, tap
Using Tecs requires a solid sense of rhythm, and if you know how to play an instrument you should have no trouble with Tecs. If your rhythm is poor, well... you'll need to practice. (I find I can get myself in the right headspace if I think or whisper '1, 2, 3, 4' while hitting the buttons. Your mileage may vary. And if it helps, I don't think I've ever gotten Tec 4 to work. Tec 3 is good enough.)
Manillo Merchants
A few times while playing you'll come across a Coin. Coins are lures, though they'll only attract a specific kind of fish: Manillo, the fish-men that serve as merchants throughout the Breath of Fire series. Manillo merchants appear in a select number of Fishing Spots, and they make a beeline for Coins. They're pretty easy to catch, too, so you don't need to worry about losing your Coin.
Once you've reeled in a Manillo it will offer to trade items for specific combinations of fish. Typically you can expect weapons, armor, accessories, and high-level lures from Manillo. They're also willing to trade Skill Ink, making Manillo merchants extremely useful if you plan to shuffle your Skills around on a regular basis.
Each Manillo has different items on offer, and the fish you need to catch to gather said items get wilier as you proceed through the game. Still, the offerings of the Manillo remain useful all the way up to the final dunegon, if you care to fish regularly. A list of the Manillo appears at the end of this guide, along with the items they have to offer.
Rankings
As you catch new fish - and larger fish of species you've netted in the past - you'll earn points, and when you earn enough points you'll attain a new title. For the most part these titles are just for show, though a few of them unlock new features for you. The ranks you can achieve are as follows:
- Novice - 0 points
- Novice+ - 100 points
- Novice++ - 200 points
- Rodman - 600 points
- Rodman+ - 1,000 points
- Rodman++ - 1,500 points
- Rodmaster - 2,000 points - Required for apprenticing under Giotto, on the beach south of Rhapala
- Rodmaster+ - 3,000 points
- Rodmaster++ - 4,000 points
- Master of Angling - 5,000 points
- Master of Angling+ - 7,000 points
- Master of Angling++ - 9,000 points - Receive Master's Rod and Ding Frog from fisherman west of Steel Beach, after beating the game
- THE FISH - 9,500 points - Receive Fountain Pen from fisherman west of Steel Beach
Advanced Fishing Tips
Catching fish gets progressively more difficult as you proceed through the game, and you may find yourself struggling to even get the attention of some fish, let alone reeling them in. Here are some tips to help you snag more elusive prey.
- Look closely at the water as you cast further out. Some fish - particularly the high-level ones - appear as a ghostly silhouette that you may not notice unless you're focusing.
- Trade for more powerful lures from the Manillo traders in the Urkan Region. Yes, it's a bit irritating to gather all those fish to get a measly lure, but higher-level lures go a long way towards attracting fish - and some, like Spearfish and Whales, will completely ignore anything but the best lures most of the time. Be sure to save before you deploy one of these lures so you don't risk losing them.
- Lower-tier fish like Jellyfish and Piranas will swarm your lure while you try to catch more valuable fish. You can get them out of the way either by catching them, which is a bit time-consuming, or simply baiting them into following your lure and then pulling it out of the water with the square button once the low-value fish is far enough away from your target.
- Although the Angling Rod can reach the far end of the fishing range, it's not the best choice for catching things like Whales, Spearfish, or Barandy. If you have time on your hands you can simply wait for these high-value, deep-sea fish to wander into shallower waters. This can take a very long time to happen, so most of the time you'll just have to put up with the increased difficulty of using the Angling Rod over the Spanner.
- Many fish will drag the fish icon all the way to the right side of the bar at the bottom of the screen, and even if you place the green bar directly on them they will remain firmly lodged on their side of the bar. Rapidly tap the X button and you wil tire them out a little more quickly, and gradually pull them to the left side of the bar.
- For the most part it's wise to ignore the little red stamina bar at the bottom of the screen. It's not necessary for grabbing the easier fish, and it'll lull you into a false sense of security with the stronger fish. Always be ready for exhausted fish to put up a last-minute struggle before you manage to reel them in.
Fish
There are 23 types of fish in Breath of Fire III. To reach the upper echelons of the fish ranking system you'll have to collect all of them, at record sizes. Each fish is found at specific locations throughout the world, requires specific kinds of lures, and has its own uses outside combat. This guide will cover them all.
Jellyfish
Location: West of McNeil, East of Mt. Myrneg
Distance from Shore: Any
Lure: Any but Coins
Catch Difficulty: Easy
Use: Restores 1 HP
Pirana
Location: West of McNeil, West of McNeil Farm, Northeast of Wyndia, South of Dauna Hills Checkpoint
Distance from Shore: Any
Lure: Any but Coins
Catch Difficulty: Easy
Use: Restores 20 HP
Puffer
Location: West of McNeil Farm, Near Maekyss Gorge, West of Arena, North of Mt. Levett
Distance from Shore: Near
Lure: Fish-Like
Catch Difficulty: Easy
Use: Flame attack vs. one taret
Trout
Location: West of McNeil Farm, Northeast of Wyndia, South of Dauna Hills Checkpoint, North of Mt. Levett
Distance from Shore: Close
Lure: Worm
Catch Difficulty: Easy
Use: Restores 40 HP
Rainbow Trout
Location: West of McNeil, West of Arena, Northeast of Wyndia, South of Dauna Hills Checkpoint
Distance from Shore: Close
Lure: Worm
Catch Difficulty: Medium
Use: Restores 5 AP
Red Catfish
Location: East of Dauna Mine
Distance from Shore: Medium
Lure: Frog
Catch Difficulty: Medium
Use: Earthquake attack vs. all targets
Bass
Location: East of Mt. Myrneg, West of Arena, Northeast of Wyndia, East of Dauna Mine
Distance from Shore: Close
Lure: Popper
Catch Difficulty: Medium
Use: Restores 80 HP
Martian Squid
Location: East of Mt. Myrneg, Near Maekyss Gorge
Distance from Shore: Medium, Far
Lure: Worm
Catch Difficulty: Medium
Use: Blind one target
Black Bass
Location: Northeast of Wyndia, North of Mt. Levett
Distance from Shore: Medium, Far
Lure: Worm, Fish-Like
Catch Difficulty: Medium
Use: Restores 80 HP to all party members
Barandy
Location: South of Dauna Hills Checkpoint
Distance from Shore: Far
Lure: Frog
Catch Difficulty: Hard
Use: Restores 240 HP to all party members
Man-o'-War
Location: Southwest of Rhapala, West of Rhapala, Far West of Steel Beach, East of Kombinat
Distance from Shore: All
Lure: Any but Coins
Catch Difficulty: Easy
Use: Restores 1 HP
Flying Fish
Location: Near Momo's Tower, Southwest of Rhapala, West of Rhapala, Far West of Steel Beach, East of Kombinat
Distance from Shore: Near, Middle
Lure: Popper
Catch Difficulty: Easy
Use: Restores 20 HP
Blowfish
Location: Near Momo's Tower, Far West of Steel Beach
Distance from Shore:
Lure: Popper
Catch Difficulty:
Use: Cures Poison status
Sea Bream
Location: West of Rhapala, South of Urkan Tapa, Far West of Steel Beach
Distance from Shore: Medium
Lure: Worm, Fish-Like
Catch Difficulty: Medium
Use: Restores 5 AP
Sea Bass
Location: Southwest of Rhapala, South of Steal Beach, Far West of Steel Beach
Distance from Shore: Medium, Far
Lure: Worm
Catch Difficulty: Medium
Use: Restores 80 HP
Black Porgy
Location: Near Momo's Tower, South of Urkan Tapa, Far West of Steel Beach
Distance from Shore: Medium
Lure: Frog
Catch Difficulty: Medium
Use: Restores 20 AP
Octopus
Location: Near Momo's Tower, Southwest of Rhapala, Near Cliff, Far West of Steel Beach
Distance from Shore: Near, Medium
Lure: Worm
Catch Difficulty: Medium
Use: Blind all targets
Angler
Location: South of Urkan Tapa, Near Cliff, West of Steel Beach, Far West of Steel Beach
Distance from Shore: Medium, Far
Lure: Fish
Catch Difficulty: Hard
Use: Earthquake attack vs. all targets
Devilfish
Location: Near Cliff, South of Steal Beach, Far West of Steel Beach
Distance from Shore: Medium
Lure: Worm
Catch Difficulty: Medium
Use: Electric attack vs. one target
Spearfish
Location: South of Steel Beach, East of Kombinat
Distance from Shore: Far
Lure: Fish
Catch Difficulty: Hard
Use: Restores 240 HP to all party members
Whale
Location: East of Kombinat
Distance from Shore: Far
Lure: Worm
Catch Difficulty: Hard
Use: Restores full HP and status to all party members
Mackerel
Location: By Maekyss Gorge
Distance from Shore: Near, Medium
Lure: Worm
Catch Difficulty: Medium
Use: Quest item only
Manillo
Location: West of McNeil Farm, Near Momo's Tower, South of Urkan Tapa, South of Dauna Hills Checkpoint, Far West of Steel Beach, East of Kombinat
Distance from Shore: Any
Lure: Coin
Catch Difficulty: Easy
Use: Trading?
Fishing Spots
Breath of Fire III is teeming with Fishing Spots, usually found a little ways off the main path through a given area. Each Fishing Spot has its own unique stock of fish, and if you press the O button while beside a Fishing Spot the game will read out the fish located there. Any fish you haven't caught before will appear as a series of question marks.
- West of McNeil - Jellyfish, Pirana, Rainbow Trout
- West of McNeil Farm - Pirana, Puffer, Trout, Manillo
- East of Mt. Myrneg - Jellyfish, Bass, Martian Squid
- Near Maekyss Gorge - Puffer, Martian Squid, Mackerel
- West of Arena - Puffer, Rainbow Trout, Bass
- Near Momo's Tower - Flying Fish, Blowfish, Black Porgy, Octopus, Manillo
- Northeast of Wyndia - Pirana, Trout, Rainbow Trout, Bass, Black Bass
- Southwest of Rhapala - Man-o'-War, Flying Fish, Sea Bass, Octopus
- West of Rhapala - Man-o'-War, Flying Fish, Sea, Bream
- South of Urkan Tapa - Sea Bream, Black Porgy, Angler, Manillo
- East of Dauna Mine - Red Catfish, Bass, Martian Squid
- South of Dauna Hills Checkpoint - Pirana, Trout, Rainbow Trout, Barandy, Manillo
- Near Cliff - Octopus, Angler, Devilfish, Manillo
- South of Steel Beach - Sea Bass, Devilfish, Spearfish
- Far West of Steel Beach - Man-'o-War, Flying Fish, Blowfish, Sea Bream, Sea Bass, Black Porgy, Octopus, Angler, Devilfish, Spearfish, Manillo
- East of Kombinat - Man-o'-War, Flying Fish, Spearfish, Whale, Manillo
Lures
Worm Lures
- Worm - Lv. 1 - McNeil item shop, Coffee Shop
- Sprit - Lv. 2 - Manillo Trading Shop (West of McNeil Farm, Near Momo's Tower)
- Caro - Lv. 3 - Manillo Trading Shop (South of Urkan Tapa, South of Dauna Hills Checkpoint)
- Heavy Caro - Top - Manillo Trading Shop (Far West of Steel Beach)
Popper Lures
- Old Popper - Lv. 1 - McNeil item shop, Coffee Shop
- Popper - Lv. 2 - Manillo Trading Shop (West of McNeil Farm, Near Momo's Tower)
- Top - Lv. 3 - Manillo Trading Shop (South of Urkan Tapa, South of Dauna Hills Checkpoint)
- Dogwalker - Top - Manillo Trading Shop (Far West of Steel Beach)
Frog Lures
- Toad - Lv. 1 - McNeil item shop, Coffee Shop
- Baby Frog - Lv. 2 - Manillo Trading Shop (West of McNeil Farm, Near Momo's Tower)
- Frog - Lv. 3 - Manillo Trading Shop (South of Urkan Tapa, South of Dauna Hills Checkpoint)
- Fat Frog - Top - Manillo Trading Shop (Far West of Steel Beach)
Fish-Shaped Lures
- Sinker - Lv. 1 - McNeil item shop, Coffee Shop
- Float - Lv. 2 - Manillo Trading Shop (West of McNeil Farm, Near Momo's Tower)
- Hanger - Lv. 3 - Manillo Trading Shop (South of Urkan Tapa, South of Dauna Hills Checkpoint)
- Deep Diver - Top - Manillo Trading Shop (Far West of Steel Beach)
Manillo Merchant Item Lists
Near Momo's Tower
- Chain Mail - 2 Bass, 3 Blowfish
- Crepe Cape - 1 Black Porgy, 4 Flying Fish
- Sprit - 3 Blowfish
- Baby Frog - 3 Blowfish
- Popper - 2 Flying Fish
- Float - 2 Flying Fish
- Skill Ink - 2 Octopus
South of Urkan Tapa
- Wisdom Ring - 1 Angler, 2 Black Porgy, 2 Sea Bream
- Lion's Belt - 2 Martian Squid, 2 Bass, 4 Sea Bass
- Ginseng - 1 Martian Squid, 2 Octopus, 3 Sea Bass
- Caro - 3 Sea Bream
- Frog - 3 Sea Bream
- Top - 2 Octopus
- Hanger - 2 Octopus
- Skill Ink - 1 Black Porgy, 1 Angler
South of Dauna Hills Checkpoint
- Wisdom Ring - 1 Black Bass, 5 Rainbow Trout, 5 Trout
- Lion's Belt - 1 Angler, 9 Rainbow Trout, 9 Trout
- Ginseng - 2 Bass, 5 Rainbow Trout, 5 Trout
- Caro - 2 Rainbow Trout, 3 Trout
- Frog - 2 Rainbow Trout, 3 Trout
- Top - 3 Rainbow Trout, 2 Trout
- Hanger - 3 Rainbow Trout, 2 Trout
- Skill Ink - 2 Martian Squid, 1 Rainbow Trout, 1 Trout
- Katzbalger - 1 Barandy, 2 Black Bass, 1 Red Catfish
- Laurel - 1 Barandy, 2 Black Bass, 1 Bass
Near Cliff
- Hawk's Ring - 3 Black Bass, 5 Bass
- Artemis' Cap - 2 Black Bass, 2 Angler, 5 Sea Bream
- Speed Boots - 1 Barandy, 1 Black Bass, 2 Devilfish
- Soul Gem - 1 Soul Gem, 2 Sea Bass
- Bell Collar - 2 Devilfish, 3 Angler, 9 Sea Bream
- Holy Mantle - 3 Black Bass, 9 Bass, 9 Sea Bass
- Skill Ink - 2 Octopus, 1 Devilfish
Far West of Steel Beach
- Demonsbane - 1 Spearfish, 2 Black Bass
- Aries Spear - 1 Spearfish, 9 Sea Bass, 9 Sea Bream
- Heavy Caro - 1 Devilfish, 1 Martian Squid, 2 Octopus
- Fat Frog - 1 Devilfish, 1 Martian Squid, 2 Octopus
- Dogwalker - 1 Devilfish, 1 Martian Squid, 2 Octopus
- Deep Diver - 1 Devilfish, 1 Martian Squid, 2 Octopus
- Skill Ink - 2 Octopus, 1 Devilfish
East of Kombinat
- Royal Sword - 1 Whale, 3 Spearfish, 1 Barandy
- Life Armor - 1 Whale, 1 Spearfish, 3 Barandy
- Cupid's Lyre - 1 Whale, 2 Barandy, 5 Red Catfish
- Shaman's Ring - 1 Whale, 3 Spearfish, 5 Red Catfish
- Ivory Dice - 1 Spearfish, 1 Red Catfish, 5 Mackerel
- Skill Ink - 1 Spearfish, 1 Devilfish