Introduction
Patch 3.0 adds many personal achievements. Some for anglers!
Achievements are gained by doing things, from exploring the world to defeating dungeon bosses. Every achievement awards points. These points cannot be used for anything - at this stage they are purely a measure of how much you have done. A few achievements give titles.
A full list of current and possible achievements is available to you ((click the shield icon from the main toolbar)). Examining each achievement will show what needs to be done, or how far you have already progressed.
Many achievements will be awarded for things you did in the past ((before Patch 3.0)), but not all. Some you will need to do again for the achievement to be formally recognised. Achievements that are automatically given for past feats are marked "retrospective" in the lists below. In many of these cases, you need to have kept the item in your inventory. For example, Mr. Pinchy's Magical Crawdad Box achievement may not be retrospectively awarded if you lost your Magical Crawdad Box. Achievements which cannot be completed without Wrath of the Lich King, are listed as "WotLK".
Ranks
There are 5 achievements attained simply by training a certain rank in a profession: Journeyman, Expert, Artisan, Master and Grand Master fishing (Grand Master requires Wrath of the Lich King). Each rank awards 10 Achievement Points, giving 50 in total. These points are retrospective - so if you already have Master fishing, you will gain 40 points automatically.
The achievement, "Skills to Pay the Bills" requires fishing, first aid and cooking at Grand Master level. It also gives 10 Achievement Points. This achievement is not formally part of the fishing category.
Fish Catches
There are 6 fishing achievements for simply catching large numbers of fish, each of which is worth 10 points (60 total):
- 25 Fish - Catch 25 fish.
- 50 Fish - Catch 50 fish.
- 100 Fish - Catch 100 fish.
- 250 Fish - Catch 250 fish.
- 500 Fish - Catch 500 fish.
- 1000 Fish - Catch 1000 fish.
These catch achievements are not retrospective. Catch achievements are based on the statistic "fish caught". This appears to only count catches that can be cooked or eaten - although that may not be the precise criteria. Trunks and alchemy fish do not register as a catch.
Specific Fishing Achievements
The table below lists specific fishing achievements that are available:
| Achievement | Points | Retro-spective? | Description and Strategy | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Accomplished Angler | 10 | WotLK | Complete these fishing achievements: 1000 Fish, The Coin Master, Deadliest Catch, Fish Don't Leave Footprints, Grand Master Fisherman, Master Angler of Stranglethorn, Mr. Pinchy's Magical Crawdad Box, Northrend Angler, Old Man Barlowned, One That Didn't Get Away, Outland Angler, The Fishing Diplomat, The Lurker Above, The Old Gnome and the Sea, and The Scavenger. Awards the title "Salty". |
 | The Coin Master | 10 | WotLK | Complete these fishing achievements: A Penny For Your Thoughts, Silver in the City, and There's Gold In That There Fountain. Awards the "Titanium Seal of Dalaran". Full guide to Dalaran fishing. |
 | The Deadliest Catch | 10 | No | Fish up the Hydra (Gahz'ranka) in Zul'Gurub. The angler will need to complete the quest "Nat's Measuring Tape", to buy Mudskunk Lures from Nat Pagle. One lure (with 5 Zulian Mudskunk) is required to summon Gahz'ranka. For more details see Quests. It is assumed that only the angler gains the achievement, not others in the party. Zul'Gurub is intended for 20 people at level 60. It is likely (but not yet confirmed) that this achievement can be complete alone at level 70. It is assumed that Gahz'ranka only has to fished up, not killed. For tips and strategies, read this forum discussion. |
 | Fish Don't Leave Footprints | 10 | Yes | Learn the ability to find fish. The ability is learnt from a Weather-Beaten Journal, which can be found in many fished-up crates and trunks. Full details. |
 | The Fishing Diplomat | 10 | No | Fish something up in Orgrimmar and Stormwind. Fishing in Stormwind Harbor will complete the Stormwind part. Horde can fish the coast near the harbor without ever dodging a guard. |
 | I Smell A Giant Rat | 10 | WotLK | Fish up the Giant Sewer Rat from The Underbelly in Dalaran. Full guide to Dalaran fishing. |
 | The Lurker Above | 10 | No | Fish up the Lurker Below in Serpentshrine Cavern. The Lurker Below is a boss found in the Strange Pool. You do not need to kill the boss, just catch it. Serpentshrine Cavern is intended to 25 people at level 70. This will be challenging to complete alone - some strategies can be found here, and in this discussion. |
 | Master Angler of Stranglethorn | 20 | Yes | Win the Booty Bay fishing contest. The achievement does not currently award a title - although that feature is often requested. For full strategies, read the Stranglethorn Fishing Extravaganza chapter. |
 | Mr. Pinchy's Magical Crawdad Box | 10 | Yes | Fish your way to Mr. Pinchy's Magical Crawdad Box. For full strategies, read the Catching Furious Crawdad and Mr. Pinchy topic. |
 | Northrend Angler | 10 | WotLK | Catch a fish in each of the specific pools: Borean Man O' War School, Deep Sea Monsterbelly School, Dragonfin Angelfish School, Fangtooth Herring School, Glacial Salmon School, Glassfin Minnow School, Imperial Manta Ray School, Moonglow Cuttlefish School, Musselback Sculpin School, and Nettlefish School. |
 | Old Crafty | 10 | Yes | Catch Old Crafty. Some strategies and tips can be found in this discussion. |
 | The Old Gnome and the Sea | 10 | No | Successfully fish from a school. Most fish that are found in pool complete the achievement, plus some other fish, such as Bloated Barbed Gill Trout. Fishing School of Tastyfish and (at least some) wreckage pools will not complete the achievement. |
 | Old Ironjaw | 10 | Yes | Catch Old Ironjaw. Some strategies can be found in this discussion and this discussion. |
 | Old Man Barlowned | 10 | No | Complete each of Old Man Barlo's 5 fishing daily quests. For a full walkthrough, read Daily Fishing Quests. |
| One That Didn't Get Away | 10 | No | Catch one of the rare fish: Steelscale Crushfish, Rockhide Strongfish, Baby Coralshell Turtle, 103 Pound Mightfish, 22 Pound Lobster, 15 Pound Mud Snapper, 52 Pound Redgill, 29 Pound Salmon, 68 Pound Grouper, 32 Pound Catfish, 113 Pound Swordfish. All these fish are rare catches, which anglers should expect to catch while fishing for other fish. Low-level anglers can gain this achievement by catching fish found in low-level areas, such as 15 Pound Mud Snapper. This may be the most frustrating of all fishing achievements because the heaviest off-hand fish are exceptionally rare. For some analysis and tips, read this discussion. |
| Outland Angler | 10 | No | Catch a fish in each of the specific pools: Brackish Mixed School, Bluefish School, Mudfish School, School of Darter, Highland Mixed School, Sporefish School. Only one catch is required from each. Highland Mixed Schools are the hardest - only found in elevated waters (requiring a flying mount, flight ability, summon, or creative methods to climb mountains) with a skill of 405 to cast, 500 to stop get aways. |
 | A Penny For Your Thoughts | 10 | WotLK | Fish up all the Copper Coins from the Dalaran fountain. Full guide to Dalaran fishing. |
 | The Scavenger | 10 | No | Successfully fish in each of the junk nodes: Steam Pump Flotsam, Floating Wreckage, Bloodsail Wreckage, Schooner Wreckage, and Waterlogged Wreckage. Only one catch is required from each pool. The achievement uses the new Azeroth pool names, described in detail in WotLK Pools. |
 | Silver in the City | 10 | WotLK | Fish up all the Silver Coins from the Dalaran fountain. Full guide to Dalaran fishing. |
 | There's Gold In That There Fountain | 10 | WotLK | Fish up all the Gold Coins from the Dalaran fountain. Full guide to Dalaran fishing. |
((Some of the other fishing feats in early beta versions, such as Rock The Boat (catch a fish off of a moving boat) have been removed.))
Titles
The title, "Salty", is awarded for gaining the achievement Accomplished Angler. The fishing title is not unique to one person: Any angler can gain it, even if another angler already has the title.
There is a "Feat of Strength" for the first angler to reach 450 fishing skill on each realm. This does not award a title.
Learn More
- Wrath of the Lich King - Previews fishing changes in Wrath of the Lich King, the second expansion to World of Warcraft.
- Player Achievements Preview - Official preview of achievements.
