No Man's Sky Guide: Fishing

With each update, No Man’s Sky continues to expand its universe, and the latest Aquarius update introduces a feature long requested by fans: fishing. Now, players can dock their spaceship near serene bodies of water, slip off their space boots, and cast a line to discover what lies beneath the surface.

Fishing offers a tranquil escape from the vastness of space exploration. It provides a peaceful change of pace without the threat of pirates, Sentinels, or giant alien creatures. Here’s everything you need to know to master fishing in No Man’s Sky.

How to Obtain the Fishing Rig

Your fishing adventure begins with acquiring the Fishing Rig. Head to the Anomaly and speak with Iteration Eos in the research area, located behind Polo and Nada. Eos will sell you the Fishing Rig blueprint for just one Nanite.

Once you have the blueprint, you need to install the Fishing Rig on your Multi-Tool. You’ll require:

- 3 Carbon Nanotubes

- 1 Di-Hydrogen Jelly

- 60 Chromatic Metal

With the Fishing Rig installed, you’re ready to start fishing!

Fishing with the Fishing Rig

To fish, find a body of water. Note that not all planets have water; barren, scorched, and volcanic worlds often lack it, while marshy, frozen, and lush planets are your best bets.

Choose a good spot near the water’s edge and select the Fishing Rig from your Multi-Tool (as you would with the Terrain Manipulator or Mining Tool). Cast your line by pressing RT or the left mouse button at the targeted spot on the water.

If your target is too far or not on water, you’ll receive an error message. Once your lure is in the water, wait for a yellow flash, signaling a fish’s interest. When the lure sinks and your Fishing Rig and lure glow green, you’ve hooked a fish. Hold RT or the left mouse button to reel it in.

Wait until the indicator turns green before reeling in your catch. If the Rig flashes yellow, it’s too early. A successful catch will appear on your screen. Fish vary in size and quality, indicated by their rarity. For better catches, enhance your lure with bait.

Applying Bait to Your Fishing Rig

To attract better fish, you need bait. You’ll learn six bait recipes once you install your Fishing Rig. These recipes are essential, but you can also use other items like Juicy Grubs or Meaty Chunks as bait.

To apply bait, create it in your Exosuit inventory, then go to your Multi-Tool and select ‘Apply Bait’ under the Fishing Rig option. You’ll be taken to a screen where you can choose the bait from your inventory. This screen shows how the bait improves the size and rarity of your catch as a percentage.

Bait significantly enhances the quality of your catch, so it’s a good idea to use it before fishing. Keep in mind that each time you reel in your lure, one bait item will be consumed, regardless of whether you catch a fish or not.

Types of Fish You Can Catch

The game offers a wide variety of fish, potentially as numerous as the procedurally generated species on each planet. Fish are categorized into four rarity levels: C, B, A, and S. Higher rarity fish are more valuable and produce better-quality meals.

Cooking Your Catch

Fish can be cooked using the Nutrient Processor. Set up the Nutrient Processor on the ground (no power or base is needed). Interact with it to access its menu and place up to three raw ingredients for processing.

Each fish can be cooked into a meal, and combining fish can create more valuable dishes. Cooking two fish yields a moderately expensive and nutritious meal, while cooking three provides an even more costly and beneficial dish. The rarer the fish, the higher the quality of the final product.

Automating Your Fishing

If you prefer not to manually fish, you can automate the process using the Automated Fishing Trap. Purchase the blueprint for this trap at the Anomaly’s Construction Research Station for one Salvaged Data. To craft an Automated Fishing Trap, you’ll need:

- 50 Salt

- 3 Metal Plating

- 1 Ion Battery

Place the trap in the water, and return later to collect your catch. Each trap can hold up to four fish. Note that Automated Fishing Traps cannot use bait, so the quality of the fish caught is generally lower compared to manual fishing. However, if you’re more interested in quantity, the trap is a great choice. Set up an underwater base with multiple traps for a personal fish farm.

Enjoy the soothing experience of fishing in the boundless universe of No Man’s Sky!