Want gold in WoW Classic? Grab your fishing pole and get these valuable fish

Fishing is one of the secondary professions that no one really thinks about, but it’s vital in supporting the other professions. Certain fish are used to make oils, which have a variety of uses in crafting gear, enchants, and potions or flasks. Other things can be fished up, such as clams or trunks from wreckage pools, which can contain valuable materials.

Because of this, Fishing is worth it to level and has the potential to be lucrative. This is especially pertinent if you’re trying to save up for that epic mount in WoW Classic. As we all know, pricing and the Auction House game can be volatile in WoW, which is no different in WoW Classic. The demand for certain fish may vary depending on your server economy. Prices may crash, prices may go up. But here are the fish and other items you can get from fishing that will be valuable to other players.

Note: Anything from the Bay of Storms in Azshara requires max Fishing skill. The minimum is 330 with fishing pole and lure buffs. You need 425 for no fish to get away: 300 in Fishing, +100 fishing lure, and +25 fishing pole (Horde) or +20 fishing pole with +2 enchant (Alliance).

Stonescale Eel

Fishing level: 205 minimum, 300 no “get aways” or 330 minimum, 425 no “get aways” in Bay of Storms

Stonescale Eel is probably one of the most useful reagents for Alchemy and as such will always be in demand. The fish is used to make Stonescale Oil, which in turn is used for Elixir of Superior Defense, Greater Stoneshield Potion, Flask of Petrification, and Flask of the Titans. These will be heavily used by progression raiding guilds.

It’s difficult to fish Stonescale Eel since it’s time-sensitive and can only be caught during the night. The highest chance of fishing it up is between 12 a.m. and 12 p.m. (15% to 20% increase), and it has a lower drop rate from 6 p.m. to 12 a.m (1% to 2% drop rate). The best places to fish are Bay of Storms in Azshara, Steamwheedle Port in Tanaris, and Feathermoon Outpost in Feralas (for Alliance) or Revantusk Village in Hinterlands (for Horde).

Firefin Snapper

Fishing level: 55 minimum, 150 no “get aways”

Firefin Snapper creates Fire Oil, which is used in Alchemy, Tailoring, and Enchanting. It’s largely used for spell fire damage (Elixir of Firepower, Elixir of Greater Firepower, Fire Protection Potion), fire resistance (Enchant Cloak – Lesser Fire Resistance), and some crafted gear (Crimson Silk Cloak, Crimson Silk Gloves, Crimson Silk Shoulders).

The Firefin Snapper Schools are generally available in the coastal areas of level 20-30 zones. The best places to find them are in Hillsbrad Foothills and Wetlands, but they can also be found on the coasts around Arathi Highlands, Azshara, Desolace, Dustwallow Marsh, Feralas, and Stranglethorn Vale. Fishing the Oil Spills at Windshear Crag in Stonetalon Mountains can also yield Firefin Snapper.

Oily Blackmouth

Fishing level: either 1 minimum, 75 no “get aways”

Oily Blackmouth makes Blackmouth Oil, which is very useful for getting past skill bottlenecks and leveling Alchemy. It’s used in three Alchemy recipes — Elixir of Water Breathing, Swim Speed Potion, Free Action Potion — and can be used to increase your Fishing skill via Enchant Gloves – Fishing.

It’s located in coastal areas of most level 10-40 zones and can also be found inland in others. The best places to go are Darkshore, Westfall, Loch Modan, Silverpine Forest, and The Barrens. Note that some higher-level zones also contain Oily Blackmouth, but they’ll also require higher Fishing to guarantee catches. For this reason, it’s better to stick to the lower-level zones when farming these.

Sagefish

Fishing level: 1 minimum, 75 no “get aways”; 55 minimum, 150 no “get aways” (Raw Sagefish)
Fishing level: 130 minimum, 225 no “get aways” (Raw Greater Sagefish)

Sagefish has two different fish that can make different levels of mp5 food: Smoked Sagefish and Sagefish Delight. The best locations for Raw Sagefish are Loch Modan and Silverpine at lower levels or Ashenvale, Hillsbrad Foothills, and Mirkfallon Lake in Stonetalon Mountains at higher levels. For Raw Greater Sagefish, the best places to fish are near Lordamere Lake in Alterac Mountains and around Lake Nazferiti in Stranglethorn Vale.

Nightfin Snapper and Sunscale Salmon

Fishing level: 205 minimum, 300 no “get aways”

These two fish are time-sensitive and are caught at opposite times of the day in the same areas. Raw Nightfin Snapper makes the highest mp5 food, Nightfin Soup, which is great for casters. Just like Stonescale Eel, it’s caught only at night. The highest drop rate is between 12 a.m. and 6 a.m., with a lower drop rate from 6 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. It’s not available between 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. at all.

Raw Sunscale Salmon makes a good hp5 food, Poached Sunscale Salmon. It’s the daytime counterpart to Nightfin and as such can only be caught during the day. The highest drop rate is between 12 p.m. and 6 p.m., with a lower drop rate from 6 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. It’s not available between 12 a.m. and 6 a.m.

They’re located mostly inland in level 45+ zones. The best locations are Azshara, Eastern Plaguelands, Felwood, Jademir Lake in Feralas, The Hinterlands, Moonglade, Un’goro Crater, Scholomance in Western Plaguelands, and Winterspring.

Winter Squid and Summer Bass

Fishing level: 205 minimum, 300 no “get aways”; best caught at max level at 425

These two fish are seasonal and have the highest drop rate during opposite times of the year. Winter Squid makes Grilled Squid (Agility buff) and Summer Bass makes Hot Smoked Bass (Spirit buff).

Both can be fished up during the Fall and Spring at lower drop rates. The highest chance of fishing Winter Squid is between the Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox (roughly December 21 to March 18) when Summer Bass is not available. Likewise, Summer Bass has the highest chance between the Summer Solstice and Fall Equinox (roughly June 20 to September 21) when Winter Squid is gone.

The best catch rate is between 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. in the Bay of Storms in Azshara. They can also be found elsewhere in Azshara, Feralas, The Hinterlands, Jaguero Isle in Stranglethorn Vale, and Tanaris.

Mightfish

Fishing level: 205 minimum, 300 no “get aways” (Raw Glossy Mightfish)
Fishing level: 330 minimum, 425 no “get aways” (Large Raw Mightfish)

These two fish both make +10 Stamina food: Cooked Glossy Mightfish and Mightfish Steak. The best places to find Glossy Mightfish are Azshara (except the Bay of Storms), Feralas, The Hinterlands, Jaguero Isle in Stranglethorn Vale, and Tanaris. Large Raw Mightfish has a 5% chance to be fished up in the Bay of Storms in Azshara. It’s not worth it to fish specifically for this fish, but they are valuable if you happen to catch them while in the area fishing for anything else.

Big-mouth Clams

Fishing level: 205 minimum, 300 no “get aways”

Clams drop various clam meats, which are used in Cooking for leveling, and can also drop pearls, which are very useful for other professions. Other types of clams also have the chance to drop pearls, but Big-mouth Clams are the best for Golden Pearls which are the most valuable — used in several Tailoring patterns for endgame gear — and also the rarest. Their drop rate is thought to be 0.5% to 1%. Black Pearls are the most common, with a 5% drop rate.

• Small Lustrous Pearl — used for crafting lower level gear
• Iridescent Pearl — crafting slightly higher gear and Runed Golden Rod (Enchanting)
• Black Pearl — yet more crafting gear and Runed Truesilver Rod
• Golden Pearl — used for high level cloth gear, Enchant Weapon – Spell Power, and Runed Arcanite Rod

Big-mouth Clams can be fished up in the coastal areas of level 40+ zones such as Azshara, Feralas, The Hinterlands, and Tanaris. They are also relatively time sensitive, but not consistent across different zones. According to Legacy WoW, in Feralas the clams are not available between 12 a.m. and 6 a.m., but they are available during that time period in Azshara.

Wreckage pools

These look similar to schools of fish, but with boxes and debris floating around inside them. When you fish in them, you can pull up trunks that will contain useful items. Trunks can contain green-quality gear, recipes, potions, bolts of cloth, leather, bags, and so on. The most lucrative trunks are Mithril Bound Trunks, which can contain level 40-50 greens, Runecloth bolts, and more. There are four different types of trunks you can catch and they follow the overall fishing difficulty of the zones.

• Tightly Sealed Trunk: The Barrens, Darkshore, Loch Modan, Silverpine Forest, and Westfall (Minimum skill 1, no “get aways” skill 75)
• Watertight Trunk: Ashenvale, Hillsbrad Foothills, Stonetalon Mountains, and Wetlands (Minimum skill 55, no “get aways” skill 150)
• Iron Bound Trunk: Alterac Mountains, Arathi Highlands, Desolace, Dustwallow Marsh, and Stranglethorn Vale (north of Grom’Gol only) (Minimum skill 130, no “get aways” skill 225)
• Mithril Bound Trunk: Azshara, Feralas, Stranglethorn Vale (south of Grom’Gol only), and Tanaris (Minimum skill 205, no “get aways” skill 300)

Elemental Water

Fishing level: 330 minimum, 425 no “get aways”

In Azshara, deep into the bay, you can find patches of Elemental Water. Fishing from these pools will get you a couple different water reagents — Elemental Water, Essence of Water, or Globe of Water. These each have their uses in crafting gear and enchants, but Elemental Water is in particular demand for its part in creating Robe of Power, which is integral for many casters. The pools are far from land, at least a several minute swim out there. And because they’re so far out, you need to be a Shaman — or friends with a Shaman — and have Water Walking in order to fish from them.

Hopefully this guide helps you to make some of that sweet gold. If you need help getting your Fishing up to speed to catch the more valuable mats, check out our guide for leveling Fishing.