¶ Fishing 
"Fishing is not simply a pastime, it's a dance between patience and surprise. Even a seemingly humble fishing trip can hold a story more intriguing than a dragon hunt."
Fishing in Haze is simple to start and deep to master. Grab a rod, bring some bait, and cast at a Fishing Spot, what bites depends on more than luck, and the best way to learn is to experiment.
¶ Getting Started
- Rod: Craft one (Survival/Woodworking) or buy one.
- Bait/Lures: Basic bait can be crafted (Cooking/Survival) or found. Some species are picky—try different baits to see what nibbles.
- Prime the bait: Use your rod on a bait item to load it before casting.
- Find a spot: Look for designated Fishing Spots. Lakes, rivers, shores, marshes—each is different.
Casting takes about 18–27 seconds with ambient emotes. Then you’ll either catch a fish, find something odd, spook the water, or stir up trouble.
¶ Stats Used and Bonuses
Your chance to land a fish uses three abilities plus Survival, along with situational bonuses.
B = floor(Survival Skill / 2) + (2 if Luck of the Sea feat, else 0)
FishingRoll = d20
+ (WisMod + StrMod + DexMod + B)
+ (WeatherBonus + LureBonus + RodBonus)
- Abilities: Use your base scores.
- Survival: Includes all modifiers from gear/spells.
- Bonuses: Weather, lure quality, and rod quality help.
You won’t be told exact thresholds for any species, learning the patterns is part of the game.
¶ What Matters?
Catching every species in Haze is a long game of observation and experimentation. There are 50+ fish varieties already, with more added over time, and none of them announce their preferences, you'll learn by trying things and noting what works.
- Water type: Lakes, rivers, coasts, marshes, underground pools and more each have distinct "pools."
- Time of day: Some fish wake at dawn, others feed at dusk or night, while a few bite all day. Rotate times when testing a spot.
- Note that time of day is not restricted to just those times listed above, it will take some experimentation to figure out the trends of all the fish.
- Region: Regions influence what shows up. The same shoreline in two regions can fish very differently.
- Regions are the first word of an area name, before the '-' Such as
Center - Easterly Timberlands...the region is "Center"
- Regions are the first word of an area name, before the '-' Such as
- Bait & lures: Species can be picky. Swap between worms, insects, cut bait, crafted lures, etc., and watch how bite rates change.
- Lures override any bait requirement for a fish, but it's always easier to catch a fish with it's preferred bait if you have it and know what you are looking for.
- Weather & conditions: Rain, fog, and snow can help or hinder.
- Pressure & patience: Busy areas can feel "spooked." If you’re getting nothing, change one variable (time, bait, exact spot) and try a few casts.
- Your setup: Better rods and the right features help, but they don’t replace smart experimenting and good notes.
Tip: Change one thing at a time, make 3 - 5 casts, and keep simple notes. Patterns emerge faster than you think, and that’s the heart of the system.
¶ Catching Fish
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Load bait on your rod.
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Use the rod on a Fishing Spot.
-
Wait for the result:
- Catch: You reel in a fish (sizes vary).
- Find: You pull up something else entirely.
- Nothing: The one that got away.
- Uh-oh: A critter takes offense (see below).
¶ Learn the Waters (Trial & Error) 
Fish behavior isn’t shown to you—discover it by testing:
- Try different times: Morning, daytime, twilight, night. Notice when bites pick up.
- Swap baits/lures: Some fish seem to "wake up" when you change bait.
- Move around: Lakes, rivers, coasts, swamps—each has its own personality.
- Pay attention to messages: Subtle text and emotes hint at activity.
- Keep notes: If you’re hunting a species, jot down what worked.
Crowded or over-fished places can feel "touchier." If a spot cools off, take a walk and come back later.
¶ Random Loot
Not every haul is a fish. You might drag up curios, lost tools, or themed odds and ends. What shows up varies by location and water type.
¶ Random Aggressive Creatures
Sometimes you hook trouble: crabs, snakes, even the odd tentacled surprise. Encounters depend on where you’re casting.
¶ Rod Wear & Repair
Rods can fail over time. Before a total break, parts may go:
- Line or Hook can be replaced—use your rod on the replacement item.
- Keep spares or know a crafter.
¶ Harvesting Your Catch
Many fish can be flayed into useful items (meat, scales, rare bits). Outputs and odds are species-dependent—find out by trying, if you feel knowledgeable, put what you learn into a book in-game!
¶ Quick Tips
- Prime bait before casting.
- If something isn’t biting, change time, bait, or spot.
- Lures help when hunting rarer fish.
- Expect size/weight swings—there are brag fish out there.