Fishing is an integral part of Nier Replicant, as even if you don't want to go too in-depth with this feature, you'll still need to take part in some fishing to progress the storyline. There are plenty of quests and upgrades that require items obtained from fishing, and there are two different achievements/trophies tied to fishing too.

For everything you need to know about the basics of fishing, different baits, unlockable accolades, and where to catch all the types of fish in the game, we've got a complete guide right here. Happy fishing!

Updated October 22, 2023, by Sean Murray: Fishing in any game can be a chore, which is why we've refreshed this Nier Replicant fishing guide with improved formatting to make it easier than every to catch a big one. We've also given it more links to other helpful Nier Replicant topics.

How to Unlock The Fishing Feature

Not far into the game, the storyline will direct you to go to Seafront where you need to get a shaman fish for Yonah. Speaking to the man on the docks will unlock fishing for you, as he gives you a rod and lure, and directs you to go to the western beach to catch a shaman fish.

This unlocks the bare necessities for fishing, but to improve your fishing skills and unlock more bait types, you'll need to progress through 'The Fisherman's Gambit' questline. These quests are given by the same NPC that gave you your fishing rod.

The Basics Of Fishing

You can fish in any body of water, such as the sea, lakes, and rivers. Approach the water, and a prompt will appear to fish. Select this and then choose a bait (the lure is your default), and Nier will cast his line into the water.

The fish will nudge the line a couple of times before they bite, so wait for the red float to disappear beneath the water before you pull back on your rod, or it will get away.

The game's tutorial tells you to pull the rod in the opposite direction of the fish, so if the fish is pulling to the left, then you want to pull your rod (and analog stick) to the right. However, it's not quite this simple, and if you only do this, you'll likely find your line constantly snapping.

The key thing when it comes to fishing is to pull backward on your rod/analog stick at the same time as pulling in the opposite direction that the fish is swimming.

You will know if you are in the right fish-fighting position as the fish's health bar will change to a darker shade of blue and will begin to deplete. If this isn't happening, change your rod position.

The Fisherman's Gambit Quests

Completing 'The Fisherman's Gambit' quest chain is vital to collecting all types of fish in the game, as each time you turn in a quest, your fishing skill increases. This allows you to catch more types of fish that would otherwise be impossible to get.

This quest chain involves a series of requests from the old fisherman where he asks you to catch several fish. For a full walkthrough on 'The Fisherman's Gambit' quests, please see our guide here.

Where To Purchase Bait

You can purchase bait from the Tackle Shop in Seafront, at the location shown above.

This NPC's stock will initially only contain Lures, Earthworms, and Lugworms, but after completing 'The Fisherman's Gambit, Part 2' quest, the Tackle Shop will also stock Sardines and Carp.

Where to Catch All Fish Types

There are 15 different types of fish in total that can be found throughout the world of Nier Replicant, though catching them all requires different bait types. Just below, we have a full list of where to find each kind of fish and which bait to use to catch it, listed in the order in which you can catch them.

You cannot catch all of these fish straight away, as some require you to increase your fishing level by progressing through the 'The Fisherman's Gambit' quest chain to be able to reel them in.

Attempting to catch them sooner will result in your line breaking.

You can view all the fish you have caught in the Grimoire Weiss menu, under 'Notes', followed by 'Fishing Records'.

Catching all 15 types of fish will reward you with the 'A Round by the Pound' achievement/trophy.

Catching the Rhizodont will earn you the 'Fish of Legend' accolade.

Junk Items from Fishing

There are also various materials you can fish up, such as junk items and aquatic plants, some of which are required for weapon upgrades. Junk items can be found in a few different places, but we've personally found them in the following areas:

Next: Nier Replicant: Complete Guide And Walkthrough