After surviving a dragon attack, the protagonist of my latest Skyrim playthrough has not embarked on the usual heroic quest to embrace his destiny as the fabled Dragonborn. Why? Because he's too busy fishing. Skyrim Anniversary Edition is the latest version of Bethesda's world-conquering RPG, released to celebrate its tenth anniversary. It comes bundled with a mountain of add-ons and extras, including the ability to cast a line into Skyrim's crystal clear streams, lakes, and rivers and extract various kinds of fish from them.
Rather than load up one of my existing saves, I decide to start a new character and devote him entirely to becoming the greatest fisherman in all of Tamriel. I want taverns across the land to be filled with whispered tales about the mythical Salmonborn, who defied a dragon to become a fishing legend. After escaping Helgen I make my way down to the sleepy village of Riverwood. Usually I'd start the Bleak Falls Barrow quest here and begin my career as an adventurer, but that's far too dangerous and exciting. Why fight dirty Draugur in a dark, dingy old dungeon when I could enjoy the great outdoors and catch fish instead?
By a stream running through the village, I find an old wooden rod, a bucket of bait, and a book explaining the basics of how to fish. Written by an angler calling himself Aland Sea-Bird, this dusty tome only makes me more determined to embrace the fish life. "I've fished in waters open and deep, amidst storms no mortal dare brook," the yellowed pages of the book read. "I've ventured down bottomless caves and have challenged the monsters of the deep with my hook." Man, forget the saga of the Dragonborn: this is the stuff of legends.
Here's how fishing works. You can only do it at set locations, scattered around the world next to different bodies of water—recognisable as baskets of fish with rods propped up against them. Then you have to equip a rod as a weapon. Whenever I do so, my character enters a battle stance and wields it like a sword, which is pretty funny. This then lets you interact with the fishing point and cast your line into the water. It's clear this is a system that has been retro-fitted, but the slightly clumsy integration isn't too distracting.
You don't have to worry about bait or lures. Once your line is in, it's just a matter of watching and waiting. Fish will tug gently at the line at first, then give it a yank, which is your cue to quickly hit a button and reel them in. You don't have to tap it or anything: it just happens. Sometimes you catch a fish, other times you snag junk like old boots. One time I caught a decent ancient Nord dagger, which leads me to believe there might be some more valuable loot to fish up. It's as basic as fishing minigames get, but it's still managed to hook me in.
Another page in Sea-Bird's book points me towards a fishery in the city of Riften. I hike over to Whiterun, take a carriage there, and talk to an Argonian fisherman called Swims-In-Deep-Water. He points me in the direction of nearby fishing spots, gives me a list of fish to catch, and says he'll pay me for any I bring back. I spend the next 40 minutes wandering around the serene lakes and rivers of the Rift, searching for fishing points, and loading up my inventory with my stinky, slippery prey. I end up with pockets full of carp and glassfish.
It's a refreshingly peaceful, laid back way to engage with Skyrim's beautiful, atmospheric world. It forces you to stop and absorb your surroundings in a way the regular game never really does. It's just you, a fishing rod, the lapping of the water, and the distant howl of the freezing wind. I also appreciate how the fishing points have all been placed in particularly scenic areas of the map, which means you're always treated to a nice view as you fish. The simplicity of the fishing itself, which demands zero effort, only adds to this feeling of zen.
After catching the first batch of fish on Swims-In-Deep-Water's list, he gives me another: this time of fish that can only be caught in the rain. This gives me a sinking feeling, because Skyrim's weather is randomised, and having to put my fishing adventure on hold until the sky opened up sounded like a needless chore. Then I spot a bonus objective. Apparently my Argonian friend lost a lucky fishing hat that, when worn, makes it rain. I fish it out of a lake, and lo and behold, it starts chucking it down whenever I'm wearing it.
Fishing in the rain is even more relaxing. I always knew the sound design in Skyrim was great, but stopping and really listening as I fish, the atmosphere is remarkable. Alas, after a morning spent on the waterways of the Rift, I had to drag myself away from the game to come and write this. But I'm looking forward to seeing more of what these fishing quests have to offer. Apparently I'll be able to keep my catches in aquariums, when I actually have enough money to buy a house. I'm also looking forward to fishing the icy waters of the far north.
I can't speak to the quality of the other add-ons included with Skyrim's Anniversary Edition, but the fishing? I am a hopeless fish flopping around on Bethesda's hook, powerless to resist. As someone who enjoys just existing in Skyrim, this is a delightfully low-stakes way to spend time there. It's also made me fall back in love with the game after feeling burned out on it for years. As soon as this article has been posted, I'm going back in to continue my quest to become the Salmonborn. I won't stop until every soul in Tamriel knows the name.