Fishing is a feature that was added to Terraria during the update to version 1.2.4 that allows players to obtain high-level items without having to dig and craft. In fact, you can get all the equipment and weapons you need to defeat the Wall of Flesh and activate Hard Mode only by fishing. This particular feature helps to correct one of the most common complaints of players about the early stages of the game, which is the too much importance placed on crafting and excavating (Minecraft style). However, is there any way to start fishing efficiently in Terraria? As with many other aspects of the game, this activity becomes surprisingly easy when done right.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Building a Fishing Rod
Step 1. Get some wood
Cut as many trees as possible with your copper ax. Make sure you hold the mouse pointer at the base of the trunk, so you can take it down all in one go. Wood and pine cones will fall from the trees which you will automatically collect in your inventory as you pass by.
It is advisable to obtain around 200-300 units of wood, as many early game items require it as an ingredient
Step 2. Build a work table
Open the inventory (the default key for doing this is Esc) and build a simple work table. When done, place it on a flat surface and close your inventory.
Step 3. Build your first fishing rod
Approach the workbench and open the inventory again. Look for the wooden fishing rod among the items you can craft. Put it in inventory once built.
The wooden fishing rod is the easiest to build of the four you can make. Others, such as the reinforced fishing rod, soul fisher and meat catcher require iron or lead anvils, iron bars, lead, demonite or crimtane
Part 2 of 4: Getting the Merchant to Arrive
Step 1. Build the walls of a house
To get the merchant to arrive you have to build him a house. Start by creating an enclosed space of wood nine blocks long and seven blocks high. Leave a column of three blocks free to make room for the door.
Step 2. Build a wooden door, chair, table and walls
Once the walls are created, go back to the workbench and open the inventory to build a wooden table, chair, door and walls. When you have everything you need, be sure to keep it in your inventory.
Step 3. Complete the house
Go back to the space you built earlier and place the furniture (table and chair) inside. When they are in place, cover the background with the wooden walls and close the house with the door.
Step 4. Kill some slimes
Once the house is built, go outside and look for slimes. Kill as many of them as possible with the sword, then collect the gel they drop.
- You can find slimes in all biomes throughout the day. If you prefer, you can use the ax or pickaxe instead of the sword to take them out, as they are quite weak.
- Usually you will find some slime already in the starting zone of the world.
Step 5. Build a flashlight
Once you have collected 10-15 units of gel, you can go back to the workbench. Open your inventory and build as many torches as possible.
Step 6. Light up the house
Place a torch or two inside the house to illuminate it.
Step 7. If you wish, build houses for the other characters as well
For the moment, five more will suffice.
Even if the merchant is the only character required to fish, the others will still be very useful for you to unlock advanced crafting recipes, healing items and weapons. By creating the houses in advance, you will save time later on
Step 8. Collect at least 50 silver coins
You can get them from monsters you kill by breaking pots and opening chests you find in the game world. You need at least 50 coins before the merchant decides to move into the house you built for him.
The 50 silver requirement only unlocks the merchant. Other characters have different requirements and usually appear after you've defeated a boss or when you have certain items in your inventory
Part 3 of 4: Get yourself some Lures
Step 1. Go to the merchant
You will see a notification pop up when the merchant moves into your world. When you see it, go to the house and look for it there.
Step 2. Purchase a screen
Right-click on the merchant after approaching him. Click on the Buy item and you should see the fill among the available objects. Note that it costs 25 silver coins.
Step 3. Catch insects and butterflies with the net
Once you have bought this item, equip it by placing it in one of the inventory quick access bar boxes. You can find insects all over the world of Terraria, but the best baits are worms, snails, caterpillars, fireflies, and earthworms.
Part 4 of 4: Go Fishing
Step 1. Reach an ocean
The easiest way to fish is to go to the nearest ocean. However, you need to be careful, as you will likely encounter some high-level monsters along the way.
- To catch something on the hook, you need to make sure you fish in an area with at least 75 contiguous blocks (vertically or horizontally) of any liquid (including lava and honey).
- While it is possible to create a pond in which to fish, it takes time to do so. You will be able to do this once you have obtained more powerful items after defeating the first bosses.
- You can fish in lava and honey too, but you need to make sure you have a suitable fishing rod and bait.
Step 2. Equip the fishing rod
Once you reach the ocean, open your inventory and put the wooden fishing rod in one of the boxes on the quick access bar.
Step 3. Equip the bait in the ammo boxes
Step 4. Cast the line and wait
Once you have equipped your fishing rod and bait, you can launch the hook into the water by clicking on the liquid.
Make sure you are on land (or on a platform) and not submerged in water when fishing, otherwise you will not catch anything
Step 5. Get the fish
Wait for the float to move, an indication that something has taken the bite. When you see it moving, click the mouse and you should get a new item in your inventory.
