Fishing XP scales with fish difficulty, so chasing hard fish levels you fastest. Rods, bait, tackle, and the level 5 Fisher or Trapper split are compared, with crab pot economics for the passive route.
The training loop is simple: cast from the best available water, watch the weather and clock, and use the fish finder to narrow the species before spending bait. The Bamboo, Fiberglass, and Iridium rods unlock more control in stages; bait and tackle only help on compatible rods.
Fisher raises the value of caught fish and Angler improves it again at level 10, while Trapper reduces crab pot crafting pressure. Choose the active fishing route when you enjoy the minigame and have a steady catch window; choose Trapper when crab pots fit your daily routine.
For a specific target, check season, weather, time, and location together. Bundle fish, rain-only fish, and legendary fish have different requirements, so the all-fish table and the Fish Finder should be used as a checklist rather than as a generic fishing guide.