I was thinking about this the other day while I was gathering fish and ore on my main character…
While fish is perfectly usable at this moment, I sometimes wish there was “more” to do or at least more variety in what you can do.
For example since fish plays a vital role in creating feasts for raids in TWW I was thinking introducing a new fishing mechanic would be neat. My idea was to add a fishing net that allows for catching multiple fish at the same time. My idea would work just like the current fishing pole mechanic, just more gathering slots. Let’s say you have a fishing net and you throw it into normal (non fish pool) water. The backend of the fishing mechanic would give you a chance to gather fish using RNG. You might end up with multiple fish, a net full of junk, or something in between.
Maybe make the fishing net upgradable like the fish rod is now. That way it can be improved or augmented.
Another idea related to fish I think would be cool. Deep sea fishing! Allow players to use small boats / rafts to venture into deeper waters to fish different fish than what is found on the shoreline. This could open up a bunch of different options for kinds of fish which could be used in new cooking recipes. For example, fish up shark or the warcraft equivalent of marlin (swordfish). Give people a reason to venture out into deeper waters instead of sitting on the shoreline. Just to be clear I mean deeper swimmable waters, not the Great Sea. Since you cannot fish in the middle of the water unless you can water walk or some other way to stand on top this could open up an option for small boats or rafts to be used, or at the least give more use to the ones that exist already in the toy box.
As a general rule, I dislike fishing in every game I’ve ever tried it in, and I only do it because other rewards are tied to it.
With that said, I actually look forward to the Hallowfall Fishing Derby. The format of the quest gives me an excuse to travel and find new spots, but the short duration keeps me from feeling like it’s an ill-defined chore that I just have to spend a lot of time on to make it ‘worth it’.
I don’t really have an opinion on most of your ideas because, as I said, I dislike fishing broadly – but I think building on the Hallowfall derby style is a good route.
I will say that your deep sea fishing idea is kinda already in the game – there’s a variety of ways to waterwalk, as you note, but that also includes a literal raft toy from Pandaria that fishers have used for years to reach pools for efficient fishing. Legion, as I recall, did this quite a bit since the Underlight Angler or whatever the fishing rod artifact was called includes Water Walking as a power.
The Dragonflight fishing options were fun. Fishing for lunkers was always entertaining. Getting to do ice fishing was also a neat twist on rare pools. Spearing the shark steaks for the dailies was alright, felt like the most tedious after awhile. Setting the nets in DF, I’d always forget what ones I’d done, save for the average nets on the edge of Waking Shores.
Yeppers. Fishing in DF had a lot of new methods. You built and upgraded nets, got to fish different zone pools as you increased your renown. It was time consuming but neat.
I just wish i could get some decent stuff from places other than pools. Previously I could get random normal fish from open water fishing, now its mostly junk.
Fishing in Palia is actually pretty good. Fishing in the original Fable was somehow my favorite thing to do. But I think that’s mostly because I was making gold to buy that uber sword. lol
The colors probably would attract fishies. I’ve never known any except catfish to be attracted to sugary stuff though. Most fishies prefer goo laden bugs, chunks of meat, some will go after veggies like chopped cauliflower or real corn.
our rivers around here are too polluted. not safe to fish. fish in nearby river have high levels of mercury in them. wolf river is very polluted and has been designated a superfund site. dunno if they finished cleaning it up yet.
What I dont understand is how is fishing any different than skinning, mining or herbing?
Its all gathering natural resources. …you’d THINK theyd ALL be secondary professions.
not safe to fish. fish in nearby river have high levels of mercury in them. wolf river is very polluted and has been designated a superfund site. dunno if they finished cleaning it up yet.