One way a lot of Final Fantasy 14 players kill time is by fishing. Besides just wondering about the world and finding all the fish they can, players can also indulge in Ocean Fishing, a mini-game located in Limsa Lominsa. This mini-game uses the same rules as regular fishing, but instead of just trying to find all the fish, players go for a high score instead. There are even rewards to be obtained by doing this, like a shark mount, or time-sensitive currency like moogle tomestones. This guide will explain how to maximize a player’s score and provide resources to assist the effort.
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Preparation
Before trying to get a super high score, players need to do a little bit of preparation. Being a max-level fisher is the most obvious way of helping, but Ocean Fishing is also the most efficient method of leveling up one’s fisher. A higher level means more skills to use and more stats to work with.
Players should just keep in mind that more gathering points (GP) is valuable while fishing, as it will allow the execution of techniques that make the task of high-score hunting easier.
Alongside leveling is gear, making sure item level is as high as possible gives even further stat boosts to make fishing easier. Finally, before boarding the boat, players should be stocked up on at least 99 each of Ragworm, Krill, and Plump Worm. These are the 3 baits that will be used during the voyage, and can be easily purchased from a vendor right next to the Ocean Fishing entrance.
Although baits can be purchased on the boat, every second on the boat matters. Make sure players are fully stocked before attempting to board.
Next, open up the Ocean Fishing Spreadsheet, a fan-run tool that many refer to while on board. This tool will tell players what fish can be caught where, and with what bait. Finally, when the boat becomes available (this is at the top of every other hour), make sure players are there to board as it spawns, and embark on the Northern Strait of Merlthor. This is by far the more popular route, and making sure the boat has the maximum number of players on board will greatly increase the chances of getting a high score.
How to Ocean Fish
As soon as players board, they should check the Voyage missions. There will be three quests to execute over the three segments of the trip. These do not need to be completed all at once, progress will carry over between sections. Depending on the route, weather, and what the objectives actually are, certain quests cannot be progressed on at certain times, so players should make sure to prioritize these at all times.
Using the Ocean Fishing Spreadsheet, players should confirm the sea creature they should be aiming for. Certain animals will have a “category” attached to them, that is the species they will qualify as for quest completion. For example, although a Spectral Megalodon is undeniably a shark, it is not classified as one in the game, and will not count for a “catch sharks” quest. To reflect this, Spectral Megalodons are not marked as being sharks on the spreadsheet.
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Once they know for certain that they know what to search for, players should stick to the bait that will find the creature they need for quest completion. Other quests, like “catch fish with a strong bite,” will be completed naturally throughout the voyage as long as time is being optimized.
Players should be advised not to have their characters sit while ocean fishing. There is an additional animation that plays after every catch that can end up costing multiple fish over the course of the voyage.
There are two phases to the high score hunt, the mission completion phase, and the spectral phase. The mission completion phase is exactly as it sounds, priority will be put on completing the missions. To accomplish this, we will use a very simple method. Use whatever bait will lure out the creature that’s needed, and as soon as it’s found, players should immediately use “Identical Cast.” This skill simply makes the next catch the exact same creature that was just caught, effectively doubling the amount seen each time. Ideally, players will also be getting stacks of Angler’s art. Players should avoid using these stacks, unless they are about to reach the cap of 10, then use “Thaliak’s Favor” once to not waste GP.
If players are feeling lucky and have GP to spare, consider using “Double Hook” or “Triple Hook.” This will give additional copies of whatever fish is found next. These skills are pricey, and don’t work all the time, but can, if lucky, finish off a mission in a single cast.
Occasionally, while fishing, a “Spectral Current” will occur. Players will know it’s happening when all the surrounding ocean turns to a rainbow color, and an on-screen prompt about which player triggered it. During this time, a new pool of fish are available (denoted by a green background in the fish’s icon), the spawn rate is drastically increased, and point values are massively increased. Due to the roster change in fish, whatever players were looking for will no longer be available during the current.
As the current starts, players may have to swap their baits, either to find a new fish under the needed category, or to find fish needed for bite strength. After equipping the needed bait, players should activate “Patience II”, and swap to using Precision/Powerful hookset fishing.
At lower levels, “Patience” works just as well to help conserve GP. Remember to use “Thaliak’s Favor” to help restore GP, or consider stocking up on cordials to increase GP even further.
If players finish up all their missions with enough time to spare, they should join the spectral spawn team. This is done by finding a fish with the word “Spectral” in its name, and there is a chance one will spawn. Do note that only one spectral current can spawn per section, up to a max of three times per voyage.
After the third section is done, the voyage is over. Bonuses for completing missions will be added to a player’s base score, resulting in a final score, which is what the game looks at when determining rewards.
Even with this maximizing the odds, getting a score high enough for rewards is still luck-based. It is very possible to go an entire voyage without ever seeing a spectral current, so just going on as many voyages as possible will eventually yield results.
