Ice Fishing is the Skill to catch fish in The Long Dark. It is performed at fishing holes, which are cut in the ice of fish-bearing bodies of water.
Overview
Ice Fishing is the skill to catch fish for food, lantern oil and source renewable Vitamin-C to avoid Scurvy. It is performed at any fish-bearing body of water, at hole(s) cut in its ice. These holes are found inside all Fishing Huts, and can also be made manually with any Tool (via the Radial Menu). The Survivor can fish manually with a Fishing Tackle, or semi-automatically with Fishing Tip-Ups (crafted fish traps). When choosing to fish the survivor can select to use bait, lures and how long to fish for. While fishing time is accelerated, and the task may be canceled early (ESC or "Cancel").
There are two methods of Ice Fishing:
- Manual Ice Fishing: requires Fishing Tackle(s) and accelerates time while fishing. Catching fish manually both increases and benefits from Ice Fishing Skill. Manual Fishing is versatile and simple. needing few materials to do.
- Fish Trapping: requires Fishing Tip-Up(s) and is semi-automatic. Deployed Tip-Ups catch fish independent of the survivor, but lose condition while deployed and require regular ice-clearing in their holes to prevent re-freeze. Deploying more than 6 Fishing Tip-Ups in the same Region will cause 'overfishing', resulting in diminishing returns (4 for Zone of Contamination). Trapping fish with Tip-Ups does not increase or benefit from Ice Fishing Skill. Deploying 6 Tip-Ups and actively maintaining them will yield a substantially higher amount of calories per hour (around 3.7x) compared to manually fishing (level 5), however this requires more resources and effort from the player.
Fishing Requires:
- Fishing Tackle or Fishing Tip-Up
- Tool to cut hole, or break ice on an existing hole
- Hole cut in the ice (survivor-made, or inside of a Fishing Hut)
Fishing Optionally Requires:
- Fuel and a lit Fire for warmth
- Fishing Bait: increases weight of caught fish
- Fishing Lure: increases odds of catching rare fish and increases bite times
- Cooking Pot/Cooking Skillet/Recycled Can for boiling water
- Water/Bedroll for sleeping on-site
- Travois for hauling fuel to a fishing site, or fish away
- Snow Shelter if using a cut hole near a snowy bank
Each fishing session is treated separately, so longer sessions will likely catch more fish than the same time broken into multiple sessions. Fishing for less than the "maximum bite time" will result in no fish ever being caught. Overfishing is caused by using more than 6 Tip-Ups in the same region (more than 4 in Zone of Contamination)
There are two types of fish: saltwater and freshwater, and four rarity: common, uncommon and two rare types. Fishing Lures only increase the odds of "rare" fish (at the cost of increase bite wait times).
Image | Name | Rarity | Type | Minimum weight | Maximum weight | Raw caloric density | Odds |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lake Whitefish | Common | Fresh water | 1.50 kg (3.3 lb) |
2.30 kg (5.06 lb) |
250 cal/kg | 70 | |
Rainbow Trout | Common | Salt water | 0.50 kg (1.1 lb) |
2.30 kg (5.06 lb) |
250 cal/kg | 70 | |
Coho Salmon | Uncommon | Salt water | 2.80 kg (6.16 lb) |
5.50 kg (12.1 lb) |
300 cal/kg | 30 | |
Smallmouth Bass | Uncommon | Fresh water | 1.80 kg (3.96 lb) |
5.00 kg (11 lb) |
300 cal/kg | 30 | |
Goldeye | Rare | Fresh water | 0.50 kg (1.1 lb) |
2.10 kg (4.62 lb) |
300 cal/kg | 5 | |
Burbot | Rare | Fresh water | 3.90 kg (8.58 lb) |
6.00 kg (13.2 lb) |
325 cal/kg | 2 | |
Rockfish | Rare | Salt water | 1.80 kg (3.96 lb) |
5.00 kg (11 lb) |
300 cal/kg | 5 | |
Red Irish Lord | Rare | Salt water | 1.50 kg (3.3 lb) |
3.10 kg (6.82 lb) |
300 cal/kg | 2 | |
Big Bass* | Unique | Fresh water | 15.00 kg (33 lb) |
15.00 kg (33 lb) |
300 cal/kg | Scripted |
*Big Bass is found only in Wintermute
Equipment
Fishing Tackle and a tool to cut hole(s) in the ice are required for fishing. Optionally Bait and/or Lures can be used to increase bite-rate, or the odds of catching rare fish. Fishing on the ice for hours is very cold, so a lit fire with fuel and/or Snow Shelter is often required.
Fishing Tackle
Fishing Tackle are the primary tool for fishing. They are crafted from a Hook and Line. Tackle lasts until they break during fishing, and only degrade condition when used to Repair clothing (Tackle durability has no effect on break rate).
Ice Breaker
Ice breakers are any tool used to clear ice holes. Fully clearing a hole takes the full break time, with a partially frozen hole taking much less. Prybar and Heavy Hammer take longer to clear than bladed tools, but sustain less condition loss when doing so. Prybars are non-renewable or repairable, but Heavy Hammers may be repaired sustainably (but not replaced if ruined).
Tool | Break rate (minutes to clear ice) |
Tool decay | |
---|---|---|---|
Prybar | 45.0 min | 2.0% | |
Heavy Hammer | 45.0 min | 2.0% | |
Hatchet | 20.0 min | 5.0% | |
Hunting Knife | 40.0 min | 5.0% | |
Improvised Hatchet | 30.0 min | 10.0% | |
Improvised Knife | 50.0 min | 8.0% |
Fishing Tip-Ups
Fishing Tip-Ups are tools to trap fish at Fishing Holes (including those inside of Fishing Huts). They can be fitted with Lures or Bait, and function similar to Snares, but unlike Snares are not effective when used passively: as they require regular ice-clearing to function, and will lose condition while deployed.
After clearing an ice hole and placing the Tip-Up in the water the tool will auto fish. As time passes and a fish bites the tackle, the tool will "Tip-Up" and fall upright with a metallic jingling sound. Tip-Ups lose condition when deployed (1% per hour outside, 0.5% per hour inside a Fishing Hut). Catching fish with Tip-Ups does not yield Ice Fishing Skill or benefit from it.
Any number of Tip-Ups may be deployed in a region, but deploying more than 6 results in the 'overfishing penalty', yielding diminishing returns (4 in Zone of Contamination).
Fishing Bait
Fishing Bait are an optional tool to catch larger fish. Using Bait increases average fish size by +30%, but one piece of Bait will be consumed for each fish caught. Bait is crafted by harvesting any raw fish and takes 30 minutes regardless of fish weight. Heavier fish yield more Bait when harvested (3 Bait per 1kg of Raw Fish weight).
Fishing Lures
Fishing Lures are an optional tool for catching rare fish. Using lures increases the odds of catching a rare fish by 5-10x, but increases the maximum possible wait time for a fish to bite by +20%-75%. Lures are crafted at a Work Bench and do not lose condition when used, but will be lost if a Fishing Tackle breaks while fishing. All fishing lures weigh 0.01kg.
Image | Lure | Rare Fish Bonus | Maximum Wait Penalty | Materials | Creation Time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Simple Fishing Lure | +500% | +20% | 30 min | ||
Fishing Lure (Acorns) | +800% | +50% |
|
50 min | |
Fishing Lure (Casing) | +800% | +50% | 50 min | ||
Fishing Lure (Wire) | +1000% | +75% | 50 min |
Fishing Holes
Ice Fishing by the survivor or their Tip-Ups requires holes cut in the ice of fishable bodies of water. These holes may be found inside of all Fishing Huts (small green structures found on the ice in many Regions), or cut manually by the water with any Tool. Holes will gradually re-freeze, and must be manually cleared periodically to continue use.
Fishing on Pilgrim, Voyageur and Stalker have the same fishing rates. Fishing on Interloper begins at the same rate, but increases the bite-times to twice as long on average (starting from Day 10, reaching maximum effect at day 50).
Fishing inside of Fishing Huts is more efficient than survivor-cut holes. The Fishing Hut in Bitter Marsh (Ash Canyon) is unique and grants a further bonus to fishing rate.
Free Form Holes | Fishing Huts | Fishing Hut (Ash Canyon) | |
---|---|---|---|
Time to Catch* | 30-120 minutes | 10-90 minutes | 10-70 minutes |
Tip-Up Decay | 1%/hour | 0.5/hour | 0.5/hour |
Ice Hole Freeze | 12.5/hour | 4.16%/hour | 4.16%/hour |
*Time to Catch on Interloper mode progressively increases up to a maximum of twice as long at Day 50, while beginning at the same value as Pilgrim/Voyageur/Stalker.
Fishing Huts
Fishing Huts are small structures on the ice which provide protection from the elements and wildlife. All fishing huts contain a pre-cut hole in the ice for fishing. Huts also contain a Pot Belly Stove to keep warm, cook or boil water, and some have door and provide a warmth bonus in their interior. Wildlife cannot enter a fishing hut even when the door is open.
All fishing holes inside Fishing Huts are more efficient than survivor-made ones outside, with all Fishing Huts being identical except for Ash Canyon's which has a higher bite-rate
Free-Form Ice Fishing Holes
The survivor can cut holes in the ice to fish from with any tool on fishable ice (deep blue ice, not white ice). Without a Fishing Hut for protection, fishing manually at a cut hole runs the risk of exposure or wildlife attacks. It is also impossible to place holes in areas designated as Weak Ice areas. Cutting Ice Fishing Holes was added as part of the free update for Part 3 of the Tales from the Far Territory.
Fishing at cut Ice Fishing Holes are less efficient and have higher Tip-Up condition loss than holes inside of Fishing Huts, but can may be made anywhere on appropriate ice surfaces.
Holes can be cut in the following areas:
Region | Hut Present? | Location | Water type |
---|---|---|---|
Ash Canyon | Yes | Bitter Marsh | Fresh Water |
Ash Canyon | No | Long Falls | Fresh Water |
Bleak Inlet | Yes (east side) | The entire ocean areas to the south | Salt Water |
Broken Railroad | No | Pond north of Maintenance Yard | Fresh Water |
Coastal Highway | Yes | The entire ocean area | Salt Water |
Desolation Point | No | The entire ocean area | Salt Water |
Forsaken Airfield | Yes | Shoulder Lake | Fresh Water |
Forsaken Airfield | No | Pond near Final Approach and Surveyor's Memory | Fresh Water |
Hushed River Valley | No | Monolith Lake | Fresh Water |
Keeper's Pass South | Yes | River area near Mirthless Fork | Fresh Water |
Mountain Town | No | Milton Basin | Fresh Water |
Mystery Lake | Yes | Mystery Lake | Fresh Water |
Mystery Lake | No | Unnamed Pond | Fresh Water |
Crumbling Highway | No | The entire ocean area | Salt Water |
Pleasant Valley | Yes | Pensive Pond | Fresh water |
Pleasant Valley | No | Various points on the large main river (See below map) | Fresh water |
Timberwolf Mountain | Yes | Crystal Lake | Fresh Water |
Sundered Pass | Yes | Ambler's Lake | Fresh Water |
Sundered Pass | No | Giant's Thumbprint | Fresh Water |
Sundered Pass | No | Seedling Spring | Fresh Water |
Winding River | No | River area in front of Carter Hydro Dam | Fresh Water |
Zone of Contamination | No | Unquenched Extraction | Fresh Water |
Skill Levels
Players can increase their Ice Fishing skill by catching any fish.
A limited increase can be obtained from the Research Book The Frozen Angler, which increases the Ice Fishing by 10 skill points with 5 hours of research. This means that you can reach level 2 directly by reading your first book.
Level | Skill points | Effects | Flavor Text |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 0 |
|
You don't really know what you're doing yet. You know which end of the line the hook goes on. |
2 | 10 |
|
You're getting more comfortable with fishing in the Winter. You're better with your fishing gear, and you're developing a feel for when a fish is on the line. |
3 | 50 |
|
You're quite good at ice fishing. You rarely break your lines now, and you catch more fish per hour. |
4 | 150 |
|
You are fantastic at ice fishing. You seem to catch fish more often, more quickly, and somehow you get the bigger ones too! |
5 | 250 |
|
You are the Pied Piper of ice fishers. You barely have to clear the ice hole for fish to nearly jump out of the water. You catch bigger fish, more often, and in less time. |
Trivia
- Cooked Fish yield a small amount of Lantern Oil when picked up. This is automatically added to existing oil containers in the survivor's inventory. Jerry Cans hold fuel more efficiently than "Lantern Fuel" bottles.
- Seawater fish provide more oil per kg than freshwater fish. Uncommon fish provide more oil per kg than common fish.
- Common fish provide more Vitamin-C per kg than uncommon or rare fish.
- Fish have a much poorer calories:weight ratio than other meat types, especially while raw. Cooking improves this rate, but even Rabbit/Ptarmigan meat is more efficient for travel food.
- Three recipes use fish: Trout Stew, Dockworker's Pie and Coastal Fishcakes.
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