ZEBEDIAH’S

FISHING TECHNIQUES
AND EQUIPMENT

by Scott Borland

template by nathanaël roux

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 Credits
Lead Designer: Scott Borland
Graphic Designer: Scott Borland
Additional Editing: @SunsStepChild, @timepatches

Illustrator: Scott Borland

Playtesters: @bactchan, @Blake89718247, @Kevinha753,

@KKRP2, @SunsStepChild, @timepatches
Special Thanks to: Blake Lambert (@Blake89718247), Jake
Lambert, Sean (@PowerScoreRPG), DMsGuild, Wizards of
the Coast & the numerous other people on social media who
supported me! This would not have happened without you!

2
Contents
Introduction
Introduction......................................................................... 4
Using This Supplement...................................................... 4
The Core Rules.................................................................... 4
Competitive Fishing............................................................ 5
Deep Water Pressure.......................................................... 5
Grappling With A Fishing Line......................................... 5
Hunting For A Specific Creature....................................... 5
Fishing Without Equipment.............................................. 5
Part One: Fishing Gear
Equipment............................................................................ 7
Bait & Lures.......................................................................... 9
Part Two: Fishing Techniques
With Equipment................................................................ 10
With No Equipment......................................................... 11
While Swimming.............................................................. 11

3
 Introduction

H
ello! It is I, The Great Zebediah, Master
Magician! I am here to teach you about the
wonders of fishing! I’ve been a fisherman
for centuries, but never thought of writing
down my fishing ventures until I realized that
I haven’t shared my fishing knowledge with
anyone yet and, well, I’m not getting any younger! Now I
know the profession of fishing isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but
you would be surprised at the amount of ways we humanoids
(and some non-humanoids) have hunted aquatic creatures
that lie just under the surface of the water. In this supplement,
I will show you that fishing can be a fun and adventurous
encounter that can be MUCH more than just someone sitting
at shore waiting for tension on the end of a string!

Using This Supplement

This supplement is written for both Dungeons Master and
Players alike to help introduce fishing mechanics & options
in the 5th Edition of Dungeons and Dragons© . The options
in this supplement build on The Core Books published by
Wizards of the Coast (Player’s Handbook, Monster Manual,
& Dungeon Master’s Guide) to help add variety to a normally
mundane skill check. I hope this supplement will make any
lake, river, ocean, sea, or even puddle you encounter be a much
more enticing landmark in your travels!
Part one offers players and dungeon master’s more options for
fishing equipment, bait, and fancy lures. Part two opens up
more options for fishing, such as using a spear, archery, traps,
and more. Also throughout this supplement, I will be leaving
you a few tips and tricks for familiar game mechanics and new!

The Core Rules

This supplement will mostly stand out on its own since there
isn’t much from official sources to base these concepts on.
From what I’ve seen, fishing has been tied into the Wisdom
(Survival) check to “hunt wild game.” That’s it! That is not
very fun, now is it? How about using fishing for a fancy way to
grapple an aquatic creature in combat, or maybe even just for
sport?

Some of the skill checks mentioned in this supplement will

be unconventional compared to the normal skills on a player
character sheet. The skill check breaks down as follows; Ability
(Skill), where “Ability” is one of the six Ability Scores in the
game and “Skill” is one of the many skills a player can be pro-
ficient in. For example; Wisdom (Survival) uses the Wisdom
modifier and the Survival proficiency bonus of the player
attempting the check. An unconventional example would be
for actions attempted that aren’t mentioned in the Player’s
Handbook, such as a Dexterity (Survival) check. A Dexterity
(Survival) check would be used for an action that requires
Dexterity to perform, but also on the player’s knowledge of
the Survival skill. The player would add their Dexterity ability
modifier and their Survival skill proficiency bonus to the roll.

4
Competitive fishing
Aquatic Creature Hunting DC = 10 + creature’s Challenge
A creature who tries to catch the biggest fish in a competition Rating (rounded down)
rolls an Intelligence (Survival) check when doing so. This
way, the result is based on the fisherman’s innate knowledge On success, the specific creature is drawn to the fisher.
on the local aquatic environment and its creatures rather than Depending on the creature, the fisher may have to fight it once
solely by the fisherman’s ability to cast a line. The creature they pull it in. If the fisher succeeds the check by 5 or more, the
with the highest roll wins that round. The amount of rounds creature suffers one level of exhaustion. If the fisher fails by 5
in a tournament is equal to the amount of contestants + 1. For or more, they lose any bait, lure, net, or trap they were using,
example, if there are 5 contestants there would be 6 rounds. if they used any for the check.
Whoever wins the majority of the rounds wins the tourna-
ment. If there is a tie, there is a “deathmatch” round between Environmental Modifiers Table
the contestants who tied. Whoever wins this round wins the Current Environment Skill Modifier
tournament. If there is another tie, then both contestants win
Calm waters, warm weather -5
and must equally share the first place prize in the competition,
if there is any. Slightly busy waters, warm weather -2
Calm waters, cool weather -2
Deep Water Pressure Slightly busy waters, cool weather -1
Very deep water deals 1d6 bludgeoning damage per minute Rough waters, warm weather +0
for every 100 feet a creature is below the surface. A DC 10
Constitution saving throw means that you take no damage in Calm waters, cold weather +1
that minute. Any creature with an innate swim speed ignores Slightly busy waters, cold weather +2
pressure for the first 500 feet of depth, and only takes 1d6
points of damage per 200 feet below that when determining Rough waters, cool weather +2
vulnerability to pressure damage. Rough waters, cold weather +5
Rough waters, stormy weather +10
For example, a lizardfolk at a depth of 900 feet is subject to 2d6
points of pressure damage per minute, as opposed to the 9d6
points of pressure damage a creature without a swim speed Underwater Visibility
faces. Some deep-dwelling creatures are completely immune The rules for underwater visibility are listed in Chapter 5 of
to pressure damage. Aberrations, elementals, and titans with the Dungeon Master’s Guide (pg 116-117).
a swim speed are generally immune to pressure damage, as
are certain other creatures adapted to the environment such
as sahuagin, storm giants and tritons (ultimately up to DM’s Underwater Combat
discretion). The rules for underwater combat are listed at the very end of
Chapter 9 of the Player’s Handbook (pg 198).
Grappling with Fishing Line
A creature can use their fishing talents to try and capture or Fishing without equipment
grapple another creature. As a bonus action, a fisher can cast You could even try fishing without any equipment (I’ve
their fishing line when they are within 30 feet of their target seen a few barbarians and bears try this), but only if you are
and entangle a Medium or smaller creature that they can see. proficient in Wisdom (Survival). The skill check will be at
The target must succeed on a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw disadvantage, unless stated otherwise.
or become grappled by the fishing line. Until this grapple ends,
the target is restrained. The target can repeat the check at the
end of each turn (escape DC 11). The fisher can use an action
to release the target, and the target is also freed if the fisher
dies or becomes incapacitated. A fishing line has AC 11, 10
hit points, is vulnerable to slashing damage, but is immune to
nonmagical bludgeoning damage. If the fishing line drops to 0

th e ye a rs , I h a ve se en th e power
hit points, it is destroyed.
Over
Hunting for a specific aquatic creature g ex ci te , fe ed , a nd su st a in many
of fishin
A fisher attempting to fish for a specific underwater creature
gr ou p s of p eo p le . W e a re not
must succeed an appropriate Survival ability check for the
different
equipment they are using. They must also be in the location

ff er en t if w e th in k a bo u t it.
all that di
that the creature is known to inhabit. The DC for the check is
as follows:

5
 Fishing Gear Fishing Gear

As it currently stands, there are only two pieces of fishing Item Cost Weight
equipment in the Player’s Handbook: the net and the fishing
Bait Pouch 5 sp 1 lb.
tackle. However, there have been many variants of these
items used in many different cultures and locations. In Breath Berry 1 gp -
addition, there have been other more exotic items used for
fishing as well! Here is a look at some more unique fishing Dwarven Harpoon Crossbow 75 gp 25 lb.
equipment.
Dwarven Tackle Box 1 gp 6 lb.

Elven Fishing Bow 50 gp 3 lb.

Elven Fly Rod 1 sp 1 lb.

Elven Tackle Box 1 gp 3 lb.

Fillet Knife 5 sp -

Fishing Rod Tripod 20 gp 25 lb.

Flipping Flounder 3000 250 gp 2 lb.

Swimming Goggles
Gnomish Cage Trap 10 gp 5 lb.

Gnome Diving Apparatus 1000 gp 80 lb.

Gnomish Tackle Box 1 gp 4 lb.

Gold Grung Ointment (1 ounce) 100 gp -

Hand Ice Auger

Hand Ice Auger 1 gp 1 lb.

Ice Fishing Shack 5 gp 20 lb.

Breath Berry

Inflated Fish Bladder 5 gp 1 lb.

Jar of Fish Attractant 5 gp 0.5 lb.

Kuo-Toan Cage Trap 5 gp 10 lb.

Kuo-Toan Net 5 gp 4 lb.

Lizardfolk Barbed Harpoon 1 gp 3 lb.

Merrow Harpoon 1 gp 3 lb.

Lizardfolk Barbed
Harpoon Fillet Knife
Octopus Trap 5 gp 4 lb.

Swimming Goggles 1 gp -

Triton Trident 6 gp 5 lb

Waterproof Fishing Clothes 5 gp 5 lb.

Merrow Harpoon
Octopus Trap
Inflated Fish Bladder

6
Equipment This kit lets you make a Dexterity (Survival) check for
fishing instead of a Wisdom (Survival) check.
Bait Pouch. A waterproof leather pouch that holds up to 5
pounds of fishing bait. It is split into five pockets to help
Fillet Knife. A thin, curved knife always makes it easier
separate different types of bait. Each pocket holding up to a
to remove scales and waste less meat on a fish. You have
pound of bait.
advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks when harvesting an
aquatic creature for meat/bones/organs/spell components/
Breath Berry. Known to the elves as Yave en’ Vilya, Breath
etc.
Berry are rare berries that grow on wild berry bushes
bordering the Elemental Plane of Air and the Feywild. When
Fishing Rod Tripod. Perfect for the not-so-physically-inclined
a berry is placed in the mouth and chewed, the Breath Berry
fishers who are trying to catch big game. When using this
provides air to a creature so they don’t need to breathe for
tripod while fishing with any fishing rod, you gain advantage
1d6 minutes.
on all Strength Saving Throws to keep the catch on the line.
These bushes require a constant, strong breeze in order
In addition, you can add your Wisdom (Survival) proficiency
for them to grow and survive on the Material Plane, thus
bonus to the saving throw, if proficient.
making them very difficult to keep alive unless grown on top
of the highest plateaus or mountaintops. These berries keep
Flipping Flounder 3000. The ultimate fishing rod for any
their powers for 1d4 days before they start to rot and wither.
fisherman to own! Gnome-made and made of a metal
alloy that combines Mithril and Adamantium to create a
Dwarven Harpoon Crossbow. This set contains a heavy
collapsible rod as flexible as a yew branch, but as strong as
crossbow balanced to hold a 50ft. coil of mithril line on it,
a dwarven stronghold door! On top of that, it has a built-in
which is attached to a large, barbed adamantium harpoon.
clockwork device on the sinkers that uses echolocation to
There is a crank on the bottom for both quicker retrieval of
locate objects underwater!
the line after launch and for reloading.
While fishing, the fisherman has advantage on all Wisdom
On hit, the fisherman must make opposed Strength saving
(Survival) checks for catching creatures underwater. In
throw with the target, grappling the target upon success.
addition, underwater creatures that come within 30 ft. of
The fisherman gains advantage on the roll if tied down to a
where the line is cast must make a DC 15 Dexterity (Stealth)
surface or properly braced.
check or alert the fisherman of their presence.
Dwarven Tackle Box. This fishing kit of the dwarves contains
Gnomish Cage Trap. A complex metal cage trap lined with bait
an iron pulley rod, line crafted from a mix of mithril and
on the inside. It lets aquatic creatures of small size or smaller
adamantium threads, bobbers made of huge, bloated animal
(such as crabs or lobsters) inside, but closes itself once they
stomachs filled with methane, complex, multi-pronged
are inside. Once the trap closes, the oval-shaped bobber on
adamantium hooks, iron sinkers, coarse dwarven beard hair
the surface of the water points upward, indicating a catch to
lures, and a thick, weighted net.
anyone on the surface.
This kit lets you make a Strength (Survival) check for fishing
A trapped creature must make a DC 15 Strength saving
instead of a Wisdom (Survival) check. If properly braced,
throw to break free. On failure, the creature can’t make
the fisherman can reel in an aquatic creature weighing up to
another attempt for 1d6 hours.
1,000 pounds with the rod!
Gnome Diving Apparatus. A full one-piece suit designed for
Elven Fishing Bow. This set contains an elegant yew shortbow
deep diving. The boots are weighted with dense metals to
balanced to hold a 10ft. coil of silk rope on it, which is
keep the wearer grounded while underwater. A 1000-ft.
attached to a weighted arrow usually made of Mithril, but
rubber hose coil attaches to the helmet, which circulates the
can also just be a normal arrow with a weighted, barbed
wearer’s air and is also used to pull the suit back up to the
arrowhead made of cold iron.
surface. A crank can reel in the suite at 10-feet per round.
This suit ignores any damage you would normally take from
Elven Fly Rod. A fishing rod normally used to catch fish while
the water pressure but the suite ruptures if it takes 5 or more
still moving. While traveling next to a water source, you
slashing damage. Any attacks while wearing the suit are
can keep a normal pace of movement while harvesting food
rolled at Disadvantage due to its clunky design.
instead of having to move at a slow pace.
Gnomish Tackle Box. The complex fishing kit is rare, but was
Elven Tackle Box. The common fishing kit of the Tel-quessir,
crafted with gnomish masterwork. It contains a retractable
more commonly known as Elves. It contains a darkwood rod,
wooden rod, thin line crafted from silk worms, bobbers
line crafted from silk worms from the Feywild or spiderwebs
made of hollowed out nut acorns, steel hooks of various
from the Underdark, bobbers made of either a wood knot
shapes and sizes for any type of fish, sinkers with magnetic
from a friendly treant, quill feathers from birds or a buoyant
stones, tiny clockwork lures made to look like a wiggling
mushroom cap, Mithril or yew splinter hooks, sinkers of
worm or tadpole, a thin, weighted net and an air compressed
common stones, hawk tail feather or spider legged lures, and
net launcher.
a thin net made of either spider webbing or thin, but strong
reeds or vines.

7
 This kit lets you make an Intelligence (Survival) check for
fishing instead of a Wisdom (Survival) check.
Gold Grung Ointment. When applied to fishing bait, any
creature that directly touches or consumes the ointment
must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or suffers
the poisoned condition for 1 minute. The poisoned creature
is also charmed by you and understands simple commands
communicated to it such as “get in the net” or “swim to
shore.” The poisoned creature can repeat the saving throw
at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a
success.
Hand Ice Auger. Use a DC 10 Strength (Survival) check to
drill a hole into a frozen water surface. This allows ice fishing
for 1d10 hours. After that time limit is reached, the hole
freezes over and you have to drill a new one.
Ice Fishing Shack. This lightweight shack keeps the ice cold
wind from freezing your face off while ice fishing while also
acting as a good camping shelter! If the Hand Ice Auger is
used inside one of these, the hole lasts for 2d10 hours.
Also while inside the shack, Constitution saving throws for
Frigid Water & Extreme Cold are rolled with advantage
(Dungeon Master’s Guide, pg. 110).
Inflated Fish Bladder. This shark bladder is filled with air
and both openings are tied off with knots. Any creature
holding onto the bladder gains advantage on all Strength
(Athletics) checks when swimming in any direction but
down. A creature swimming upwards while holding this
bladder swims at double their normal swim speed. However,
they swim at half their normal swim speed when swimming
downwards. If the bladder takes any damage, it pops and
will need reinflated and resealed in order to be used properly
again.
Jar of Fish Attractant. Jar of unique oils that fish take a liking
to. A jar holds 1d8+1 doses. Lasts one hour per dose. If you
put one dose into an aquatic environment while fishing, roll
1d20. On a 5-15 result, it doubles the amount of fish caught.
16-20 it triples!
Kuo-Toan Cage Trap. This cage trap is meant to catch
crustaceans more than any other kind of creature
underwater. They are usually made of manta ray skin, the
mysterious Kuo-Toa mucus adhesive, and various bones
from other creatures. A trapped creature must make a DC
13 Constitution saving throw to break free. On failure, the
creature is paralyzed by the poison lined inside the cage and
can’t make another saving throw for 1d6 hours (unless they
are immune to poison).
Kuo-Toan Net. These fishfolk of the Underdark may be crazy,
but definitely know how to fish! This net is coated in a
mysterious slime that acts as an adhesive.
Anything restrained inside this net can use its action to make
a DC 13 Strength check, freeing itself or another creature
within on success. On failure, the adhesive clings onto the
8
target further, adding 1 to the DC on the next attempt (max
18).
Lizardfolk Barbed Harpoon. When used for spearfishing,
creatures have disadvantage on targets trying to escape from
a grapple from this weapon.
Though most “civilized” humanoids tend to keep their
distance from Lizardfolk, I’ve found them to be some of the
most content civilizations in the wilds. These spears are used
specifically for fishing.
See the Spearfishing & Net Fishing section for more details.
Merrow Harpoon. If used for spearfishing and the target is
a Huge or smaller creature, it must succeed on a Strength
contest against you or be pulled up to 10 feet towards you.
These barbed spears have ropes made of tightly woven kelp
attached to them. However, they are made with the purpose
of pulling things into the water instead of out.
See the Spearfishing & Net Fishing section for more details.
Octopus Trap. A clay pot with a rope tied around the mouth.
Normally used for catching Octopus at the bottom of the
ocean, but can be used to catch Rocktopus as well! Rocktopus
are the distant nonaquatic cousins of the Octopus that live in
caves instead of underwater.
Swimming Goggles. Any creature wearing these can see twice
as far underwater (see the “Underwater Encounter Distance”
table on page 117 in the Dungeon Master’s Guide for more
information).
Triton Trident. The trident is already a formidable
underwater weapon, but when made by the aquatic race of
Tritons they can be even more effective. When used for
spearfishing, the wielder gain a +2 to their attack rolls.
See the Spearfishing & Net Fishing section for more details.
Waterproof Fishing Clothes. These clothes only take a single
round to dry themselves. Also while wearing these clothes,
Constitution saving throws for Frigid Water & Extreme
Cold are rolled with advantage (Dungeon Master’s Guide, pg.
110). The clothing set consists of; a boonie hat, a long sleeve
shirt, leather fingerless gloves, large overalls, and knee-high
rubber boots.
a tt er th e to ol u se d, fi sh ing is
No m
th a t ca n ke ep so m eo ne alive
something to
se nt . G iv es p eo p le ti m e
in the pre
p re ci ea te w h a t th ey do h a ve.
ap
Bait & Lures
Many kinds of bait and lures have been used throughout the
years. Here is a list of different sample bait and lures, but feel
free to create more to use to add flavor to your campaign.
Keep in mind the local environment, and what the creatures
in that environment want to eat. The prices listed for the
bait are for each fishing skill check, which lasts for an hour
of fishing.
Axebeak Feather Dangler (1gp). A simple lure made from a
bone or metal hook, tightly woven string, and Axebeak
feathers.
Bait Fish (3cp). Small fish caught to use as bait for larger,
more predatory fish. Some examples include but are not
limited to: Bluefin Killifish, Copperfish, and Anchovies.
Bluefin Spinner (4sp). Designed to look like a Bluefin Killifish,
this device has an angled, “L” shaped wire with a metal chip
on the end. When dragged through the water, the “bluefin”
spins around the metal chip, causing the illusion of a Bluefin
swimming in a spiral fashion.
Chum (1cp). Fish parts, bones, and blood. Usually used to
attract sharks or other large predatory fish lured by the smell
of blood.
Crayfish (2cp). These tiny freshwater crustaceans can be used
as the fisherman’s own sustenance instead of bait. Works
well for fishing in swamp or bog terrains, where they are
native.
Crickets (2cp). These tiny jumping insects usually sit on the
surface of water, while fish love to eat. The tricky part is
trying to keep them in one piece when applying them to a
hook.
Frogs (2cp). Though not very popular, frog are used as bait in
swamps by various humanoids such as Lizardfolk, bullywogs,
or even hags.
Axebeak Feather Dangler
Hand Tied Wicked White Whizzler
Slaad Tadpole
Hand Tied Wicked White Whizzler (5gp). This elegant ivory
lure is designed with exotic feather danglers and has been
said that once it drops into the water, it will “leave no fish left
to catch.” This is of course a merchant’s pitch and shouldn’t
be taken too seriously.
Mindflayer Tadpoles (250gp). If you are on a trip deep,
underground bodies of water, then these make perfect bait!
Just be careful of what you might pull up.
Pickled Eels (5sp). Though unconventional, they seem to be a
favorite snack of Sea Hags.
Rat-tailed Maggots (3cp). These fly larvae are commonly found
on dead bodies and rotten food that has been completely
exposed to the elements in warm, humid climates.
Though unappealing to most, they are quite effective bait
nonetheless.
Silverfish Jig (3sp). Weighted on the front, and made to look
like a silverfish. This lure drags on the bottom of a seabed/
lakebed to catch creatures that dwell there.
Spiders (1cp). Just like crickets, fish love to snatch any that
float on the water. Just don’t use one as bait around Drow.
Slaad Tadpoles (500gp). This bait is suggested to only be used
with highly durable fishing equipment and for only the most
legendary game that would even consider this chaotic being
as food.
Terra Worms (1cp). The classic and most common bait that
can be found. These worms are surprisingly durable, being
able to not only survive being cut in half, but for each half
to thrive on their own! Just dig in fertile soil and you will be
bound to find a handful of these wiggling creatures!
Twitchy Tiger (5sp). This bright orange and black striped
fluffy lure is designed to make sudden, jerking motions while
dragging through the water, giving it a “twitch.”
Mindflayer Tadpole
Bluefin Spinner
9
 Fishing Techniques
Just because you have the tools of the trade doesn’t make you
a master fisher… it’s the technique! The best of the best know
that no matter how nice your equipment is, nothing can
replace the techniques that have been used throughout the
generations. Here are the fishing techniques I’ve seen. Some
of them don’t require any equipment at all!
With Equipment
Angling
The classic. This popular fishing method has been around
for centuries, possibly even millenia! A hook, or an “angle”, is
attached to the end of a line and cast out into a body of water
with bait hooked on. With any luck, an aquatic creature will grab
onto the bait and the fisher will pull on the line, hooking the
creature! The biggest benefit to this technique is that it requires
minimal concentration and physical strain (at least until there is
something on the end of the line). It is as simple as throwing out
a line of string with bait and hook on the end. Most fishermen
use a fishing rod to cast the line to extend the reach and make
fish retrieval easier, but all that is really needed is string and bait.
Most fishing kits also come with a sinker and bobbers. Bobbers
float at the surface, while sinkers keep the line and bait under the
water. Wisdom (Survival) checks are used for angling, but you
can use different Ability checks depending on the type of angling
equipment used (see Chapter 1 for special equipment).
Ballista
This method is usually saved for bigger game such as whales
or even krakens. The ballista is a siege weapon found in the
Dungeon Master’s Guide (pg. 255) that can be mounted onto
any ship deck. Instead of shooting standard ballista bolts,
a fishing boat’s ballista will be armed with roped harpoons
as ammunition. This ammunition does not have as long
of a range, but are designed to be shot into water and have
barbed spearheads, allowing the harpoon to stick into the
target to both deal additional damage and allow the fisher-
men to reel the target closer.
Roped Harpoon. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range
30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (3d8) piercing damage and the
target must make a DC 14 Strength saving throw or take
an additional 4 (1d8) piercing damage and be pulled 15 feet
closer. The target can repeat the saving throw at the begin-
ning of their turn, ending the effect on success. The target
has disadvantage on the saving throw if there is more than
one harpoon.
is ta m a y se em li ke ov er ki ll ... but
A ball
be ve ry gr a te fu l to h a ve it if
you will
a n de m on a tt em p ts to ra m your
a Collodi
10 boat into the Abyss!
Boat Fishing
This method of fishing is usually combined with angling or
netting, but on a much larger scale and involving coordination
with multiple fishermen. In order for there to be a successful haul,
the boat will need at least two “fishermen” to catch fish and at
least one “navigator” to navigate the boat (depends on the size of
the boat). The navigator(s) of the boat must make an Intelligence
(Survival) check and the fishermen must make their usual
Wisdom (Survival) checks. If all creatures on the boat make their
fishing/navigating checks, then their total haul is doubled. If they
all succeed by 5 or more, the haul is tripled. If they all fail by 5 or
more, they don’t catch anything worth keeping.
Fly Fishing
A variant method to angling, requiring the fisher to keep the
line constantly moving to make the lure look like something
swimming along, waiting to be eaten. You can roll a Dexterity
(Deception) check or a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check instead
of the normal skill check roll for fishing with your current
equipment.
Spearfishing & Net Fishing
You can make a melee or ranged attack to the creature instead
of a Wisdom (Survival) check. The AC of the creature gains a
+2 bonus due to the refraction of the water giving the target half
cover. If the creature doesn’t already have an Armor Class (AC),
then it is 12 for the purposes of these fishing techniques. If the
target is hit by the melee attack but not killed outright, the target
is grappled. Normal grapple mechanics apply (PHB, pg.195). If
you’re at least one size category larger than the target, you have
Advantage on Strength (Athletics) checks to keep the target
grappled.
Bowfishing
You can make a ranged attack to the creature instead of a Wisdom
(Survival) check. The range depends on how long the coil of rope
attached to the arrow is. Any coil longer than 10ft. gives the attack
Disadvantage due to the extra weight and balance change. The
AC of the creature gains a +2 bonus due to the refraction of the
water giving the target half cover. If the creature doesn’t already
have an Armor Class (AC), then it is 12 for the purposes of these
fishing techniques. If hit and not killed outright, the target is
grappled. Normal grapple mechanics apply (PHB, pg.195).
Trapping
There are hunting traps made specifically for aquatic creatures.
Most take on the form of some cage, but humanoids have gotten
creative with their traps throughout history. For the standard
fishing trap, use the Hunting Trap (Player’s Handbook, pg.
152) mechanics when catching aquatic creatures with a trap.
Otherwise, the DC to escape or sunder the trap is equal to the
trapmaker’s initial crafting check used when making the trap or 8
+ proficiency bonus + Intelligence modifier, whichever is higher.
With No Equipment
Flatfish Trampling
This is a traditional method of catching flatfish by wading in
shallow water and standing on them. “Tramplers” need to be at
least one size category larger than the target in order to attempt
this technique. The potential “trampler” rolls a Strength (Survival)
check against the target’s Armor Class. If successful, the target
suffers the grapple condition. They remained grappled until they
use an action on their turn to escape with a Dexterity (Acrobatics)
or Strength (Athletics) check against the trampler’s Strength
(Survival) check. If the escape is unsuccessful after 3 rounds, the
target suffers the incapacitated condition for 1d4 minutes, leaving
the trampler able to easily pick up the target and move them out
of the water.

Noodling
This is a potentially dangerous fishing approach where the fisher
attempts to catch a creature with one of their limbs. They place
their limb in the water near a shoreline and wiggle it in such a
way to look like a large worm or “food” in the creature’s eyes. The
fisher makes a Wisdom (Deception) check against the target’s
Wisdom (Insight) check. If successful, the creature attempts to
swallow the fisher’s arm. If the creature has a bite attack, roll
damage as normal. After the creature is “caught,” the fisher can as
an action pull their arm (along with the creature) out of the water.
The creature suffers the restrained condition and can attempt a
Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check against the
fisher’s Strength (Survival) check. If the fisher fails this check, the
creature is no longer restrained.

While Swimming
Free Diving
This technique simply involves diving down to an ocean floor to
gather different aquatic creatures that live at the bottom of the
an body of water. Goggles are very useful here, since they double
the range at which one can spot potential resources! A creature
can dive underwater and gather resources for as long as they can
hold their breath (PHB pg.183). The diver must make a Wisdom
(Survival) check would be in that specific environment for
foraging (DMG pg.111). On a success, they find 1d6+1 pound(s)
mix of clams, oysters, mussels, and other underwater resources
on the seabed. Every check counts as spending an hour of Free
Diving. On a natural 20 on the Wisdom (Survival) check, the
diver also acquires a pearl worth 100gp if they harvest oysters.

Fish Tickling
An extremely rare technique to behold, especially from races that
can not breathe underwater. This technique is the art of rubbing
the underbelly of a fish to put them in a trance. If done properly,
the fish can be easily thrown onto shore for harvest. The “Tickler”
must make a Wisdom (Animal Handling) check contested with
the target’s Constitution Saving Throw. On a success, the target is
charmed by the tickler. While charmed in this way, the tickler can
freely hold onto the fish and pull it out of the water. The fish can
repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns. Once out of
the water or on a success, the charm effect ends.

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