Fishing in Palworld is more than a side activity. The water hides entire Pal species you cannot find anywhere else, and getting to them requires the right rod, the right bait, and knowing what those shadows actually mean. There are three Fishing Rods in total, each unlocked at a different Technology level, and four types of bait to match. Here is everything you need.
How do you get a Fishing Rod in Palworld?
Fishing Rods are not found in the world. You craft them. Each one requires unlocking the recipe in the Technology Tree and spending the listed Technology Points, then building the rod at a workbench with the required materials.
The three rods scale with your progression. The Beginner Fishing Rod is the entry point, available at Technology Level 15 for 2 Points. The Cattiva Intermediate Fishing Rod opens up at Level 29 for 2 Points. The top-tier option, the Pengullet Advanced Fishing Rod, unlocks at Level 45 and costs 3 Points.
Fish shadows mark Pal locations
All Fishing Rod crafting recipes
For players who are still working through mid-game resource chains, check out the guide on how to get Hardwood since late-game crafting pulls from several overlapping material pools.
What bait do you need for fishing in Palworld?
You cannot cast a line without bait. Like the rods themselves, bait has its own Technology Tree unlock chain, and the higher-quality versions require more advanced ingredients. Simple Bait is the exception: it has no Technology level requirement and is available as soon as you have the materials.
All bait crafting recipes
How to use a Fishing Rod in Palworld
Head to any body of water and scan the surface for shadows beneath the water. Those shadows mark catchable Pals. Once you spot one, equip your Fishing Rod, attach bait, and use the prompted command to cast your line toward the shadow.
When a Pal bites, a gauge appears on screen. Your job is to keep the moving bar aligned with the yellow fish marker on that gauge. Hold it there consistently until the circle above the bar fills completely, and you will reel in the catch.
Some shadows specifically require higher-tier rods to successfully catch, and certain Pals will only respond to particular bait types. Matching your gear tier to the shadow you are targeting is the fastest way to avoid wasted attempts.
What else should you know before fishing?
Fishing connects into the broader resource economy more than it first appears. The Pals you reel in can contribute to your base operations, and some are exclusive to water-based encounters. If you are building toward the late-game content, finding all catchable Pals is part of a larger checklist covered in the all new Pal locations guide.
The material requirements for the Intermediate and Advanced rods also overlap with crafting chains for weapons and structures. If you are planning your Technology Point spending, it helps to look at the all new weapons guide to see where those shared materials are going.
For a full breakdown of everything available in Palworld 1.0, the Palworld guides collection covers resources, Pals, weapons, and progression from early game through the endgame content.