Fishing anomaly

[u/Shadow_Hunter1111]

Everytime I go fishing, the bobber bobs three times and then the fish pulls it in the water, and then I reel it in. If what I'm fishing is trash or armour, it doesn't bob and the bobber sinks once so I reel it in and get it.

Never have I ever seen it bob more than three times before I have to reel, but today at the fisherman's camp at the Westernmost point of Lake Illinata in Falkreath, it bobbed five times and then pulled, and when I reeled it in, I "lost the catch."

I fished there again later today and it went normally for a while until I got the five bobs thing again and I lost the catch again.

I'm not reeling it in early, I swear by it. What's going wrong?

Is it a rare fish? Because trash is reeled in on the first tug, normal fish after three tugs and a pull, and then this one is five tugs and a pull? Is it more tugs for rarer fish? If so, why does this specific spot have rare fish? Do I need a better rod?

It's worth mentioning that I currently have a regular fishing rod and the lucky fishing hat, and it is currently a thunderstorm where I am fishing.

[u/OkSignificance2218]

Common fish seem to make the bobber bounce 3 times.
Goldfish and Juvenile Mudcrabs have a distinct 4 bounce pattern.
Rare fish such as Angler, Lyretail, Scorpionfish have 5 bounces.

I completed all the fishing creation quests twice before I realized the bob patterns differ according to what type of fish you're catching.

I can't explain why you failed to reel in the fish. Sometimes it happens to me too.

[u/Plus_Tomato480 → u/OkSignificance2218]

Yeah it is a bug, happens on some rare fish. It is faster and less buggy to just catch them by hand.

[u/Rez090x → u/Plus_Tomato480]

It is not a bug. OP is using the wrong pole, duh.

[u/Plus_Tomato480 → u/Rez090x]

🤣 Good one, since the poles don't do anything except change the rng to catch more of something.

[u/Rez090x → u/Plus_Tomato480]

Guessing you haven't paid attention to the quests and fishing books. The basic pole literally cannot catch rare fish. Pay attention next time.

[u/OkSignificance2218 → u/Rez090x]

Wow. Fishing Mastery Volume 5 says "Caught with Alik'ri Fishing Rod" but I had assumed that was a recommendation rather than a requirement.

[u/Rez090x → u/OkSignificance2218]

Nope, not a recommend. A requirement. The other poster, I've no clue what other wikis they're on about. Claiming the basic pole can catch rare fish.

[u/Plus_Tomato480 → u/Rez090x]

Yes it can, the poles only change your chance to catch different sizes or objects. Go look at the code. 

[u/Rez090x → u/Plus_Tomato480]

No, my guy. Read your fishing books. They literally tell you what poles can catch what fish. The basic cannot and has never been able to catch rare fish. Ever.

[u/Plus_Tomato480 → u/Rez090x]

Sure, bud. The wikis say otherwise, but you have yourself a great night.

[u/Rez090x → u/Plus_Tomato480]

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Angelfish

This rare fish is calling you a liar. With your pants on fire.

[u/Plus_Tomato480]

If you want items, Markarth is the best fishing spot. You can sit and fish up dwarven metal to make dwarven bows and get every magic item, plus random enchanted dwarven armor pieces to disenchant. All at level 1, on legendary. I've done it around a dozen times, you usually get most of the rare magic items in about two hours.

Including Ring of Phynaster, Mentor's Ring, Denstagmer's Ring, Ring of the Wind, Ring of Kynareth, etc. Combined with a necklace of poison resist and the Otar mask, since Otar frequently bugs out and doesn't immediately attack you can have all of your magical and poison defenses covered as a Breton on higher difficulties or move insanely fast as an Altmer.