The Hylian Loach lives in the Fishing Pond at Lake Hylia, but it is not there every time you walk in. In the 1998 game it showed up only on every fourth paid visit to the pond, it was by far the heaviest fish in the water, and it was most easily caught with the hidden Sinking Lure.
Nintendo has not announced any change to the loach for the Ocarina of Time remake on Switch 2, so the method below is the one that has always worked. It is a side challenge, not a requirement: the Heart Piece and Golden Scale come from ordinary fish.
What the Hylian Loach Is
The loach is a long, dark, eel-like fish, and it dwarfs everything else in the pond. That is its whole appeal: it is the trophy catch, the one that breaks the pond’s record by a wide margin.
It is also the reason some visits seem to have nothing big in the water. On visits where it is missing, the biggest shapes in the pond are the regular fish, and no amount of waiting makes the loach appear.
When the Loach Appears
In the 1998 game, the loach appeared on every fourth time you entered the pond and paid the fee: the 4th, 8th, 12th visit and so on. Leaving and coming back counts as a new visit, and each one costs the fee again.
So the practical plan is:
- Pay, fish (or don’t), and leave.
- Repeat until you have paid three times.
- On the fourth paid entry, look for the much larger, darker shape in the water.
Keep some rupees spare for the repeat entries. Our rupee guide shows where to top up quickly in the remake, including the Shooting Gallery repeat game.
How to Catch It
The loach sits low in the water, where the plain lure struggles to reach. That is what the Sinking Lure is for.
- Find the Sinking Lure. In earlier versions it was hidden around the edge of the pond, in the grass by the wall or near the log, and it only turned up after you had won one of the owner’s prizes. Look for it as soon as you enter, before you start fishing.
- Equip it and cast near the loach. It drops toward the bottom, right where the loach swims.
- Be patient with the bite. The loach is cautious. Twitch the lure, pause, and set the hook only on a firm pull.
- Play it out. A hooked loach pulls hard and long. Let it run, reel when it tires, and do not force it.
Our guide on how to fish covers casting, reeling and the weigh-in in more detail.
What the Owner Gives You
The Sinking Lure is against the owner’s rules for his record prizes: catches made with it do not count toward the Piece of Heart or the Golden Scale. In the 1998 game the loach was worth a flat prize of rupees instead (50, whatever it weighed), plus the satisfaction of putting a monster on the scale.
That means the order matters:
| Goal | Lure | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Piece of Heart | Plain lure | Young Link |
| Golden Scale | Plain lure | Adult Link |
| Hylian Loach | Sinking Lure | Whenever it shows up |
Win both record prizes first with the plain lure, then go loach hunting. The Piece of Heart is one of 36 in our Heart Piece guide, and every remake guide is on our Zelda hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Hylian Loach in the Ocarina of Time remake? In the Fishing Pond at Lake Hylia, on the visits when it appears.
Why can’t I find the Hylian Loach? It does not appear on every visit. In the 1998 game it showed up on every fourth paid entry to the pond.
Do you need the Sinking Lure to catch the loach? It is by far the easiest way, because the loach stays near the bottom where the plain lure rarely reaches.
Does the Hylian Loach count for the Heart Piece or Golden Scale? Not when it is caught with the Sinking Lure, which the owner does not allow for his record prizes. Win those with ordinary fish first.
Is the Hylian Loach needed for 100 percent? No. The pond’s required rewards are the Piece of Heart and the Golden Scale.