You get the fishing pole in Red Dead Redemption 2 by completing “A Fisher of Men”, a Chapter 2 story mission in which Arthur takes young Jack Marston fishing. Start it by talking to Abigail at the Horseshoe Overlook camp; the rod is yours for good when the mission ends. Below we cover how to trigger the mission, the early workaround, how to equip and cast the rod on PlayStation, Xbox and PC, and how Red Dead Online players get one.
This guide covers Story Mode in the current build of Red Dead Redemption 2 on PS4, Xbox One and PC (Steam and the Rockstar Games Launcher). On PS5 and Xbox Series X|S the game runs through backward compatibility with the same buttons, and as of this writing Rockstar has not announced a native current-gen version.
How to Unlock “A Fisher of Men”
“A Fisher of Men” is a camp mission, so it will not show up in the first chapter set in the snow. Once the gang settles at Horseshoe Overlook in Chapter 2, keep progressing the main story. The mission opens after “Pouring Forth Oil III” and “A Quiet Time”, and it appears as a mission marker for Abigail in camp.
- Talk to Abigail at Horseshoe Overlook. She asks Arthur to spend some time with Jack.
- Find Jack nearby in camp and follow the prompt to take him along.
- Ride to the Dakota River with Jack on your horse and walk to the riverbank marked on your map.
- Follow the fishing tutorial. The mission teaches the rod, the bait wheel and reeling, and asks you to land a few fish.
- Ride back to camp. The rod is in your inventory from then on.
Our video at the end of this guide shows us fishing on PS4. The screenshots in this guide come from the same recording.
If you are wondering how far into the story this sits, our chapter length guide breaks down what each chapter contains.
Getting a Rod Before the Mission
It is possible. You can take a rod from a fisherman you meet in the world before “A Fisher of Men” by lassoing and hogtying him, then picking up his rod, though attacking a stranger can cost Arthur honor (our guide to checking your honor shows where it stands). It is not worth the trouble for most players, because nearly every bait and lure stays unavailable until the mission is done (only simple baits such as bread, cheese and corn work), and catches made before the mission do not count toward the Survivalist Challenges. We recommend simply doing the mission, which is short and also carries an important story beat.
How to Equip and Use the Fishing Rod
The rod lives on the item wheel, not with your guns. The mission objectives list these console controls:
| Action | PlayStation | Xbox |
|---|---|---|
| Open the wheel | Hold L1 | Hold LB |
| Switch to the item wheel | Tap R1 | Tap RB |
| Equip the rod | Highlight it, release L1 | Highlight it, release LB |
| Open the bait wheel (rod equipped) | Hold L1 | Hold LB |
| Pull back to cast | Hold R2 | Hold RT |
| Cast | Release R2 | Release RT |
| Hook a fish on a bite | Press R2 | Press RT |
| Steer a fighting fish | Left stick | Left stick |
| Reel in a tired fish | Rotate the right stick | Rotate the right stick |
On PC, hold Tab to open the weapon wheel and switch to the item wheel using the key shown at the bottom of the wheel, then use the mouse for casting and hooking. Reeling has its own keys on PC, so follow the on-screen prompts, which update if you have remapped anything under Pause > Settings > Controls.
The rhythm is the same everywhere: bait the hook, cast, wait for a bite, set the hook, then alternate between letting the fish tire itself out and reeling while it rests. Pulling too hard while the fish is fighting is the usual way to lose one.
Bait, Lures and What Comes Next
- Bait such as bread, cheese and corn is sold at general stores in most towns.
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Lures are sold at bait and tackle shops, and each type suits different fish and water.
- Legendary fish come later. Finishing “A Fisher of Men” also leads into “A Fisher of Fish”, a stranger mission that points you at the game’s legendary fish.
Fish can be cooked at a campfire, sold to a butcher, or donated to the camp cook, which also helps with camp supplies. Our full fishing guide covers bait, lures and reeling in more detail. Fishing spots are spread across the map, so pairing this with our guide on how to fast travel saves a lot of riding. If you enjoy the outdoors side of the game, our guide to getting perfect pelts covers hunting.
Getting a Fishing Rod in Red Dead Online
Red Dead Online has no “A Fisher of Men” mission. You buy the rod from a general store once you reach a set rank, then buy bait and lures the same way. Check Rockstar’s Red Dead Online page for current events and fishing challenges, which rotate.
For every other Red Dead Redemption 2 guide we have, see the Red Dead guides hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do you get the fishing rod in RDR2? From the Chapter 2 mission “A Fisher of Men”, started by talking to Abigail at the Horseshoe Overlook camp. Arthur keeps the rod after the mission.
Why don’t I have a fishing rod in my item wheel? You have not completed “A Fisher of Men” yet. Keep progressing the main story in Chapter 2 until Abigail’s mission marker appears in camp.
Can you buy a fishing rod in Story Mode? Not in the normal way. The rod comes from the mission, although it can be taken from a fisherman before then.
Where do you buy bait and lures? General stores sell basic bait. Bait and tackle shops sell lures, which unlock after “A Fisher of Men”.
How do you get a fishing rod in Red Dead Online? Buy it from a general store once your rank is high enough. There is no fishing mission that hands it to you.