No trainer teaches Fishing past 150 in World of Warcraft: Forever. You raise the cap to 225 by reading a book, Expert Fishing – The Bass and You, which Old Man Heming sells in Booty Bay, Stranglethorn Vale, for 1 gold, and it needs Fishing 125 and character level 20.
So if your usual trainer has nothing left for you, nothing is broken. Fishing trainers teach Apprentice and Journeyman and stop there, including the ones in Booty Bay and the Riverglades. Below we cover the ranks, where Heming stands, how each faction reaches him, where to fish next and what you need at 225. Trainers, vendors and prices are as of November 8, four days after launch.
Fishing Ranks at a Glance
| Rank | Skill cap | You need | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice | 75 | Nothing | Any fishing trainer, 1 silver |
| Journeyman | 150 | Fishing 50, level 10 | Any fishing trainer, about 5 silver |
| Expert | 225 | Fishing 125, level 20 | The book, 1 gold |
| Artisan | 300 | Fishing 225, level 35 | Nat Pagle’s quest |
Each rank caps your skill. Once you hit the cap, your catches stop raising it until you have the next rank, so read the book as soon as you meet its requirements rather than waiting for 150. Only successful catches count toward skill, and each point takes more of them as you climb.
New to all this? Our fishing guide covers learning Fishing and casting, and our guide to where to get a fishing pole covers the gear. Our guide to how professions work explains the ranks across every profession.
Where to Buy the Expert Fishing Book
Old Man Heming stands on the lowest boardwalk in Booty Bay, near the inn and the fishing sign, at about 27.4, 77.0. Booty Bay is a neutral goblin town, so he sells to both factions. Myizz Luckycatch, the fishing trainer in the same town, stops at 150 like the rest, so Heming is the one you want.
- Read it, do not just carry it. Buying the book changes nothing until you use it from your bags with Fishing 125 and level 20. That raises your cap to 225.
- Check the Auction House first. Other players can sell you the book, which may save you the whole trip. Our guide to where the Auction House is lists the cities.
- Buy lures while you are there. Heming also sells Bright Baubles. At 150 skill, one lifts you to the 225 effective Fishing you want for the waters of Stranglethorn Vale and Dustwallow Marsh.
How to Reach Booty Bay
Booty Bay sits at the southern tip of Stranglethorn Vale, and there are three ways in:
- Horde: take the zeppelin to Grom’gol Base Camp, from the towers outside Orgrimmar or from Tirisfal Glades, then ride south along the Stranglethorn road. Our guide to getting to Undercity from Orgrimmar shows where those zeppelins leave.
- Alliance: ride south out of Duskwood on the road into Stranglethorn Vale and keep going to the end of the zone.
- Either faction: take the neutral boat from Ratchet, on the coast of The Barrens. Our guide to getting to Wailing Caverns mentions the same boat from the other direction.
Stranglethorn Vale starts at level 30 and there is no level scaling, as our zone level ranges explain, so a level 20 character should stay on the road or come by boat. Booty Bay itself has neutral guards. If a ship or zeppelin does not show up, the Undercity guide above covers Blizzard’s launch-week transport trouble and the backup routes.
Where to Fish From 150 to 225
You do not have to leave the water you know. Any bank where you can land fish keeps giving skill, and lures help when your skill is low for a zone. If you want a change of scene:
- Booty Bay’s docks. You can start casting from town as soon as you have read the book.
- Nat Pagle’s island. This small island in Tidefury Cove, southwest of Theramore in Dustwallow Marsh, saves a trip later, because the quest for the next rank starts there. You have to swim out to it.
Fish you catch along the way are worth keeping: our cooking guide shows how they turn into food, and Cooking has a similar book at the same point in its ranks.
What Comes at 225
Artisan Fishing is not on any trainer’s list either. It comes from a quest, Nat Pagle, Angler Extreme, given by Nat Pagle on that island in Dustwallow Marsh. You need level 35 and Fishing 225. He asks for one each of four fish, and you can catch them in any order:
| Fish | Where to catch it |
|---|---|
| Feralas Ahi | Feralas, in the Verdantis River |
| Misty Reed Mahi Mahi | Swamp of Sorrows, off Misty Reed Strand |
| Sar’theris Striker | Desolace, off Sar’theris Strand |
| Savage Coast Blue Sailfin | Stranglethorn Vale, off the Savage Coast |
Use Bright Baubles in Feralas. Bring all four back to the island and the quest raises your cap to 300.
The Legacy system has perks for all of this too. Working Overtime improves your chance of a skill-up in every tradeskill and Luremaster adds a chance of extra fish, per Blizzard’s Legacy system overview, and our Legacy Points guide shows how to earn the points. Every WoW Forever guide we have is on our World of Warcraft hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do you train Fishing past 150 in WoW Forever? Nowhere: no trainer teaches it. Buy Expert Fishing – The Bass and You from Old Man Heming in Booty Bay and read it to raise your cap to 225.
What do you need to read the Expert Fishing book? Fishing 125 and character level 20.
How much is the Expert Fishing book? Old Man Heming charges 1 gold. On the Auction House, the price is whatever the seller asks.
What happens if you reach 150 without the book? You can keep catching fish, but your skill stays at 150 until you read it.
Which fishing trainers teach past 150? None of them. Every fishing trainer stops at Journeyman, which caps at 150, including Myizz Luckycatch in Booty Bay and Krix at Powderfuse Port in the Riverglades.
How do you get Artisan Fishing? Finish Nat Pagle, Angler Extreme in Dustwallow Marsh at level 35 and Fishing 225.