For all the crazed, heavily armed cultists running amok, Far Cry 5’s world is beautifully crafted and a joy to just get lost in if you have a few calm moments without a bear attack or hot lead flying your way. Fishing is one of the side activities the game offers to get away from all the combat, while also being a neat way to earn some cash on the side.
Achievement hunters and completionists will also want to polish their angling game as fishing has one of the more difficult achievements tied to it. Far Cry 5 has 4 fishing rods that can be bought or unlocked as you play, and you can unlock the Hope County Master Angler if you get all four.
Check out our guide to finding all Vietnam Lighters in Far Cry 5!
These rods are the Basic Fishing Rod, the Natural Fishing Rod, the Wonderboy Fishing Rod and the Old Betsy Fishing Rod. Getting the first two is as simple as strolling into a general store with enough cash on you, while the latter two are a bit trickier. The Basic and Natural fishing rods are available from the very beginning of the game, and cost $200 and $800 respectively. While after progressing a bit in the game $200 won’t be much to sneeze at, if you want to bag a free Basic rod, you can find one on the pier next to the vehicle shop in Widow’s Creek, found in John’s Region.
Of the two tougher rods, the Wonderboy is the easier catch. Far Cry 5 is littered with a bunch of side-quests which let you earn cash and unlock rewards without progressing the main story, and one such quest chain is what yields the Wonderboy. In the Whitetail Mountains, you’ll find Dylan’s Master Bait Shop. Here, one of the NPCs, Skylar, will give you a string of tasks to complete, with the rod being your final reward.
Unlocking the final rod, the Old Betsy, is a tougher nut to crack. This will require you to catch fish that weigh more than the county record-holders in all regions of the game map. The record holders you need to beat are as follows:
Holland Valley Region
Pallid Sturgeon - 55 lbs
Paddlefish Sturgeon - 112 lbs
Herbane River Region
Smallmouth Bass - 6 lbs
Largemouth Bass - 8 lbs
Rock Bass - 3 lbs
Whitetail Mountain Region
Chinook Salmon - 27 lbs
Kokanee Salmon - 6 lbs
Arctic Grayline Salmon - 3 lbs
All Regions (Hope County)
Bull Trout - 21 lbs
Golden Trout - 4 lbs
Lake Trout - 37 lbs
Rainbow Trout - 28 lbs
If you want to catch these fish, you’ll definitely need the Fisher King perk, which unlocks the ability to switch out baits and lures, which are essential for catching heavy fish. These need to be caught in “Hard” fishing areas, and you’ll probably need to go at it several times before a record-breaker gets hooked.
