RS3 fishing training starts with crayfish at level 1, where each catch gives you 10 Fishing experience. The best method changes as you climb. Levels 1 to 20 by crayfish take about 23 minutes at roughly 11,500 experience per hour, so it’s a quick, cheap way to get started. Once you reach level 20, fly fishing takes over, with estimated rates climbing from about 17,000 to 57,000 experience per hour across levels 20 to 40 and beyond.
Late-game options ask for a different kind of commitment. The members-only Wendlewick fish farm needs level 45 Fishing, level 25 Farming and the Trader Woes achievement. Jagex introduced fish farming as a new skilling option in March 2026. It runs as a low-attention alternative to traditional fishing spots. Fishing Frenzy sits at the other end. It requires level 94 Fishing and gives you no fish, but it can top 285,000 experience per hour at level 99 if you keep clicking to hold your streak. Knowing which of these fits your account, and how much attention you can give each session, will save you a lot of wasted hours.
Key Takeaways
- In RS3, you can start fishing with crayfish at level 1, where each catch gives you 10 Fishing experience, and then switch to fly fishing once you reach level 20.
- In RS3, fly fishing is free-to-play and gives you roughly 17,000 to 57,000 Fishing experience per hour across levels 20 to 40 and beyond, so you can stay with it well past level 40.
- In RS3, Crystallise fly fishing requires level 70 Fishing and level 88 Magic, and it can reach up to 118,000 experience per hour at level 99.
- In RS3, Fishing Frenzy requires level 94 Fishing and gives you no fish, so you should only try it when you can keep clicking to hold your streak.
- In RS3, the members-only Wendlewick fish farm needs level 45 Fishing, level 25 Farming and the Trader Woes achievement, so you should check those requirements before you plan your training around it.
What Makes Fishing Training Different in RS3
Fishing is a gathering skill, so every fish you catch gives you experience. The method you pick sets how quickly that experience builds up, and the gap between methods is large. Two players at the same level can earn very different amounts per hour depending on what they choose to do.
Your current level is the first thing to check. Early on, you’ll work with simple catches like crayfish, which give small amounts of experience per catch but are quick to start. Once you reach level 20, fly fishing becomes the main choice, and its rate climbs as your level rises. Later methods pay much more per hour, but they usually ask for more levels, quests or gear before you can begin.
The second decision is how much attention you want to give. Low-attention training lets you start a method and step away for a while. The Wendlewick fish farm fits that style, since it was built as an alternative to traditional fishing spots. High-attention training asks you to keep clicking, and Fishing Frenzy is the clearest example. It rewards a streak, adding 1% experience for every 10 catches up to 20% at a 200-catch streak. If you sit idle for six seconds, the streak is cut in half. Leave the hub or log out, and it resets completely.
So before you commit, think about how you actually play. Do you have long sessions, or do you log in for short bursts? Can you keep your focus through an hour of steady clicking? If the answer is no, a slower method you can leave running may serve you better, even though its hourly rate is lower.
Which Fishing Method Should You Use at Each Level?
Start with crayfish from level 1 to 20, move to fly fishing from level 20 onward, and switch to Crystallise fly fishing once you reach level 70 and have level 88 Magic. Membership-only methods, such as the Wendlewick fish farm, come later on the path.
Crayfish is your starting point at level 1. Each catch gives you 10 Fishing experience, and a pay-to-play training guide estimates that levels 1 to 20 take about 23 minutes at roughly 11,500 experience per hour. Treat that figure as a rough estimate, since your real rate depends on how quickly you click and how far you walk between spots. Crayfish is free-to-play, so you can start it on any account.
Fly fishing takes over at level 20. The same guide lists it at roughly 17,000 to 57,000 experience per hour across levels 20 to 40 and beyond. The rate climbs as your level rises, so an hour at level 38 pays far more than an hour at level 25. Fly fishing is also free-to-play, which means you can keep training it without a membership.
Stay with fly fishing through the middle levels. It remains your main method well past level 40, so you don’t need to switch early just because a new option appears. Keep an eye on your Fishing level, because the next big step waits at level 70.
Crystallise fly fishing is the method to aim for from level 70 to 93. It can reach up to 118,000 experience per hour at level 99. The catch is that Crystallise itself needs level 88 Magic, so you’ll have to train Magic alongside your fishing if you want to use this method on time.
Here is the path at a glance:
| Level range | Method | Access | Rough experience per hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 20 | Crayfish | Free-to-play | About 11,500 (estimate, about 23 minutes to level 20) |
| 20 to 40 and beyond | Fly fishing | Free-to-play | 17,000 to 57,000, rising with your level |
| 70 to 93 | Crystallise fly fishing | Requires level 88 Magic | Up to 118,000 at level 99 |
| 45 and up | Wendlewick fish farm | Members-only | Covered in its own section later |
The Wendlewick fish farm is members-only and needs level 45 Fishing, level 25 Farming and the Trader Woes achievement. We cover it in its own section later, so for now just know that it sits above the fly fishing stage. If you don’t have membership, the first two rows give you a complete free-to-play route up to the point where Crystallise opens.
Your route depends on where you are today. If you’re under level 20, focus on crayfish. If you’re between 20 and 70, fly fishing is your steady choice. Once you reach 70 and have your Magic level, Crystallise becomes the method that moves your experience fastest.
How Much Do Fishing Tools Cost to Start?
Basic fishing tools cost only a few hundred coins, so you can start training without a big bank balance. The RuneScape Wiki’s Grand Exchange equipment list, last updated 21 October 2026, showed these guide prices:
- A fishing rod: 310 coins
- A fly fishing rod: 411 coins
- A crayfish cage: 635 coins
Those three items cover the early stages of your training, from crayfish at level 1 through fly fishing at level 20 and beyond. Keep in mind that these are guide prices from a single date. Grand Exchange prices move up and down with supply and demand, so a rod that sells for 310 coins one week may cost more or less later. Before you buy, check the live price in the Grand Exchange and compare a couple of listings so you don’t overpay.
Ironman accounts work differently. Ironman players can’t trade with other players or buy from the Grand Exchange in the usual way, so every tool has to be gathered or crafted by you. That means planning ahead. Work out which materials each tool needs, collect them while you train other skills, and make the rods and cages yourself. It takes more time than buying, but it saves coins, which matters most when you’re just starting out.
Fishing gloves and other rewards from later training make a good goal once your basics are in place. They help your progress over time, but you don’t need them for your first levels. Plan for them after your rods and cages are sorted, and check current prices before you spend your coins on them.
How Many Fishing XP per Hour Can You Realistically Expect?
Expect a real rate lower than the published figure, because guide rates are estimates rather than guaranteed results. Your own sessions will include interruptions that estimates rarely capture.
The methods differ mainly in how much attention they need and whether you keep the fish. Crayfish and fly fishing give you fish to cook or bank, so you’ll make regular trips that pause your training. Deep Sea Fishing minnows, which need level 68 Fishing, yield about 45,000 experience per hour at level 70 and about 87,000 at level 99. Ghostly sole, which needs level 66 Fishing and the Necromancy! quest, has a base estimate of 90,000 to 100,000 per hour at level 99. Fishing Frenzy gives you no fish at all, so there’s nothing to bank or cook, but you must keep clicking to hold your streak.
Several everyday factors pull your rate down. Spot competition is the big one. If another player is already working the spot you want, you’ll walk to another one or wait, and both eat into your hours. Banking time matters just as much. Every trip to the bank is time with no experience coming in, so a method that fills your inventory quickly will need more trips. Stopping to cook or heal works the same way. Each pause adds up over a session, especially at higher levels where you catch fish faster and burn through food.
Your gear also changes your numbers. Bring the right rod for your level and enough bait or feathers for the method you picked. Pack enough food so you don’t have to head back to the bank early. A session that runs out of supplies halfway through can cost you more than any tool upgrade saves.
To measure your own rate, divide the experience you gained by the hours you played. Include breaks, walking and banking in the hours, because those are part of your real training time. If you gained 60,000 experience during a 3-hour session, your rate is 20,000 experience per hour. Track a few sessions, then compare the average to the guide estimate for your method.
Where Do Barbarian Fishing, Bare-Handed Fishing and Minigames Fit?
Barbarian fishing, bare-handed fishing, the Fishing Trawler, the Fishing Guild, Dungeoneering fishing and Karambwan fishing are side routes for players who want variety or a specific goal. None of them is usually the fastest way to level, so they work best alongside your main training path.
Barbarian fishing swaps the standard rod for different gear and a different set of catches. You’ll need to carry the extra tools it calls for, so check your inventory before you head out. It suits players who want a change of pace from the rod and enjoy trying something different from fly fishing.
Bare-handed fishing takes tools out of the picture. You catch with your bare hands at a spot that allows it, so your inventory stays light. It’s a niche option for players who like quirky routes, not a shortcut for experience.
The Fishing Trawler and the Fishing Guild are places to fish rather than single methods. Each one runs under its own rules, and those rules decide what you can catch and how you earn rewards. The Fishing Trawler is a team-based activity held on a boat, which makes it a good fit if you like a shared goal and a set of rounds. The Fishing Guild is a dedicated fishing area, and it suits players who want a focused place to train with a clear purpose. Look up the exact requirements for both on the RS3 wiki before you plan a trip, since access rules are easy to get wrong from memory.
Dungeoneering fishing and Karambwan fishing are niche routes that change which fish you catch. Dungeoneering fishing ties your training to a different skill area, so it’s most useful if you already spend time in Dungeoneering. Karambwan fishing focuses on one specific fish and its own setup, which makes it a sensible pick when that fish is on your list, whether for a quest, a recipe or a goal you’ve set yourself.
Treat these routes as a way to add variety or chase a special goal. A Trawler session can be a fun break, and a Karambwan trip makes sense when you need that exact fish. If your main aim is experience per hour, stick with fly fishing or Crystallise fly fishing, and bring in these options when they match what you want from the game.
Is the Wendlewick Fish Farm Worth Training For?
Yes, the Wendlewick fish farm is worth training for if you have membership, level 45 Fishing, level 25 Farming and the Trader Woes achievement, and you want high experience with less clicking than Fishing Frenzy demands. It’s a members-only method, so check the requirements before you plan around it.
Start with the requirements, because they decide whether you can enter at all. Level 45 Fishing and level 25 Farming are skill levels you’ll likely reach during regular training. The Trader Woes achievement is separate, so look at your achievement list before you count on the farm for your next training block.
The farm is part of Havenhythe. Jagex announced the first part of Havenhythe on 23 March 2026 and described fish farming as a new skilling activity offering an alternative to traditional fishing spots. Because the content is recent, check the current RS3 updates for the farm’s location and access rules before you travel there.
The listed experience rates are the main reason players look at it. The lobster pool is listed at 66,000 Fishing experience per hour, the swordfish pool at 110,000, the shark pool at 200,000 and the giant crayfish pool at 250,000. Those are the best-case figures from the sources, so expect your real hourly total to come in lower once you account for setup, breaks and time spent sorting your fish.
A 20 April 2026 patch changed the farm again. It adjusted the experience you earn per catch and increased the number of fish generated per run. If you read older notes about the farm, the numbers may not match what you see now, so compare the current in-game figures before you decide.
Compared with Fishing Frenzy, the farm asks far less of your hands. Frenzy needs you to keep clicking to hold a streak. Six seconds of inactivity halves that streak, and leaving the hub resets it. The farm lets you set up your run and step away for a while. That doesn’t make it fully hands-off, since you still need to check on your setup and handle the fish it produces.
Plan for those fish. A busier farm means more fish to bank or cook, so keep enough inventory and bank space free before you start. Fishing Frenzy gives no fish at all, so this is one practical difference you’ll feel on every trip.
To decide, ask yourself three questions. Do you already meet the level and achievement requirements and hold membership? Do you prefer longer sessions with less clicking? Are you ready to handle the fish it produces? If the answer to all three is yes, the farm fits well between fly fishing and the higher-attention methods. If not, fly fishing stays free-to-play and keeps you moving forward until you’re ready.
Where Does Fishing Frenzy Fit for Eligible Players?
Fishing Frenzy suits players who have reached level 94 Fishing, can focus for long sessions, and want the fastest experience the skill offers. It is one of the RS3 methods covered in this guide, so check its entry requirements before you plan around it.
The entry requirement is level 94 Fishing. A pay-to-play training guide lists it at over 285,000 experience per hour at level 99, which is the highest rate in this guide. The trade-off is that Fishing Frenzy awards no fish. You have nothing to cook, bank or sell, so your time goes straight into the activity.
The streak bonus adds 1% experience for every 10 catches, up to 20% at a 200-catch streak. That bonus raises the rate, and it’s also what makes the method fragile.
A short break can cost you a lot. Six seconds without activity halves your streak, so pausing to answer a message or check a chat window can wipe out a big part of the bonus you’ve built. Leaving the hub or logging out resets the streak completely, and you start climbing from zero again.
The constant clicking exists because the streak only grows when you keep catching. Each catch needs your input, so a slow or distracted player can’t keep the rhythm needed to reach the top bonus. That’s why the method feels more like a test of focus than a background activity.
Fishing Frenzy suits players with steady hands, a quiet place to play and time to sit through full sessions. If you’re watching a show, chatting with friends or switching between tasks, a method you can leave running will earn you more steadily, even if its hourly rate is lower. The Wendlewick fish farm and fly fishing are better fits for that style of play.
Treat Fishing Frenzy as an optional add-on once you reach level 94, not as your default route. Most players will get further by building up through fly fishing and Crystallise fly fishing first. Only switch to Frenzy when you have the level, the time and the focus to keep the streak alive from start to finish.
Choosing Your Fishing Route From Level 1 to 99
Cooking is the part many new players skip, but it’s what keeps your training going. Cook the fish you catch on a range or fire, and eat them when your hitpoints run low. Stock up before you try a high-attention method, because Fishing Frenzy gives you no fish to eat, so you’ll need to bring food from the bank.
Time matters as much as rate. A steady method you can run for hours will often beat a faster one that wears you out. If you can’t get through a Frenzy session without losing focus, the lower rate you actually keep will earn more over a week.
Use this checklist to match your account type to the right order.
- Free-to-play: Train crayfish from level 1 to 20, and cook or bank your catches as you go.
- Free-to-play: Switch to fly fishing at level 20 and stay there, keeping a food stock in your bag at all times.
- Ironman: Gather the materials for your fishing rod and crayfish cage while you train other skills, since you can’t buy them from the Grand Exchange.
- Ironman: Craft your own tools, then follow the same crayfish and fly fishing path, cooking your catches to keep your healing food topped up.
- Members: Reach level 45 Fishing, level 25 Farming and the Trader Woes achievement to unlock the Wendlewick fish farm.
- Members: Keep training fly fishing until you have level 70 Fishing and level 88 Magic, then move to Crystallise fly fishing.
- Everyone: Try Fishing Frenzy only once you reach level 94, and plan a quiet session with a full food supply.
Putting It Into Practice
Start by checking your Fishing level. If you’re under level 20, head to a crayfish spot this session. Each catch gives 10 Fishing experience, and the pace from the earlier estimate is about 23 minutes to reach level 20. Your real time will run longer because walking and banking take up part of every hour.
If you’re between level 20 and 70, fly fishing is your steady method. Pick one session this week and track it. Write down your Fishing experience when you log in and again when you log out, then divide the gain by your total hours, including breaks. Compare that number with the 17,000 to 57,000 experience per hour range. If you’re well below it, check whether you’re carrying enough feathers and food for the whole session.
If you’re a member with level 45 Fishing and level 25 Farming, look at your achievement list for Trader Woes. That achievement is one of the requirements for the Wendlewick fish farm, along with those two skill levels and membership, so make it your next target if you don’t have it yet. Ironman players should begin by listing the materials for a fishing rod and a crayfish cage, then collect them while training other skills.