Rod attack is the base that skills scale from. Buy the next rod you can already afford on the island you have unlocked. Skipping a whole tier to save for a later quest rod leaves you farming with a weak attack.
Published attack, strongest first
| Rod | Attack | Luck | How you get it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dread Fish Rod | 52,890 | +35 | Fossil Island, Bac Minh: 1 Mythical fish from this island and 10,000,000 Coins |
| Zen Staff Rod | 38,470 | +30 | Fossil Island, Fei Tian: 5 Legendary final blows here with Taiji Hooking Art V2 and 5,000,000 Coins |
| Bamboo Rod | 21,150 | +25 | Volcanic Island, Giang Lao: 20 Bamboo Fragments from Jungle Island and 3,600,000 Coins |
| Crimson Bead Rod | about 11,200 | +22 | Volcanic Island, Blind Angler: 100 fish with the Legacy Rod and 3,000,000 Coins |
| Legacy Rod | about 8,000 | Not shown | Snow Island Rod Merchant, 3,000,000 Coins |
Early names on equipment panels are Wooden Rod, Stone Rod, Iron Rod, Golden Rod, Steel Rod, and Diamond Steel Rod. A 12,000 Coin Starter Island rod and Jungle Island rods at 35,000 and 90,000 Coins are real prices from one route. They are not pinned to those names.
The Rod Merchant is only on the first four islands. Later rods are quests. A third Fossil Island rod, possibly called Heaven Piercer Turtle Rod, was described as five Legendary fish and 5,000,000 Coins. The name was not clear enough to catalog.
Quest order that avoids a stuck book
- Buy Legacy Rod on Snow Island.
- Catch 100 fish with it for the Crimson Bead Rod. Rarity does not matter. It is not proven that catches before you accept the quest count.
- Fish Jungle Island for 20 Bamboo Fragments. One creator says the Bamboo quest requires the Crimson Bead Rod first. Another treats them as alternate routes. Read Giang Lao.
- On Snow Island, if you want Zen Staff Rod later, roll two Taiji Hooking Art books. Finish 100 fish with one. Keep the other unequipped. Pay 1,000,000 Coins for Taiji Hooking Art V2.
- On Fossil Island, finish five Legendary fish with V2 for the Zen Staff Rod.
- Hunt a Mythical fish on Fossil Island for the Dread Fish Rod. The 50-catch pity guarantees Legendary or better, not Mythical.
Moving skills and mastery
The official description says to unattach the skill book from the old rod before attaching it to the new one. Some English guides say the removed book is destroyed and that the game warns you. Footage from other creators shows books moving. Read the warning on your screen before you confirm.
Rod mastery rises by catching fish with that rod. One Zen Staff Rod was shown at level 42 with mastery 471/3,751 and four skills attached. A fresh late rod locks three slots until rod levels 8, 16, and 20. A skin does not level the rod for you.
Luck that one creator listed while hunting the Dread fish: the rod, a rod skin (one paid skin at 15 luck, roll skins topping out at 10), an aura (Jackpot shown at 19.62 on that character), friends at 2% each up to 10%, Azure Dragon Soul at +10, and VIP at 10%.