DayZ Fishing Guide: Gear, Spots, Fish, and Preparation

In DayZ, you need to secure a safe and consistently available food source over the long term. You can keep looting and eating canned food, hunt in the woods, or plant your own garden with pumpkins or zucchini. But you shouldn’t underestimate fishing, because fish is one of your best chances to survive. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll practically never go hungry again. We’ll take a closer look at fishing, the mechanics behind it, and which spots are best for a relaxed fishing trip in DayZ.

DayZ fishing gear: rod, hooks, bait, and crafting

To fish, you first need a fishing rod. If you’re lucky, you’ll find a modern rod with high durability — it most commonly spawns on the coast, in boathouses, or in harbor areas. It usually yields the best catches but is relatively rare.

If you haven’t found a rod yet or don’t want to search for long, you can craft an improvised fishing rod. You’ll need a long stick, a rope, a hook, and a worm. Get sticks from bushes — be sure to wear gloves! You can find ropes throughout DayZ or craft one from two stacks of 6 rags; alternatively, you can use a knife to turn guts into a rope. There are three types of fishing hooks: modern hooks (loot), bone hooks you craft from bones, and simple wooden hooks (the latter are considerably worse).

This improvised rod is great for getting started, but it’s usually a bit slower and less productive than a proper Fishing Rod. It also takes up more inventory space. If you fish often, it’s worth looking for a high-quality fishing rod.

Lastly, you’ll need bait to attract fish. Use a tool to dig worms from the ground and combine them with your hook.

DayZ fish traps: a passive alternative to fishing

You don’t always have to fish actively to get fish. DayZ offers two traps you place in water that work passively while you move away.

• A fish net trap is built from a fish net and barbed wire. Place it at a water source and add bait. Move about 25 meters away and wait 15–30 minutes for a good chance at a catch. You’ll mostly catch carp and mackerel. The caught fish is visible in the trap. After about 8 hours, the trap despawns if you don’t pick it up.
• A small fish trap is crafted from a plastic bottle and a knife. Place it in the water and increase your odds with bait. You’ll catch small species like shrimp, anchovies, or bitterlings. You’ll know it caught something when the bottle no longer lies flat but points upward.

DayZ fish and sea creatures: locations, freshwater and saltwater

Whether with traps or a rod, the lakes, rivers, and coasts in DayZ are rich in marine life. What you catch depends on the body of water (freshwater or saltwater) and your method. All provide reliable food — rotate locations to keep catching consistently.

Here’s what you can find:

• Carp: freshwater on all maps
• Anchovies: saltwater on all maps (traps only)
• Bitterlings: freshwater on all maps (traps only)
• Mackerel: saltwater on all maps
• Pollock: saltwater on Sakhal
• Trout: saltwater on Sakhal
• Shrimp: saltwater on Sakhal (traps only)

Freshwater includes all inland bodies of water: rivers, lakes, ponds, and dams — across maps like Chernarus or Livonia. The best spots are remote fishing locations deep in the forest where you won’t be disturbed. When you fish, you’re standing still and quickly become a target for other survivors.

You’ll find saltwater along the coast and on Sakhal. You can start fishing right after you spawn, but you’ll also be an easy target for other players there.

DayZ fishing: tips and tricks for more bites

• Hold the mouse button while fishing until a fish bites. Release it when the appropriate animation plays and you hear a gurgling sound.
• Watch your gear’s durability — cheap hooks, lines, or improvised rods often last only a few catches.
• Best bite times: 5–9 a.m. and 6–10 p.m.
• Rainy or overcast weather often increases your catch rate.
• Occasionally change your spot or water depth if nothing bites for a while.

Preparing fish in DayZ: baking, boiling, or drying

Fish and other sea creatures are an excellent food source in DayZ. Carry a knife to cut them open. Never eat the fillets raw, or you could get food poisoning.

While shrimp, anchovies, and bitterlings can be prepared without gutting, you must first cut fillets from all other fish. You typically get two fillets from each fish, which you then process further. Avoid burnt or spoiled fish.

You can:

• Bake: Lots of calories, less hydration, sufficiently filling.
• Boil: Fewer calories, very hydrating, sufficiently filling.
• Dry: The fewest calories and very dry, but very filling and stores well.

Conclusion: Fishing in DayZ as a reliable food source

Fishing is one of the best ways to secure a continuous supply of good food — with a fun mini-game and manageable effort. It’s often less risky than hunting or searching for canned food and, thanks to traps, even works passively. Rent your own DayZ server from us (https://www.4netplayers.com/en-us/gameserver-hosting/dayz/) and fish together with your friends. The mechanics are surprisingly varied, with diverse marine life and preparation methods.