DayZ Fishing Guide: Gear, Spots, Fish & Preparation

In DayZ, you need to secure a safe, always-available food source for the long haul. You can keep looting and eating canned food, hunt in the woods, or plant your own garden with pumpkins or zucchini. But don’t underestimate fishing either, 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 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 — most commonly along the coast, in boathouses, or harbor areas. It usually yields the best catches, but it’s 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 — make sure to wear gloves! You can find rope all over DayZ or craft it from two stacks of 6 torn rags; alternatively, you can use a knife to turn guts into rope. Fishing hooks come in three variants: modern hooks (loot), hooks crafted from bones, and simple wooden hooks (the latter are noticeably worse).

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

Lastly, you need bait to attract fish. Dig in the soil with a tool to find earthworms and combine them with your fishing hook.

DayZ fish traps: a passive alternative to rod fishing

You don’t always have to fish actively to get fish. In DayZ there are two traps you place in the water that work passively while you walk away.

• A fishnet trap is built from a fishnet and metal wire. Place it at a water source and add a bait. Move about 25 meters away and wait 15–30 minutes, and you have a good chance of a catch. You’ll usually catch carp and mackerel. The caught fish is visible inside the trap. After about 8 hours, the trap despawns if you don’t pick it up.
• A small fish trap is made from a plastic bottle and a knife. Place it in the water and add bait to increase your chances. It catches small species like shrimp, anchovies, or bitterling. You’ll know it’s worked when the bottle stands upright instead of lying down.

DayZ fish and marine life: locations, freshwater and saltwater

Whether with traps or a fishing rod, the lakes, rivers, and coasts in DayZ are rich in marine life. What you catch depends on the water type (fresh or salt) and your method. All of them provide reliable food — rotate locations to keep the bites coming.

Here’s what you can find:

• Carp: Freshwater on all maps
• Anchovies: Saltwater on all maps (traps only)
• Bitterling: 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: rivers, lakes, ponds, and dams — across maps like Chernarus or Livonia. The best spots are secluded fishing locations deep in the woods where you can remain undisturbed. When fishing, you stand still and can 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’re also an easy target for other players there.

DayZ fishing: tips and tricks for more bites

• Hold the mouse button while casting until a fish bites. Release it when the matching animation plays and you hear a gurgling sound.
• Watch the durability of your gear — cheap hooks, ropes, or improvised rods often only last a few catches.
• Best bite times: 5–9 a.m. and 6–10 p.m.
• Rain or overcast skies often increase the bite rate.
• Occasionally change your spot or water depth if nothing bites for a while.

Preparing fish in DayZ: bake, boil, or dry

Fish and other marine animals are an excellent food source in DayZ. Carry a knife to cut them open. Do not eat fillets raw, or you could poison yourself.

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

You can:

• Bake: High calories, low hydration, fairly filling.
• Boil: Fewer calories, very hydrating, fairly filling.
• Dry: Fewest calories and very dry, but very filling and stores well.

Conclusion: Fishing in DayZ as a safe food source

Fishing is one of the best ways to get consistent good food — with a fun minigame and manageable effort. It’s often less risky than hunting or searching for canned food and, thanks to traps, even passive. Rent your own DayZ server from us and fish together with your friends. The mechanics are surprisingly varied, with diverse marine life and preparation methods.