As I've been going on tours more the past few days, I've noticed many people having some issues with the bigger fishies in the game. Given how...NOT generous New Leaf's fishing mechanics are, I'd like to share a bit of how I do it in hopes that maybe someone else can benefit~
1) Use Your Volume~
Unless your visual reaction is -really- high up there, chances are you're going to miss a ton of Sharks and such because you can't react quickly enough to the bite visually. Given the lack of vibration on the 3DS and a very small visual cue, fishing without volume is nearly impossible for most. I myself can't catch big fish at all while silenced.
2) Close Your Eyes~
This may seem counter-intuitive, but some people may find themselves more like me and react faster when they don't look.
Watch until your fishy starts heading towards your line. There's a chance you'll get a "first bite" and not be ready depending on how the fishy was moving and how fast he bites (If he has to approach, it's generally easier than if he was right next to your lure and snagged during his turn). But assuming he's approaching or didn't bite on the very first shot, close your eyes and hold the DS to your ear. You'll hear the bite noise immediately and react soooo much faster~
3) If Possible, Make The Fishy Come to You~
As mentioned above, given the bad luck that comes with the dreaded "First Bite" and how unreliable it can be, you'll want to cast your line in such a way that the fishy is forced to approach. I find the best way is to cast wen the fishy is moving BACK, after his leap forward. Line yourself up with him as well as you can and cast as soon as he begins falling back. This gives you an extra few seconds to prepare for his bite, and will more than likely force him to swim an extra half second to hit your lure~
It's not always possible, given fishies won't always spawn in nice places. But if you have the advantage, take it. Usually they'll stay in the same spot for 2-3 movements forward before turning around and sneaking off, depending on the fish~
4) Fishies Will Never Bite more than FIVE Times~
When a fishy bites your line, he will always bite by the 5th "nibble" on your line. If you've been carefully listening and you hear 4 nibbles, you can rest assured that the 5th nibble will, indeed, be a big juicy BITE. This should make the lazy biters very easy for you to catch~
5) Don't be Trigger-Happy
Many of us miss fishies because we hear the nibble and our finger automatically rushes for the button. This is understandable, given how unforgivable the mechanic is and how much time we do not have to snag that 15k shark. The key to this is practicing and training your ear and finger to not react to that tiny sound, and only react to the very deep bite sound. You're always going to make mistakes, but if you concentrate and listen, chances are you can minimize them with some practice~
6) If You Get Flustered, Chill Out~
Fishing can and will get annoying, especially when done competitively or for profit. There's also nothing more annoying than losing that really rare fish because you couldn't reel him in. So if you find yourself getting upset, do something else or turn your game off for a bit. Never ever fish angry~
7: Always Donate Fish the 1st Time you Catch Them~ (Thanks ThatRandomMayor)
Forgot to list the obvious so thanks for submitting that Random~ You always want to give Blathers your first catches~ Not only does this help unlock a few PWPs, but it also helps you unlock the better tools and receive some nice badges from Phineas~
There are 2 ways to tell which fish you need to donate~
a) If your character says "I wonder what my encyclopedia says about _____" then it is your first time catching said fishy and you should bring it to the kind old sleepy owl~ (Thanks for this too as well Random~)
b) If you didn't donate some first catches and you don't know how far you've progressed, simply view the sign outside of your museum. It'll list everything donated~ You can compare this list with an online resource or what you have in your pockets~
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Now that the guide is done, I'd also like to add some points of discussion~ I love fishing in most games, such as Harvest Moon, but I feel like fishing can do with some improvements in Animal Crossing. Surprisingly, most of them don't depend on the mechanic itself!
1) Vibration
This isn't so much an Animal Crossing thing only, unless Vibration was absent in City Folk and the Gamecube version, in which case it's totally an Animal Crossing thing too. Regardless, when Nintendo unveils its next generation of handheld and/or 3DS, I would like them to consider a small vibration function. Vibration helps IMMENSELY with fishing, and I like games like Harvest Moon where I can lay back and relax and let my controller/wiimote inform me of a bite. Not only does it help fishing feel a bit more immersive, but it's a big help for people with visual/auditory limitations or hardware difficulties. Fishing visually in Animal Crossing is a huge challenge, so for anyone who can't use their volume or faces issues hearing, this would be a wonderful addition~
2) The Ability to Mute other Sounds/Music
So when I'm doing tours and trying to fish, I often get messed up because of the sound of the bubbles popping up, either from chit-chat or others catching things. The music does get quieter, which is a plus, but the other sounds are not dulled at all. A "Fishing Mode" would be great, in which all you hear is the sounds involved with fishing~
3) A Little more Generosity with Harder Fish
Now I'm not one to ask for things to be made easier. Ever since I began fishing without depending on visuals, I can catch most anything. However, I do still think the fish are a little too quick to let go. Some of them unhook before the sound is even done -playing-
I think we should get the full duration of the bite sound to reel these fish in, at least. Just my opinion, though.
---
So now that I got my thoughts out on both matters, discussion time
-What are some general things you do to help yourself fish better?
-Are there any changes you hope for in future Animal Crossing games regarding fishing and its mechanics?
-For those of you who can fish well visually: HOW DO YOU DO IT? Seriously! Any tips you can share would be amazing
-Also, feel free to leave suggestions for additions to both the guide and changes lists~ If they gain some traction or I feel like being biased, I'll add them to the first post and credit you~
1) Use Your Volume~
Unless your visual reaction is -really- high up there, chances are you're going to miss a ton of Sharks and such because you can't react quickly enough to the bite visually. Given the lack of vibration on the 3DS and a very small visual cue, fishing without volume is nearly impossible for most. I myself can't catch big fish at all while silenced.
2) Close Your Eyes~
This may seem counter-intuitive, but some people may find themselves more like me and react faster when they don't look.
Watch until your fishy starts heading towards your line. There's a chance you'll get a "first bite" and not be ready depending on how the fishy was moving and how fast he bites (If he has to approach, it's generally easier than if he was right next to your lure and snagged during his turn). But assuming he's approaching or didn't bite on the very first shot, close your eyes and hold the DS to your ear. You'll hear the bite noise immediately and react soooo much faster~
3) If Possible, Make The Fishy Come to You~
As mentioned above, given the bad luck that comes with the dreaded "First Bite" and how unreliable it can be, you'll want to cast your line in such a way that the fishy is forced to approach. I find the best way is to cast wen the fishy is moving BACK, after his leap forward. Line yourself up with him as well as you can and cast as soon as he begins falling back. This gives you an extra few seconds to prepare for his bite, and will more than likely force him to swim an extra half second to hit your lure~
It's not always possible, given fishies won't always spawn in nice places. But if you have the advantage, take it. Usually they'll stay in the same spot for 2-3 movements forward before turning around and sneaking off, depending on the fish~
4) Fishies Will Never Bite more than FIVE Times~
When a fishy bites your line, he will always bite by the 5th "nibble" on your line. If you've been carefully listening and you hear 4 nibbles, you can rest assured that the 5th nibble will, indeed, be a big juicy BITE. This should make the lazy biters very easy for you to catch~
5) Don't be Trigger-Happy
Many of us miss fishies because we hear the nibble and our finger automatically rushes for the button. This is understandable, given how unforgivable the mechanic is and how much time we do not have to snag that 15k shark. The key to this is practicing and training your ear and finger to not react to that tiny sound, and only react to the very deep bite sound. You're always going to make mistakes, but if you concentrate and listen, chances are you can minimize them with some practice~
6) If You Get Flustered, Chill Out~
Fishing can and will get annoying, especially when done competitively or for profit. There's also nothing more annoying than losing that really rare fish because you couldn't reel him in. So if you find yourself getting upset, do something else or turn your game off for a bit. Never ever fish angry~
7: Always Donate Fish the 1st Time you Catch Them~ (Thanks ThatRandomMayor)
Forgot to list the obvious so thanks for submitting that Random~ You always want to give Blathers your first catches~ Not only does this help unlock a few PWPs, but it also helps you unlock the better tools and receive some nice badges from Phineas~
There are 2 ways to tell which fish you need to donate~
a) If your character says "I wonder what my encyclopedia says about _____" then it is your first time catching said fishy and you should bring it to the kind old sleepy owl~ (Thanks for this too as well Random~)
b) If you didn't donate some first catches and you don't know how far you've progressed, simply view the sign outside of your museum. It'll list everything donated~ You can compare this list with an online resource or what you have in your pockets~
---
Now that the guide is done, I'd also like to add some points of discussion~ I love fishing in most games, such as Harvest Moon, but I feel like fishing can do with some improvements in Animal Crossing. Surprisingly, most of them don't depend on the mechanic itself!
1) Vibration
This isn't so much an Animal Crossing thing only, unless Vibration was absent in City Folk and the Gamecube version, in which case it's totally an Animal Crossing thing too. Regardless, when Nintendo unveils its next generation of handheld and/or 3DS, I would like them to consider a small vibration function. Vibration helps IMMENSELY with fishing, and I like games like Harvest Moon where I can lay back and relax and let my controller/wiimote inform me of a bite. Not only does it help fishing feel a bit more immersive, but it's a big help for people with visual/auditory limitations or hardware difficulties. Fishing visually in Animal Crossing is a huge challenge, so for anyone who can't use their volume or faces issues hearing, this would be a wonderful addition~
2) The Ability to Mute other Sounds/Music
So when I'm doing tours and trying to fish, I often get messed up because of the sound of the bubbles popping up, either from chit-chat or others catching things. The music does get quieter, which is a plus, but the other sounds are not dulled at all. A "Fishing Mode" would be great, in which all you hear is the sounds involved with fishing~
3) A Little more Generosity with Harder Fish
Now I'm not one to ask for things to be made easier. Ever since I began fishing without depending on visuals, I can catch most anything. However, I do still think the fish are a little too quick to let go. Some of them unhook before the sound is even done -playing-
I think we should get the full duration of the bite sound to reel these fish in, at least. Just my opinion, though.
---
So now that I got my thoughts out on both matters, discussion time
-What are some general things you do to help yourself fish better?
-Are there any changes you hope for in future Animal Crossing games regarding fishing and its mechanics?
-For those of you who can fish well visually: HOW DO YOU DO IT? Seriously! Any tips you can share would be amazing
-Also, feel free to leave suggestions for additions to both the guide and changes lists~ If they gain some traction or I feel like being biased, I'll add them to the first post and credit you~
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