Red Dead Redemption 2 Fishing Guide: Bait, Lures, and Legendary Fish
Fishing is one of the most relaxing and rewarding side activities in Red Dead Redemption 2, offering a perfect break from the chaos of the Van der Linde gang. Whether you are looking to fill your camp’s provisions or hunting down all 13 elusive Legendary Fish to achieve 100% completion, you will need the right gear and strategies.
This comprehensive guide covers how to unlock your gear, where to source specialized tackle, and how to catch every rare fish available during Arthur’s story and the post-game epilogue.
1. How to Unlock the Fishing Rod
You cannot fish right away when Chapter 2 begins. To unlock the rod, progress through the main story until you receive the camp quest “A Fisher of Men” from John Marston at Horseshoe Overlook.
In this mission, you take young Jack Marston down to the Dakota River for a quiet afternoon of fishing. Once the mission wraps up, the fishing rod is permanently added to your item wheel (found in the Items tab under the binoculars slot).
You cannot equip the fishing rod anywhere you like. The rod will remain greyed out in your weapon wheel unless Arthur is standing directly at the edge of a viable, deep enough body of water (like a river, lake, or swamp). If you can’t select it, take a few steps closer to the shoreline.
2. Where to Buy Fishing Bait & Lures
To get your hands on premium tackle and Special Lures, you must visit the dedicated Bait & Tackle Shop in Lagras, a small swamp settlement located just north of Saint Denis in the Lemoyne region.
- Fast Travel Tip: Take a train or stagecoach directly to Saint Denis, then ride your horse a short distance north along the main road bordering the river to reach the Lagras peninsula.
Shop Inventory & Pricing
| Item | Price | Used For |
|---|---|---|
| Live Worms | $0.50 | Standard lake fish (Bluegill, Perch) |
| Live Crickets | $0.50 | Standard river fish (Trout, Rock Bass) |
| Crayfish | $0.25 | Standard swamp fish (Largemouth Bass) |
| River / Lake / Swamp Lure | $2.50 | Reusable; attracts medium/large standard fish in matching water types. |
| Special River / Lake / Swamp Lure | $20.00 | Mandatory for Legendary Fish. Reusable unless lost to a snapped line. |
| Herbivore / Predator Bait | $2.25 – $3.00 | Used for hunting land animals, not fishing. Not needed for angling. |
If you are short on cash to buy lures and bait, be sure to check out our how to make money fast guide for Red Dead Redemption 2.
3. Unlocking Special Lures (The “Fisher of Fish” Quest)
While basic organic bait is available at any general store, the highly coveted Special Lures—which are mandatory for catching Legendary Fish—are locked behind a specific Stranger mission.
To unlock them, travel to Gill Landing, a small shack on the northern shore of Flat Iron Lake (directly southeast of Flatneck Station). There you will meet Jeremy Gill, a famous fisherman who tasks you with catching and mailing him all 13 Legendary Fish across the map.
During this encounter, Jeremy will hand you the Legendary Fish Map. You can open this map from your satchel at any time to see drawings of where these rare species spawn. Furthermore, meeting Jeremy officially unlocks the inventory space for Special Lures back at the specialized bait shop.
4. Matching Bait to Water Types
Using the wrong tackle means small fish will constantly steal your hook, or big game will ignore you entirely. Use this quick reference cheat sheet to maximize your catch rate:
Natural Baits (Consumed per cast)
- Bread Crumb / Corn / Cheese: Free and infinite. Great for tiny panfish like Bluegill, Bullhead Catfish, and Chain Pickerel.
- Live Worms: The go-to bait for clean lake fishing.
- Live Crickets: The best natural choice for active river currents.
- Crayfish: Perfect for bottom-feeding in muddy swamp depths.
Artificial Lures (Reusable)
Lures are highly effective because they don’t get consumed. However, you must actively “lure” the fish by slowly reeling in (R2/RT or rotating the right analog stick) to mimic swimming prey.
- Lake Lure: Attracts deep-water open lake residents like Smallmouth Bass.
- River Lure: Perfect for fighting currents to land Sockeye Salmon and Steelhead Trout.
- Swamp Lure: Designed to bypass murky water visibility for massive Largemouth Bass.
- Special Lures: Essential for Legendary variants. Standard fish will still bite them, but Legendary Fish only bite Special Lures.
5. Legendary Fish Locations & Master Checklist
There are 13 Legendary Fish tied to Jeremy Gill’s questline. When you enter a legendary fish’s territory, a notification will appear on your screen, and a small crown icon will appear over the fish drawing on your map.
Legendary fish completely ignore organic baits like worms or crickets. You must equip the correct Special Lure variant listed below.
Main Story Regions (Available Chapters 2–6)
| Fish Species | Required Special Lure | Spawn Location & Map Landmark |
|---|---|---|
| Legendary Bluegill | Special Lake Lure | Flat Iron Lake: Right between the shoreline and the small island directly south of Clemens Point (your Chapter 3 camp location). |
| Legendary Chain Pickerel | Special River Lure | Dakota River: Just northwest of Flatneck Station. Look for the wide, slower-moving section of the river bend. |
| Legendary Bullhead Catfish | Special River Lure | Sisika Island: Located in the channels on the western side of the penitentiary island. You will need a rowboat to safely cross the water to get here. |
| Legendary Lake Sturgeon | Special River Lure | Saint Denis Railroad Bridge: Right in the middle of the southern rail bridge leading directly into the city. Stand securely on the bridge ledge to avoid passing trains. |
| Legendary Longnose Gar | Special Swamp Lure | Lagras Swamp: At the muddy northwest tip of the Lakay peninsula, right in the heart of alligator territory. |
| Legendary Muskie | Special River Lure | Van Horn Trading Post: Right at the rocky foot of the historic lighthouse on the eastern coast. |
| Legendary Perch | Special Lake Lure | Elysian Pool: Located in the water directly southwest of Annesburg. Note: This pool is contaminated, giving the fish a unique, mangy look. |
| Legendary Rock Bass | Special Lake Lure | Aurora Basin: Floating right off the edge of the wooden pier at the westernmost point of West Elizabeth. |
| Legendary Smallmouth Bass | Special Lake Lure | Owanjila Lake: Swimming along the western shores of the lake, located just west of the mountain town of Strawberry. |
| Legendary Sockeye Salmon | Special Lake Lure | Lake Isabella: In the frigid waters at the western edge of the snow-covered Grizzlies West region. |
| Legendary Steelhead Trout | Special River Lure | Willard’s Rest: Way up at the extreme northeast corner of the map, swimming right at the basin of the roaring waterfall. |
Epilogue Regions (Locked Until Post-Game)
Do not waste time trying to catch these during the main chapters with Arthur Morgan. You must wait until the southern regions open up in the post-game.
| Fish Species | Required Special Lure | Spawn Location & Map Landmark |
|---|---|---|
| Legendary Redfin Pickerel | Special Lake Lure | Stillwater Creek: Hidden away in the largest pool basin located just eastward of MacFarlane’s Ranch. |
| Legendary Largemouth Bass | Special River Lure | San Luis River: Swimming along the river bank just southeast of Lake Don Julio. |
Legendary Fish Quest Rewards
Catching these prehistoric monsters isn’t just for bragging rights; Jeremy Gill pays you well for your efforts. Rewards are distributed through the Post Office in tiers based on how many fish you have successfully caught and mailed.
Quest Reward Progression
| # of Fish Mailed | Reward Received | Reward Details |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Legendary Fish Mailed | Lake Lure | A free backup lure for your tackle box. |
| 10th Legendary Fish Mailed | $45.00 + Succulent Fish Meat (x5) | A solid cash bonus and premium cooking ingredients. |
| All 13 Fish Mailed | Special Invitation from Jeremy Gill | Triggers the final phase of the questline at Gill Landing. |
The Final Reward: The Special Spinner
Once you have caught and mailed all 13 Legendary Fish, wait 24 in-game hours for Jeremy’s mail invitation to arrive at a Post Office. Return to his shack at Gill Landing to begin the final cinematic mission, which takes you out to New Austin to hunt the mythical Legendary Channel Catfish.
After completing this final encounter, you unlock the ultimate angling tool:
- The Special Spinner Lure: Unlike specialized lures, the Special Spinner is an all-in-one master lure. It activates all fish types in any body of water (rivers, lakes, and swamps simultaneously) and significantly reduces the time it takes to get a bite. Best of all, it is completely permanent and cannot be lost.
Fish aren’t the only type of Legendary Animals you can find in story mode. Check out our Legendary Animals hunting guide to track down the rarest animals in the game.
What do you think of our Red Dead Redemption 2 fishing guide? Let us know which Legendary Fish is giving you the toughest fight in the comments below!
