Free-to-play Fishing training

Fishing is relatively hard to train but can be rewarding, as profit can be quite significant even as low as at level 35, when tunas can be harpooned. The experience gained from any method is in large portions for an inventory full of fish, alike firemaking, but fishing doesn't have a distinct power leveling method compared to many skills.

Equipments
Fishing is oriented to several kinds of equipments, diversified into dispensables and catchers. Dispensables are used up with rate of one item for each fish caught, and are stackable, while catchers are non-stackable and does not degrade over use.


 * Net fishing: Catcher: Small fishing net; No dispensables
 * Bait fishing: Catcher: Fishing rod; Dispensable: Bait
 * Fly fishing: Catcher: Fishing rod; Dispensable: Feather
 * Harpooning: Catcher: Harpoon; No dispensables
 * Lobster caging: Catcher: Lobster pot; No dispensables

Level 1-19
Crayfish can be caught with Crayfish cage at Lumbridge cage spot, yielding 10 XP per catch. They don't have any value, both in raw and cooked forms. Also, catching crayfish above level 14 is useless. Crayfish can be caught at very fast speed though, and recommended to be caught until level 20.

Level 1-14
Shrimps can be caught with small fishing net, yielding 10 XP per catch, and can be used as food. Draynor Village offers caging spots close to the bank, but low-leveled player should beware of the two level 7 Dark Wizards who are around the willow trees.

Level 5-9
Sardines can be baited using baits and fishing rod at Lumbridge Fishing spot south of town, yielding 20 XP per catch and used as food. You may also bait at Draynor Village.

Level 10-19
Herrings, along with sardines can be baited, which herrings yield 40 XP per catch and used as food.

Level 15-19
Anchovies, along with shrimps can be caught with small fishing net, which anchovies yield 40 XP per catch. They should not be sold alone or cooked as food, but to be stored to make anchovy pizzas at high cooking levels.

Level 20-29
Trouts can be lured using feathers and fly fishing rod at Barbarian Village or Lumbridge, yielding 50 XP per catch. They should be cooked as food because they sell low and can heal 7 HP each. This is the fastest training method available to free players and continues to be so at all levels. Fish something else only for profit.

Level 25-29
Pikes can be baited at Barbarian Village or Lumbridge. Though pike gives 60 XP per fish, the catching rate is very slow compared to lure fishing and should not be considered for training. The main use of fishing a pike is for Easy Lumbridge and Draynor Diary.

Level 30-99
Salmons, along with trouts, can be lured at Barbarian Village or Lumbridge, which salmon yields 70 XP per catch. The ratio of salmon and trout is about 1:2, making a fly fisher to receive about 56 XP per inventory slot. Raw salmons worths coins each when sold at Grand Exchange.

Level 35-99
Tunas can be harpooned using harpoon at Musa spot in Karamja, yielding 80 XP per catch, and raw tunas can be sold for coins each, or cooked as food. Catching tunas is certainly slower than fly fishing until level 45, and does not give much experience as players may pick tunas dropped by power fishers nearby.

Level 40-99
Lobsters can be caught using lobster pot at Karamja, which yields 90 XP per catch, and raw lobsters can be sold for coins each, or cooked as food. The wilderness spots are also useful for those willing to sacrifice safety for speed, being closer to a bank.

Level 50-64
Swordfishes, along with tunas, can be harpooned at Karamja. which swordfish yields 100 XP per catch, can be sold for coins each or cooked as food healing 14 HP each, being the best food in F2P with single click. The average ratio of swordfish to tuna is 1:3, making a harpooner getting average of 92.5 XP per inventory slot.

Level 65-99
Swordfish gloves, a reward from Fist of Guthix, can double experience gained catching swordfishes, up to 1000 catches. The average experience gained each slot is increased from 92.5 to 117.5 XP, a 25% increase. Theoretically this boost can withstand 4000 catches as catches 1000 swordfishes involve catching 3000 tunas in between. Using up a swordfish gloves will yield approximately 470,000 fishing XP.

The only downside is that it takes some time to play Fist of Guthix for the required amount of tokens to buy the gloves. After the gloves crumble, play the minigame again until 75 tokens, then go fishing again, and repeat.