Best Fishing Training Methods in Old School RuneScape for 2026
Fishing remains one of the most useful gathering skills in Old School RuneScape, especially for Ironman accounts. While main accounts often train Fishing for quest requirements, achievement diaries, or relaxed AFK money-making, Iron players rely heavily on it as their primary source of food throughout the game. A large amount of cheap OSRS gold can also be of great help to you.
With multiple new strategies, updated XP rates, and efficient progression routes available in 2026, levelling Fishing has become smoother than ever — although the early levels can still feel painfully slow without proper planning.
Here’s a complete beginner-friendly guide covering the fastest and most efficient Fishing methods from level 1 all the way to 99.
Important Quest and Unlock Requirements
Fishing has a huge variety of training methods, many of which require quests or unlocks to access. Some of the most important requirements include:
Sea Slug
Fishing Contest
Bone Voyage
Client of Kourend
Swan Song
Tai Bwo Wannai Trio
Lunar Diplomacy
Song of the Elves
Barbarian Training
Some advanced methods even require a Fire Cape, which sounds strange for a Fishing guide but unlocks a unique training strategy later on.
If you want the smoothest possible progression, completing at least some of these quests early will save a lot of time.
Levels 1–20: Early Fishing Training
Fishing starts slowly, but a couple of quests can skip most of the painful beginner levels.
Sea Slug Quest
The first recommended quest is Sea Slug. It only requires level 30 Firemaking, which is easy to obtain early.
Completing Sea Slug grants over 7,000 Fishing XP, instantly boosting players to around level 24.
Fishing Contest Quest
Next comes the Fishing Contest, located west of Seers’ Village. This quest requires level 10 Fishing, which Sea Slug already covers.
Fishing Contest rewards another 2,400 Fishing XP, pushing players to level 26.
These two quests alone skip a huge amount of slow early-game training.
Non-Quest Route
If you prefer not to quest:
Catch shrimp using a small fishing net south of Lumbridge or near Al Kharid.
At level 5, switch to sardines using a fishing rod and bait.
At level 10, continue catching herring at the same spots.
Stay here until level 20.
Levels 20–50: Fly Fishing
Once you hit level 20, fly fishing becomes the best training option.
Grab:
A fly fishing rod
Plenty of feathers
Recommended locations include:
North of the Tal Teklan area in Varlamore
Shilo Village is unlocked
You’ll begin by catching trout, and at level 30, salmon become available at the same spots.
XP rates start around:
10k–12k XP per hour at level 20
30k+ XP per hour, closer to level 50
Banking fish lowers XP slightly but provides useful Cooking supplies, especially for Ironman accounts.
Most players should remain here until roughly level 50.
Fishing Trawler – Unlocking the Angler Outfit
At level 15 Fishing, players can participate in Fishing Trawler, a minigame located south of Ardougne at Port Khazard.
Many players dislike the activity, but it’s extremely valuable because it rewards the Angler Outfit.
The full outfit grants:
2.5% bonus Fishing XP
Required for a Master Clue step
Useful for later training methods
The minigame itself involves repairing holes in a fishing boat during a five-minute expedition.
Bring:
Swamp paste
A hammer
Each run gives:
Fish
Random loot
A 1-in-8 chance for an Angler outfit piece
Getting the full set early is highly recommended.
Levels 35–99: Tempoross
For most players in 2026, Tempoross is one of the best Fishing methods in the game.
Technically available at level 35, many players prefer waiting until level 50 for smoother runs and faster XP.
Located south of Al Kharid via boat, Tempoross combines Fishing training with boss-style mechanics and excellent rewards.
Basic Requirements
Bring:
Harpoon
Rope
Hammer
Buckets of water
Angler outfit, if available
Higher-level players can upgrade to:
Infernal Harpoon
Crystal Harpoon
How Tempoross Works
The gameplay loop is simple:
Catch fish
Optionally cook them
Load them into cannons
Damage Tempoross
Avoid hazards
Cooking fish grants:
More points
Better rewards
Keeping fish raw provides:
Slightly better XP
Players must also:
Tie themselves to poles during giant waves
Extinguish fires caused by lightning strikes
Harpoon exposed weak points after Tempoross is staggered
Important Tempoross Rewards
Tempoross offers several excellent rewards, especially for Ironman players.
Fishing Barrel
The Fishing Barrel is arguably the most important reward.
It stores:
Up to 28 extra fish
This massively improves AFK Fishing methods later in the game.
Spirit Angler Outfit
Using Spirit Flakes, players can upgrade the Angler Outfit into the Spirit Angler Outfit.
Benefits include:
Built-in rope functionality
Chance to catch double fish
Other Rewards
Possible loot includes:
Dragon Harpoon
Fish sack
Tome of Water
Tiny Tempor pet
Tempoross XP Rates
XP rates scale heavily with level and gear quality.
Typical XP rates:
Around 35k XP/hour at lower levels
60k+ XP/hour in higher levels
Up to 85k XP/hour at level 99 using Crystal Harpoon
Infernal Harpoon provides:
Slightly lower XP
More reward permits
The Firefighter Method for Maximum Points
Advanced players often use the “Firefighter” method at Tempoross to maximize reward points.
This strategy manipulates Tempoross mechanics to prolong rounds and generate huge numbers of permits.
Requirements
You’ll need:
Lunar spellbook
Humidify spell
Rune pouch
Infernal or Dragon Harpoon
Buckets of water
How It Works
The strategy revolves around:
Intentionally leaving fires burning
Managing Tempoross HP carefully
Fishing and cooking exact numbers of fish
Extinguishing fires efficiently with Humidify
By controlling the boss phase timing correctly, players can repeatedly farm enormous point totals before finishing the encounter.
While the method is more complicated than standard Tempoross gameplay, it dramatically improves rewards per hour and is especially popular among experienced Ironman players hunting Fishing Barrels, Spirit Flakes, and pets.
Fishing Remains One of OSRS’s Most Valuable Skills
Whether you’re a casual main account player or a dedicated Ironman, Fishing continues to offer incredible utility throughout Old School RuneScape.
From early-game food supplies to profitable AFK methods and powerful minigame rewards, the skill remains one of the most rewarding long-term grinds in the game.
And thanks to methods like Tempoross, Fishing in 2026 is far more engaging than simply standing at a river clicking trout for hundreds of hours. An ample supply of OSRS gold can also be of great help to you.