Fishing opens during the Chapter 2 mission A Fisher of Men, but the Legendary Fish hunt begins somewhere else. Ride to Gill Landing on the northeast shore of Flat Iron Lake, southeast of Flatneck Station, and speak with Jeremy Gill. He gives Arthur a map with 13 famous fish and asks him to mail every catch.
The map is only a rough guide. Some drawings cover a large stretch of water, one fish uses a lure that does not match its name, and three locations sit in territory the story does not normally open until the epilogue. This route keeps those surprises from turning a quiet fishing trip into an evening spent casting in the wrong place.
Buy the Special Lures Before You Start
After meeting Gill, travel to the bait shop in Lagras. The shop now sells a Special Lake Lure, Special River Lure, and Special Swamp Lure for $20 each. Buy all three. Legendary Fish do not require ordinary bait, and carrying the complete set saves a second trip across Lemoyne when the route changes from a river to a lake.
- Special Lake Lure: used at Elysian Pool, Lake Isabella, Owanjila, Aurora Basin, and the Bluegill area of Flat Iron Lake.
- Special River Lure: used for Steelhead Trout, Muskie, Bullhead Catfish, Lake Sturgeon, Chain Pickerel, and Largemouth Bass.
- Special Swamp Lure: used for the Longnose Gar at Lagras.
The Legendary Lake Sturgeon is the trap in that list. Its name suggests the lake lure, but its location near Saint Denis calls for the Special River Lure. Check the lure in the weapon wheel before assuming the fish is refusing to spawn.
How to Land a Legendary Fish Faster
Stand inside the fish drawing on the map and use Eagle Eye while holding the fishing rod. A large shape in the water confirms that you are close enough. Cast past the fish, then reel slowly so the lure moves through its path. Flicking the rod can attract attention, but constant movement often pulls the lure away too quickly.
Stop reeling as soon as the fish fights. Push the rod in the opposite direction of its run and wait for it to tire, then reel again. Pulling the rod back and lowering it while reeling gains more line than spinning the reel alone. Repeat the cycle instead of fighting the fish continuously; trying to reel through every struggle is how lines break.
Large catches are stored on the horse, while smaller ones go into the satchel. Mail them at any post office as soon as the route allows. The quest only credits fish that have been sent, and a large fish left on the horse is one fall, ambush, or forgotten fast-travel stop away from becoming a problem.
The Northern and Eastern Fish
Legendary Steelhead Trout
Fish the river northeast of Brandywine Drop, near Willard's Rest, with the Special River Lure. Work from the bank and keep the lure inside the marked section rather than casting toward the waterfall itself.
Legendary Perch
The Perch lives in Elysian Pool, southwest of Annesburg. Use the Special Lake Lure. The water is easy to reach, so this is a good stop to combine with nearby hunting or a trip through Van Horn.
Legendary Muskie
Go to the shore by the lighthouse south of Van Horn Trading Post and use the Special River Lure. The Muskie is a large catch and has to ride on the horse, making the Van Horn post office the safest next stop.
Legendary Sockeye Salmon
Dress for the cold and ride to Lake Isabella. The fish is along the southern and western side of the lake and takes the Special Lake Lure. Snow makes the shoreline awkward, so move until Arthur has a clean casting angle instead of trying to force the first spot.
The Central Map Route
Legendary Chain Pickerel
Use the Special River Lure on the Dakota River northwest of Flatneck Station. This fish sits close to the early camp and is an easy one to collect after starting Gill's quest.
Legendary Smallmouth Bass
Ride west of Strawberry to Owanjila and fish from the lake shore with the Special Lake Lure. The trip also passes strong hunting country, so players building Pearson's satchels can do both jobs in one visit.
Legendary Bluegill
The Bluegill is in Flat Iron Lake, south of Clemens Point and west of the Braithwaite area. Use the Special Lake Lure. A Chapter 3 fishing activity with Kieran can point Arthur toward this spot, but the fish can be caught without waiting for that activity once Gill's quest and the lure are available.
The Lemoyne Fish
Legendary Longnose Gar
Fish northwest of Lakay in the Lagras wetlands with the Special Swamp Lure. Alligators can turn a calm cast into a bad afternoon, so scan the bank before focusing on the water and keep the horse away from the mud.
Legendary Lake Sturgeon
Stand on or beside the rail bridge west of Saint Denis and cast south with the Special River Lure. Trains make the bridge dangerous. Save first, watch the tracks, and move before a train arrives instead of gambling an entire catch on one more cast.
Legendary Bullhead Catfish
The Bullhead Catfish is by Sisika Penitentiary, on the island east of Saint Denis. Use the Special River Lure. Reaching the island means using a boat and can bring attention from the prison guards, so save on the mainland and make this a dedicated trip.
The Three Fish Saved for the Epilogue
The final southern part of the map is hostile during the main story. A normal, no-glitch playthrough should leave these three fish until the epilogue, when the roads and shorelines can be used without turning every cast into a fight.
Legendary Rock Bass
Travel to Aurora Basin in Tall Trees and use the Special Lake Lure. Fish from the shore inside the map drawing and check Eagle Eye if the exact patch of water is unclear.
Legendary Redfin Pickerel
The Redfin Pickerel is in Stillwater Creek, east of MacFarlane's Ranch. Use the Special Lake Lure even though the location is called a creek.
Legendary Largemouth Bass
Fish the San Luis River southeast of Lake Don Julio with the Special River Lure. This is the farthest southern catch and a sensible final stop before mailing the complete set.
What Happens After You Mail All 13
Gill sends rewards as the mailed total climbs and invites you back after all 13 have been delivered. Read the invitation from the post office, then return to Gill Landing for the final part of the stranger mission. That sequence also brings the Special Spinner, a lure that works across different types of water.
Players sometimes count the Legendary Channel Catfish as a fourteenth collectible. It appears in the end of Gill's storyline, but it is not another normal map fish and it is not part of the 13 required for the 100% checklist. The Legendary Northern Pike caught during The Veteran is also a separate side-mission fish.
Quick Checklist Before Leaving the Water
- Confirm the crown-marked fish appears on the map and check the quest log if the drawing is unclear.
- Use the lure tied to the location, not the fish's name.
- Stop reeling during a struggle, then pull the rod back while reeling when the fish tires.
- Put large fish on the horse, mail every catch promptly, and save before Sisika or the Saint Denis rail bridge.
- Leave Aurora Basin, Stillwater Creek, and the San Luis River for the epilogue on a normal playthrough.
Once the three Special Lures are in the satchel, the hunt is less about luck than travel and patience. Catch the early fish while other guides take you through the same regions, mail them in small groups, and save the southern trio for the part of the story built for them.
