Help! I cannot fish. I've tried many times, looked up the controls, but I still can't reach level 1! I am a dunce at fishing Any advice?
Can you make crab pots yet? Using crab pots and getting fish from them levels up your fishing. As for actual rod fishing, I don't know what to say, it's really just clicking the left mouse button, letting go of the left mouse button, or holding it down--but you have to match the small rectangle to wherever the fish icon moves. If you're reely (hah) that bad, I suggest using a mod--there's one for easy fishing somewhere in the mod forums, I'm sure.
Can't make crab pots until you've leveled fishing some, but with a bit of luck elsewhere, you can get the three free ones from the Community Center (assuming you didn't join Joja) between the mines and the beach. It might take a few seasons, though. Also, where are you fishing, and what season are you in? I've found, for instance, that in Spring the lake to the Southwest of your farm is a decent starter area, since the fish aren't that active. Summer was the beach, as I recall, but occasionally you get some really jumpy ones. Really, though, it's going to end up mostly just a matter of practice. It does get easier as you level, due to the bar growing, but it can still cause issues.
I'd like to add that the river next to Maru's place is a pretty good location to fish too. Lots of unique fishes not found in other places.
the lake outside the mines has carp they're reeeeeaaalllly lazy fish and just stay near the bottom and occasionally go up a bit. give them a try.
If you find you really really can't deal with it, check the mods forum. There's a fishing mod there that saved my butt with regard to fishing - I don't have anything resembling twitch reflexes, and it allows me to actually get some pleasure from the fishing game.
It's hard at first but take up the challenge! As your skill level and equipment improve it definitely gets easier. It's difficult to put into words but the key for me was learning how to control and put the brakes on the rectangle, knowing when to repeatedly click and when to hold the button. The wiki has some simple tips but mostly it's practice. One tip to learn asap is keeping the rectangle off the bottom of the meter - it will bounce if it hits the bottom and you'll lose control for a few vital seconds.
It's the only thing in the game that requires actual skill so it's likely you've been lulled into apathy by the monotony of farming. As with all the other suggestions, which are great, I recommend going at it with violent fervor. Put your dukes up and fight. These fish know they'll die if they lose. It's your job to kill 'em. It's more intense than combat. I think the right mindset can help you persevere.
each fish has a rhythm to its movement. some are more prone to staying near the bottom, some are more prone to moving smoothly back and forth around the middle... you see a few dozen in the same area and you start to be able to name them before they even come up. One thing that really helps is to find the areas where you've noticed the fish aren't moving around as much and practice not holding the mouse button down as long. little bursts help you to not overshoot. and the moment you are able to, throw your old rod into the woodchipper and get a better one that doesn't have such a crappy short bar.
rods dont directly affect the bar iirc ... its fishing level and attachments. spamming quick clicks will help keep the bar steady. holding it down will make it shoot up. it doesnt immediately change direction when you release the bar so allow for some overshoot. there is no bounce at the top. slow the bar down by clicking before it hits the bottom for a softer landing.
You can bounce the bar off the top, but that requires that you accelerate it and let go just before the bar reaches the top. I think I got a really strong bounce once, accidentally, while catching a lingcod or something. What is the OP's exact problem with fishing? The bar moving too quickly, or not quickly enough?
