Levels 1-5
At these levels your options are very limited with only 2 fish that you can catch. These fish are shrimp and crayfish. Both of these require level 1 fishing.
Shrimp are caught using a small standard net in various different locations. One of these locations is in the southeast of lumbridge swamp. Shrimp aren't amazing money or experience, but they'll get your level up eventually.
Crayfish are another type of level 1 fish. They can be caught east of lumbridge church, cross the river and go south until you find some crayfish spots. Crayfish are caught with a crayfish cage. Their experience per hour is similar to that of shrimps. Crayfish are worth slightly more than shrimps but are still incredibly poor money per hour.
Levels 5-10
At level 5 fishing you can catch sardines with a normal fishing rod and standard fishing bait at a "bait" spot by the sea. These can be caught at lumbridge swamp and at catherby. These aren't very good experience per hour but are definitely better than crayfish and shrimps.
Levels 10-16
At level 10 fishing you can catch Herrings with a standard fishing rod and bait. They can be found in catherby.
Levels 16-20
At level 16 fishing you can catch mackerel with a big net. I'm not 100% sure on their experience per hour, but you can also get seaweed, oysters and caskets which increase your profit considerably more than herrings or sardines were.
Levels 20-30
At level 20 fishing you can catch trout. Trout are very good experience per hour and a little money. They can be caught with a fly fishing rod and feathers in lots of different locations. Two of these locations are east of barbarian village and in shilo village. They range from 15k-25k experience per hour but at these levels you will not catch them too quickly.
Levels 30-40 or 30-62
At level 30 fishing you can catch salmon. Salmon are caught at the same fishing spots as trout with a fly fishing rod and feathers. You will be catching these for quite a while along with trout. These are about 20k-35k experience per hour, depending on your level. They could potentially be done until 99 but you wouldn't make any money this way and would lose out on over 40 million gp.
Levels 40-62
At level 40 you can catch lobsters with a lobster pot. I don't especially reccomend catching lobsters as they're not as good experience per hour as trout/salmon and they aren't worth much nowdays, less than 200gp usually per lobster. I have just mentioned these because they are very popular to catch and you could do them for slightly more profit. Lobsters can be caught on karamja and in catherby for a moderate amount of experience per hour, roughly 15,000 but I'm not sure. Feel free to correct any errors in experience per hour of these. Thanks.
Levels 62-85
At level 62, you stop doing trout/salmon and start catching monkfish. Monkfish are caught in the piscartois fishing colony with a small net after the quest swan song. They are about 30,000 experience per hour, give or take 5000 depending on your level and whether you're using a familliar. They are about 100kgp per hour, and you'll make a few million coins doing them from 62-85.
Levels 85-90
At level 85 fishing you can catch cavefish in the living rock caverns. Cavefish are caught using a standard fishing rod and bait in the smaller "bait" spots. I strongly reccomend using world 84 (the unofficial living rock caverns world) so that you are not constantly attacked by the living rock creatures that inhabit the caverns. Cavefish are about 30k experience per hour just like monkfish, but the reason you switch to them is that they are worth more money for the same experience rate. You will make several million coins getting 85-90 fishing. There is a deposit box where you can deposit your catches, but the nearest withdraw bank is in falador.
Levels 90-99
If you've reached these levels, well done, you're nearly there. At level 90 you stop fishing cavefish and move onto rocktails. Rocktails can be caught at level 90 fishing with a standard fishing rod and living minerals. They are caught in the living rock caverns also. Rocktails are worth roughly 1700-2000gp at the time of writing this guide, making you about 40 million coins by 99 fishing. You will spend several months here, getting about 40,000 experience per hour and making about 250k coins per hour. There is a deposit box where you can deposit your catches, but the nearest withdraw bank is in falador.
Level 99
At level 99 fishing, you have become one of the best fishermen in runescape. At this level you can now purchase the skillcape of fishing from the master fisherman in the fishing guild at a cost of 99,000 coins. You will have earned over 45 million gp in the process. Congratulations.
At these levels your options are very limited with only 2 fish that you can catch. These fish are shrimp and crayfish. Both of these require level 1 fishing.
Shrimp are caught using a small standard net in various different locations. One of these locations is in the southeast of lumbridge swamp. Shrimp aren't amazing money or experience, but they'll get your level up eventually.
Crayfish are another type of level 1 fish. They can be caught east of lumbridge church, cross the river and go south until you find some crayfish spots. Crayfish are caught with a crayfish cage. Their experience per hour is similar to that of shrimps. Crayfish are worth slightly more than shrimps but are still incredibly poor money per hour.
Levels 5-10
At level 5 fishing you can catch sardines with a normal fishing rod and standard fishing bait at a "bait" spot by the sea. These can be caught at lumbridge swamp and at catherby. These aren't very good experience per hour but are definitely better than crayfish and shrimps.
Levels 10-16
At level 10 fishing you can catch Herrings with a standard fishing rod and bait. They can be found in catherby.
Levels 16-20
At level 16 fishing you can catch mackerel with a big net. I'm not 100% sure on their experience per hour, but you can also get seaweed, oysters and caskets which increase your profit considerably more than herrings or sardines were.
Levels 20-30
At level 20 fishing you can catch trout. Trout are very good experience per hour and a little money. They can be caught with a fly fishing rod and feathers in lots of different locations. Two of these locations are east of barbarian village and in shilo village. They range from 15k-25k experience per hour but at these levels you will not catch them too quickly.
Levels 30-40 or 30-62
At level 30 fishing you can catch salmon. Salmon are caught at the same fishing spots as trout with a fly fishing rod and feathers. You will be catching these for quite a while along with trout. These are about 20k-35k experience per hour, depending on your level. They could potentially be done until 99 but you wouldn't make any money this way and would lose out on over 40 million gp.
Levels 40-62
At level 40 you can catch lobsters with a lobster pot. I don't especially reccomend catching lobsters as they're not as good experience per hour as trout/salmon and they aren't worth much nowdays, less than 200gp usually per lobster. I have just mentioned these because they are very popular to catch and you could do them for slightly more profit. Lobsters can be caught on karamja and in catherby for a moderate amount of experience per hour, roughly 15,000 but I'm not sure. Feel free to correct any errors in experience per hour of these. Thanks.
Levels 62-85
At level 62, you stop doing trout/salmon and start catching monkfish. Monkfish are caught in the piscartois fishing colony with a small net after the quest swan song. They are about 30,000 experience per hour, give or take 5000 depending on your level and whether you're using a familliar. They are about 100kgp per hour, and you'll make a few million coins doing them from 62-85.
Levels 85-90
At level 85 fishing you can catch cavefish in the living rock caverns. Cavefish are caught using a standard fishing rod and bait in the smaller "bait" spots. I strongly reccomend using world 84 (the unofficial living rock caverns world) so that you are not constantly attacked by the living rock creatures that inhabit the caverns. Cavefish are about 30k experience per hour just like monkfish, but the reason you switch to them is that they are worth more money for the same experience rate. You will make several million coins getting 85-90 fishing. There is a deposit box where you can deposit your catches, but the nearest withdraw bank is in falador.
Levels 90-99
If you've reached these levels, well done, you're nearly there. At level 90 you stop fishing cavefish and move onto rocktails. Rocktails can be caught at level 90 fishing with a standard fishing rod and living minerals. They are caught in the living rock caverns also. Rocktails are worth roughly 1700-2000gp at the time of writing this guide, making you about 40 million coins by 99 fishing. You will spend several months here, getting about 40,000 experience per hour and making about 250k coins per hour. There is a deposit box where you can deposit your catches, but the nearest withdraw bank is in falador.
Level 99
At level 99 fishing, you have become one of the best fishermen in runescape. At this level you can now purchase the skillcape of fishing from the master fisherman in the fishing guild at a cost of 99,000 coins. You will have earned over 45 million gp in the process. Congratulations.
