The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time's Fishing Pond Is Explained.

The Fishing Pond is a peaceful location in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, sitting on the east of Lake Hylia. It offers Link a chance to fish instead of facing the looming threat of Ganondorf and the danger across Hyrule. The guide gives a joking aside about spending four hours there rather than completing the Shadow Temple, warning not to tell Sheik.

The Fishing Pond opens in the child timeline for 10 Rupees

During Link's child timeline, entry to the Fishing Pond costs 10 Rupees. After paying, the Fishing Pond Man hands over a fishing rod and a lure and explains how to fish. The pond becomes a small but meaningful stop for players who want to earn rewards without abandoning the larger adventure.

The basic fishing process begins by finding a suitable fishing spot, then throwing the lure near a fish by pressing the ZR button. After that, the player waits for a fish to bite. Reeling the lure in short bursts can also help attract attention.

Once a fish is hooked, the player must keep it hooked by pulling the rod in the direction the fish is swimming. At intervals, the fish gets tired, giving the player a chance to start reeling it in. Depending on the fish's size, this tired phase can happen multiple times before the catch is complete.

Two practical tips matter most. First, the fish always changes directions when it jumps out of the water. Second, the player should remember the direction the fish was pulling before it got tired, because it will pull in that same direction again once it wakes up.

A useful observation point is the tree trunk around the northeastern corner of the Fishing Pond. Standing there gives a better view of all the fish in the pond, including the elusive Hylian Loach, which lurks at the bottom.

The child timeline reward is a Heart Piece. It is given for catching a fish that is 50 centimeters or more as Child Link.

Adult Link needs the Scarecrow's Song and pays 30 Rupees

During Link's adult timeline, access to the Fishing Pond changes. Lake Hylia has largely frozen over, and the dock leading to the pond requires the Scarecrow's Song, a helpful Scarecrow, and the Hookshot or Longshot to reach. Only after that can Adult Link enter.

The adult timeline entry fee is 30 Rupees, three times the child timeline cost. The guide notes this as a sign that Hyrule is not free of inflation over time.

The adult timeline reward is the Golden Scale, which improves dive time. It is earned by catching a fish that is 60 centimeters or more as Adult Link.

The Sinking Lure appears after the first rewards

The Heart Piece and Golden Scale are not the only things worth tracking in the Fishing Pond. After completing either of the above challenges, the Sinking Lure becomes available to find in the corresponding timeline.

The Sinking Lure is a prohibited item. It can be used to catch fish at the bottom of the pond, but the Fishing Pond Man will not give rewards for fish caught using it. The lure can spawn in one of four locations, and the source guide points readers to its Sinking Lure guide for help finding it.

This changes how players approach the bottom of the pond, especially when they want to catch the rarest fish in Hyrule.

The Hylian Loach rewards a Purple Rupee

The Hylian Loach is the rarest fish in Hyrule. Players should look carefully at the center of the pond throughout the day for a long, distinct-looking fish.

Catching the Hylian Loach, whether using the Sinking Lure or not, rewards the player with a Purple Rupee and bragging rights. However, using the Sinking Lure is arguably much easier because the Hylian Loach spends little time swimming near the pond's surface. The tradeoff is that the Fishing Pond Man will tell the player off for using the prohibited item.

For more help catching this rare fish, the source guide points to its guide on how to catch a Hylian Loach.

Current stage of the Fishing Pond

At this point, the Fishing Pond's rewards are clearly split by timeline and fish size. Child Link pays 10 Rupees and earns a Heart Piece for a 50-centimeter fish. Adult Link needs the Scarecrow's Song plus the Hookshot or Longshot, pays 30 Rupees, and earns the Golden Scale for a 60-centimeter fish.

The Sinking Lure can be found after completing one of those reward challenges in the matching timeline, but it removes reward eligibility for fish caught at the bottom. The Hylian Loach remains the rare catch, giving a Purple Rupee and standing out as the pond's most elusive fish.

The source guide's images are credited to Nintendo/Eurogamer. It also points readers to the broader Ocarina of Time walkthrough, the Sinking Lure guide, the Hylian Loach guide, and pages covering all Gold Skulltula Tokens, Empty Bottles, and Great Fairy locations.