Red Dead Redemption 2 Legendary Fish are the most valuable catches you can find out in the world.
Similar to Legendary Animals, these are rare, challenging finds that require a slightly different approach than regular fishing.
- How to start catching Legendary Fish in Red Dead Redemption 2
- Legendary Fish locations in Red Dead Redemption 2
- How to improve your chances of catching Legendary Fish
- Legendary Fish rewards
- How to complete the Legendary Fish questline
How to start catching Legendary Fish in Red Dead Redemption 2
Unlike the list of Legendary Animals - which is unlocked during an unmissable story mission in Chapter Two - the list required to begin hunting Legendary Fish is resigned to a Stranger mission. This stranger is one Jeremy Gill, who can be found fishing (obviously) on the pier on the northeast shore of Flat Iron Lake.
In order to complete the Legendary Fish quest 'Fisher of Fish', you'll need to lure and catch all 13 specimens. However, you'll also need to mail every one to Mr Gill in order to properly check them off. You can do this at any Post Office.
There are a total of 13 Legendary Fish in Red Dead Redemption 2, each one representing the pinnacle of its species. Each one is unique and one-off, so once you've caught each one, it will no longer be available (much like the Legendary Animals).
There is also a special hidden fish, but you can only catch this specimen if you complete the following criteria:
- Catch all 13 Legendary Fish
- Complete Chapter Six in the story and reach the Epilogue
Once these two factors have been met, you'll be invited to a trip in Rio Bravo to catch the Channel Catfish.
Legendary Fish locations in Red Dead Redemption 2
Here's a list of Legendary Fish encounters you can find:
- Legendary Chain Pickerel location
- Legendary Lake Sturgeon location
- Legendary Longnose Gar location
- Legendary Muskie location
- Legendary Perch location
- Legendary Smallmouth Bass location
- Legendary Sockeye Salmon location
- Legendary Steelhead Trout location
- Legendary Bluegill location
- Legendary Bullhead Catfish location
- Legendary Rock Bass location
- Legendary Redfin Pickerel location
- Legendary Largemouth Bass location
Legendary Chain Pickerel location
Legendary Fish location: Dakota River, northwest of Flatneck Station.
Recommended Lure: Special River Lure
Legendary Lake Sturgeon location
Legendary Fish location: Southern railroad bridge leading to Saint Denis (stand on the edge of the bridge to avoid trains).
Recommended Lure: Special River Lure
Legendary Longnose Gar location
Legendary Fish location: Lagras, at the northwest tip of the Lakay peninsula.
Recommended Lure: Special Swamp Lure
Legendary Muskie location
Legendary Fish location: Van Horn Trading Post, at the foot of the lighthouse.
Recommended Lure: Special River Lure
Legendary Perch location
Legendary Fish location: Elysian Pool, to the southwest of Annesburg.
Recommended Lure: Special Lake Lure
Legendary Smallmouth Bass location
Legendary Fish location: Owanjila Lake, just west of Strawberry.
Recommended Lure: Special Lake Lure
Legendary Sockeye Salmon location
Legendary Fish location: Lake Isabella, at the west edge of the Grizzlies.
Recommended Lure: Special Lake Lure
Legendary Steelhead Trout location
Legendary Fish location: Willard's Rest, by the waterfall at the northeast edge of the world map, directly north of Annesburg.
Recommended Lure: Special River Lure
Legendary Bluegill location
Legendary Fish location:Flat Iron Lake, between the shore and the island to the south of Clemens Point.
Recommended Lure: Special Lake Lure
Legendary Bullhead Catfish
Legendary Fish location: Sisika Island, just west of the penitentiary.
You'll need a rowboat to reach Sisika. These are mostly random, and quite rare at times. We found this one in the wetlands east of Saint Denis.
Recommended Lure: Special River Lure
Legendary Rock Bass
Legendary Fish location: Aurora Basin's pier, to the east of Blackwater.
Recommended Lure: Special Lake Lure
Legendary Redfin Pickerel
Legendary Fish location: Stillwater Creek, in the largest basin, to the east of MacFarlane's Ranch.
Recommended Lure: Special Lake Lure
Legendary Largemouth Bass
Legendary Fish location: San Luis River, just southeast of Lake Don Julio.
Recommended Lure: Special River Lure
How to improve your chances of catching Legendary Fish
There's plenty of ways to prepare for Legendary Fish in Red Dead Redemption 2:
Best Lures for Legendary Fish
There are lots of lures to choose from in Red Dead Redemption 2, including nine regular ones and four special ones. As you might imagine, the nine normal lures won't be of any use to you when fishing for Legendary Fish. So you'll need to utilise the four remaining ones to bag these unique, one-off catches. These lures are:
- Special Lake Lure - Purchase from Bait and Tackle shop, $20 (can also be obtained by completing the Stranger mission 'The Veteran').
- Special River Lure - Purchase from Bait and Tackle shop, $20
- Special Swamp Lure - Purchase from Bait and Tackle shop, $20
- Special Spinner - Unlocked by completing the Stranger mission Fisher of Fish.
In order to increase your chances of catching the Legendary Fish you're currently seeking, make sure you equip the Special Bait that relates to the body of water you're using. Doing the opposite will actively reduce your success rate.
Best way to catch Legendary Fish
As mentioned above, reeling in Legendary Fish is not easy and takes much longer per catch. This means there's a greater chance of the line snapping, so you'll really need to be vigilant if you want to ensure your catch isn't temporarily lost. To do this, you'll need to use the 'advanced reeling-in technique'.
So when a Legendary Fish is tired and no longer thrashing in the water, tilt the left analog stick back to pull your rod up, then quickly reel in with the right analog stick (spin the stick clockwise).
Repeat this every time the fish rests as it will draw the fish in a little faster and give you an edge in each watery duel. Try and find a hand position for the reeling that suits you - Legendary Fish battles can last a few minutes, so try using the pads of you middle and index finger to rotate the stick faster and more consistently.
Other things that can improve your chances of catching Legendary Fish in Red Dead Redemption 2:
- Legendary Fish can only be caught once each per playthrough.
- Move the line with the left analog stick when a fish is splashing, to avoid snapping the line.
- Rotate the right analog stick to reel a fish in.
- Pull back on the left analog stick when the fish is close to pull it in - always pull in the opposite direction the fish is moving to tire it out more.
- Periodically pull back on the left stick to yank the fish closer.
- Click 'R3'/right analog stick one or twice while the Legendary Fish is thrashing to stop it pulling back on the line and getting further away.
- Don't click 'R3'/right analog stick too much or it'll snap your line.
- Legendary Fish battles take much longer than regular ones, and there's a higher chance of the line snapping.
- Use the advanced reeling-in technique to increase your chances of catching Legendary Fish.
- Visit a Bait and Tackle shop after starting the 'Fisher of Fish' mission - you'll now be able to buy Special Lures.
- Take Legendary Fishes to Post Offices straight away before they rot.
- You can start fishing in the spot shown in the Legendary Fish map even without the corresponding marker shown on your own map.
Legendary Fish rewards
In order to keep you engrossed in the quest to catch all 13 Legendary Fish, Mr Gill will reward you at certain milestones. There are three rewards to unlock over the course of this mission, but they can only be earned once you've mailed the respective number of catches. These are as follows:
- Mail one Legendary Fish - Lake Lure
- Mail ten Legendary Fish - $45.00 and succulent fish meat (x5)
- Mail 13 Legendary Fish and accompany Jeremy Gill - Special Spinner
