Fishing in Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter
Cast, hook, reel, and fill the Fishing Notebook without treating original-SC drop tables as remake gospel.
Fishing returns as a full side system in Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter, Falcom’s 3D remake of Trails in the Sky SC. Official feature notes are short and specific: you fish at designated spots, rod and bait combinations attract different species, every catch is logged in a Fishing Notebook, and filling that notebook pays out item rewards. The free demo includes fishing. Demo Version 1.00.1 (August 26, 2026) fixed occasional crashes when starting the minigame. Patch before you grind spots. This page does not invent a 27-species remake table. Original SC listed 27 fish and a Master Fisher goal; confirm the remake notebook in-game instead of copying an old spreadsheet.
If you still need the on-ramp, start with Getting Started and the demo walkthrough. Cooking, poker, and Viewer Mode stay on side content. Input timing lives on controls.
How a cast works
Falcom’s July 2026 system brief is the loop you should memorize:
- Find a marked fishing spot.
- Choose where to cast.
- After the line is out, press the button at the right moment to hook.
- Use the button and analog stick to reel until the catch lands.
That is a timing minigame, not a menu roll. Steam lists full controller support and recommends a pad. Keyboard exists on PC; it is a worse reel stick. If fishing still hard-locks after 1.00.1, confirm you are on 1.00.2 or newer (that later patch fixed S-Craft unlocks after battle, not the hook window). Keep using the demo notes for patch numbers.
When fishing unlocks in the remake
Remake players report the same story beat as original SC, now in 3D: Lloyd hands over the Progre Rod and the Fishing Notebook aboard the Cecilia during Chapter 1. Fishing itself opens after you meet Lloyd again in Ruan. Do not stand on a Rolent dock in the prologue expecting a cast. The demo walkthrough covers Ruan inside the trial; the notebook you start there carries into the full game with the rest of the save transfer payload.
A second early rod, the Marine Star, is reported as a Ruan casino exchange for 100 coins. Later rods still appear as you travel Liberl. Treat those as in-game finds, not as a shop that exists on the title screen.
Rods, bait, and what not to copy
Original SC mixed earthworms, polychaete, shrimplets, river bugs, roe, and fish-as-bait. Heavier catches (measured in rege) could hide sepith, accessories, or unique items. The remake’s official copy only promises that rod + bait + spot change what bites, and that the notebook records detailed information. Until Falcom publishes a remake bestiary, do not assume Tiger Heart still sits in a Granakor mouth. Farm bait from nearby monsters the way the demo already drops consumables, then test one bait per spot instead of buying a full shop in panic.
The notebook is the actual completion goal. Fill species and records for item rewards. Original SC’s Master Fisher trophy asked for all 27 fish; wait for the remake achievement list after September 17, 2026 rather than hunting a name that might have changed.
Where to fish in the demo
The trial visits Rolent, Ruan, Grancel, and Le Locle Canyon. Ruan is the practical start because that is where Lloyd turns the notebook on. Grancel water and highway pools show up once the chapter lets you walk those streets. Le Locle is training first, fishing second. Regional layout is on the Liberl map. Do not cross into Bose or Zeiss tables until the full game opens those roads.
If a cast crashes the client, you are almost certainly on a pre-1.00.1 build. Update, then recast. Carry-over should ride the patched file, not a crashy one. Hardware stutter on Steam Deck is a system requirements issue, not a bite window.
How fishing feeds the rest of the game
Catches can become cooking ingredients. Failed dishes can become Attack Food in Command Battle. That loop is explained on side content and combat. Fishing is optional for the story. It is not optional if you want notebook rewards and later bait. Enforcer fights still want Brave Rush and quartz, not a trout.
Play it on the same platform you will buy on September 17 so the notebook rides save transfer. Confirm live DLC cosmetics on preorders if you care about Viewer Mode outfits later. Official storefronts sit on links.
Cast once, log the species, and leave. The remake wants a filled notebook, not a copied original-SC drop chart taped to the HUD.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers for demo players and anyone waiting on the September launch.
Does the Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter demo include fishing?
Yes. Patch 1.00.1 fixed fishing crashes. Follow the demo walkthrough to Ruan, then keep the file for save transfer.
When does fishing unlock?
After Lloyd gives the Progre Rod and notebook on the Cecilia in Chapter 1 and you meet him again in Ruan. The Liberl map shows why the prologue dock is the wrong place to wait.
Do I need a controller?
Steam recommends a pad for the hook and reel. See controls. Keyboard exists; it is not the intended stick.
Are original SC fish lists accurate for the remake?
Treat them as history. Official remake notes only confirm spots, rod-and-bait combos, and notebook rewards. Fill the in-game notebook instead of a 2006 table.
Does fishing matter for combat?
Indirectly. Catches can feed cooking and Attack Food. Enforcer fights still belong on how to beat Enforcers.
Will the notebook carry into the full game?
Demo progress, including inventory and records, can transfer. Steps are on save transfer and demo news.