How to Make a Fishing Pole and Hooks in DayZ

Fishing is one of the more reliable ways to avoid starvation in DayZ. A cooked fish is not glamorous, but it beats sprinting through town while your hunger icon judges every choice that led to this moment.

To fish, you need two things: a rod and a hook. DayZ includes both crafted and lootable versions of each.

Crafting a Fishing Pole in DayZ

The craftable rod is the Simple Fishing Rod, formerly called the Improvised Fishing Rod before Alpha 0.52. Craft it by combining:

• 1x Long Stick
• 1x Rope

Long Sticks can be gathered by cutting bushes with a Knife or another sharp melee tool, such as an Ax. You can also use bare hands, but doing so may cause bleeding unless your hands are protected.

Rope can be found in places like supermarkets and residential buildings. It can also be crafted by combining two stacks of 6x Rags, or by using a Knife on a Pile of Guts.

Finding a Fishing Rod

The non-craftable version is simply called the Fishing Rod. It can spawn around fishing-related locations, including:

• Boathouses
• Docks
• Rowboats

This rod is stronger than the Simple Fishing Rod, but it cannot be taken apart for materials.

Crafting and Finding Hooks

Hooks also come in crafted and lootable versions. The craftable option is the Bone Fishing Hook, made by using a Knife on Bones.

When it is not being used for DayZ fishing, a Bone Fishing Hook can be stored on a Boonie Hat.

Regular fishing hooks can spawn in farms and fishing areas, especially around the coast. They are useful, but not permanent. A standard hook breaks after catching five fish.

Carry extras when possible. Backpack options added around Update 1.22 make it easier to bring spare hooks, bait, and other supplies for longer fishing trips.