I've read all the books and it still seems way too difficult and unforgiving. The bar shrinks super fast and every time I fish I'm just wasting bait.

I just took my time with it. Whatever color is in the middle, only hold the X button down when it's in there. I know the bar in the middle gets smaller the longer you hold down that button but it eventually gets back to normal size. Anywhere else, you're just losing slack. One of the books help you reel things in faster when the triangle button appears and that made the experience, actually the only experience I had, easier to swallow. Maybe you're missing that or another book? Not sure how many there are, to be honest. I just know that I read everything on fishing before I ever starting fishing. Just be patient and vigilant.

Is it x or circle? It says to hold down circle and I've just held it down the whole time. Maybe that's my problem because I never even come close to catching anything.

So yeah that was my problem. I guess I must have ignored the first lesson and didn't realize you just held the button down while it was in the blue zone.

Oh, is it circle? I forgot, dude, sorry. Just hold it while it's in the green (?) bar in the middle, or in whatever the one that's shrinking is. Let go when it's not in that part.

sorry .. I am way behind in terms of those minigames.. How do you even start fishing? :/ I've tried to ask people around for any clues but I just have no idea how to obtain the rod and all.. care to help? :)

@AkumaXxX: Talk to the kid outside the shrine in a green shirt to get some bug. Go to the Shiroku store at night and trade the owner the bug for a fish hook. Take the fish hook to the old man.

IIRC

@Hunkulese: Yup, as @rjayb89 explained, the number 1 trick to fishing is not continuously holding down circle.

Use the left analogue to keep the marker in the blue as long as you can, holding circle whilst it's there. As I got better, I'd be tapping circle every time the marker went past as I tried to wrangle it into the centre - and this helps you not lose ground to the fish.

Another tip is to save the fast-reel-in until you have a decent shot at having the marker in the centre for a couple of moments - following up the reel-in with some more normal reeling is the best way to gain a whole bunch of ground on the fish before it can recover.

Once you have those three things down, you're good. Don't hit circle whilst anywhere outside the blue, tap it on time where necissary and use the fast reel-in well. You'll get to the point where you can consistently capture 1 high-level fish / bait. I've only lost one or two guardians in all of my playthroughs.

Oh - and if you didn't know already, the amount of splashing whilst your bait is in the water indicates what fish is on the line. If it's splashing a whole bunch then you have something big - you can recast bait with no penalty, and you can tell how much it'll be splashing within 2-3 seconds of it being in the water.

@Jedted: I think the bug you need is a tatsuhime ladybug...? If you have the net then you've already talked to the boy and should be able to catch them on your own. You just need to take the bug to the Shiroku store at night along with a few gems that you should have by now unless you've been selling them.

@Jedted: I think the bug you need is a tatsuhime ladybug...? If you have the net then you've already talked to the boy and should be able to catch them on your own. You just need to take the bug to the Shiroku store at night along with a few gems that you should have by now unless you've been selling them.

@Jedted: Should be the same bugs at the shrine and your garden. I think.

Love this topic. I never knew how to get the fishing pole. Thanks a lot!!!