Deep-sea fishing zones

Overview

Starsand Island has three deep-sea fishing zones out in the open ocean: Coral Sea, Luminwave, and Celestwave. You cannot reach them by swimming or paddling. Board the Parrot Ship at Starsand Port to sail out, or rent a yacht (150 Coins per hour). Each zone has 5 exclusive fish species, and every zone includes one rare King variant that sells for significantly more than the standard catches.

How to unlock

Deep-sea fishing opens after completing the Starsand Port Construction quest from Marston at the run-down dock in Half-Moon Bay. Deliver 15 Stone and 15 Softwood. The port rebuilds overnight, and the next morning the Parrot Ship is docked and ready.

Bait

Deep-sea fish require crafted bait, made at the Chopper station (blueprint from the AquaBlue Outpost):

• Minced Fish Bait: the dominant bait for deep-sea fishing. 13 of the 15 deep-sea fish require it. Made from Flour and Fish Fillet (Flour from Wheat via Separator; Fish Fillet from processing raw fish).

• Veggie Bait: used by only 3 species: Blue Tang and Sardine (Coral Sea) and Mandarinfish (Celestwave). Made from plant materials.

Bring mostly Minced Fish Bait on every trip, with a handful of Veggie Bait if you are visiting Coral Sea or Celestwave. No deep-sea fish require Bug Bait.

Fishing rods

Your rod matters more in deep water than anywhere else. The starter Wooden Rod will snap on larger catches like Tuna and King fish. The practical minimum for deep-sea fishing is the Chrono Rod (Apprentice Angler tier). For King fish specifically, you want endgame rods:

• Chrono Rod: first viable deep-sea rod. Craftable at Worktable II with copper components.

• Noble Rod: mid-tier upgrade (Junior Angler, 3,500 Coins blueprint from AquaBlue Outpost). Handles most standard deep-sea fish comfortably.

• Titanium Rod / Astra Rod / Solar Rod: endgame rods (Senior/Expert Angler). The tension bar barely moves with these equipped, making King fish fights manageable.

General mechanics

Deep-sea fishing uses the same tension-based reeling as shore fishing. Cast your line, wait for a bite, then reel while watching the line color. White means safe. Red means stop immediately or the line snaps. Each catch costs 10 stamina. Bring food for extended sessions.

Weather is not a factor for deep-sea species. All 15 fish bite in Sunny, Snowy, and Rainy conditions equally. Season and time of day are what matter. Five species (Blue Tang, Sardine, Tuna, Flounder, and one Bass window) are unavailable in Winter. Several Luminwave and Celestwave species are nighttime-only.

Coral Sea

Coral Sea is the most beginner-friendly zone. All five species are daytime catches, so you can visit in the morning and cover everything.

Coral Sea is a good starting zone for building confidence. Bring both Minced Fish Bait and Veggie Bait to cover all five species.

Luminwave

Luminwave is a mixed day/night zone and the setting for the Junior Angler trial. Daytime offers two large species; nighttime unlocks three more, including the King fish. All Luminwave fish require Minced Fish Bait; no Veggie Bait needed here.

Visit Luminwave twice for full coverage: once during the day for Mola Mola and Tuna, then again at night for the remaining three.

Celestwave

Celestwave is the most nighttime-heavy zone. Three of its five species are exclusively nocturnal. Plan to arrive in the evening.

Bring mostly Minced Fish Bait but pack some Veggie Bait for Mandarinfish. Celestwave rewards patience; the night-only species are worth the wait in sell prices and Islandpedia completion.

King fish

Each zone has one King variant fish: Swordfish (King) in Coral Sea, Megamouth Shark (King) in Luminwave, and Long-barbelled Dragonfish (King) in Celestwave. King fish are significantly rarer than standard catches and sell for much more. They are tracked separately in the Islandpedia. King fish fight harder on the line, so use a Titanium, Astra, or Solar Rod to keep the tension bar under control. Losing a King to a snapped line stings.

Seasonal restrictions

Five of the 15 deep-sea fish are not available in Winter:

• Blue Tang (Coral Sea)

• Sardine (Coral Sea)

• Tuna (Luminwave)

• Flounder (Celestwave)

The remaining 11 species are year-round. If you are working on the Senior Angler certification (which requires catching 20 different fish types), plan around the seasonal gaps. Getting stuck in Winter waiting for Tuna to come back costs an entire season.

Tips

• Upgrade past the Wooden Rod before your first trip. The Chrono Rod is the practical minimum; the Noble Rod (3,500 Coins) is better.

• Craft Minced Fish Bait in bulk. It covers 13 of 15 deep-sea species. Bring Veggie Bait only for Coral Sea and Celestwave.

• Bring food for stamina recovery. Each catch costs 10 stamina, and a full deep-sea session burns through your bar quickly.

• Coral Sea is all daytime fishing. Luminwave splits between day and night. Celestwave is mostly nighttime.

• For King fish, use endgame rods (Titanium, Astra, or Solar). The tension bar barely moves with these, making the fight manageable.

• Check the Islandpedia app for zone-by-zone requirements before departing. Showing up at the wrong hour or in Winter for a season-locked fish wastes the trip.

• The Parrot Ship is free to ride. Yacht rental (150 Coins/hour) is only worth it if you want to freely explore ocean areas outside the three zones.

Related articles

• Fishing: profession overview and rod progression

• All fish: complete species catalog across all water bodies

• Parrot Ship: the ferry that carries you to deep-sea zones

• Fish traps: passive fishing alternative for shore waters

• Islandpedia: tracking your fish collection and earning rewards

• Making money: selling high-value deep-sea catches for profit