Fish Journal

Fish Journal
One of the fish needed to complete the Fish Journal
First appearance	Twilight Princess (2006)
Appearances	Twilight Princess Phantom Hourglass Majora's Mask 3D
Found	(Twilight Princess) After getting the Fishing Rod (Majora's Mask 3D) Swamp Fishing Hole (on the wall next to the proprietor) Ocean Fishing Hole
Use	Recording sizes of fish caught with the Fishing Rod

The Fish Journal, also known as the Fishing Journal, is a recurring item in the Legend of Zelda series. It is a personal record that Link keeps during his adventures to document the different types of fish he catches, as well as their weights and lengths.

Appearances

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Link obtains the Fish Journal after catching a Greengill for Sera´s cat, allowing her to reopen her shop. To catch fish, Link must equip the Fishing Rod. Any fish caught with lures or while inside Hena's Fishing Hole will not be recorded in the Fish Journal, unless Link uses his own fishing rod. The Fish Journal also does not record the catches of Bomb Fish or Skullfish, the latter being called "forbidden" and the former being added to Link's bag of Water Bombs, if he is carrying them.

Link can catch up to six different kinds of fish: Hyrule Bass, Hylian Pike, Greengill, Ordon Catfish, Hylian Loach (baby), and Reekfish. Unless noted, it does not matter which bait is used to catch the fish. Greengills can be found nearly everywhere. Ordon Catfish can be found in the lake in Ordon Village. Reekfish can only be caught in Zora's Domain after Link has obtained the Coral Earring. Hyrule Bass can be found either in the lake behind the Graveyard, or behind Eldin Spring in Kakariko Village. Hyrule Bass can also be caught in the southeast corner of the Fishing Hole (nearest the building). Hylian Pike can be found in the area directly south of Hyrule Castle Town. After digging on top of the large pylon surrounded by birds, Link will find a spring containing fish including Hylian Pike. The Hylian Loach (baby) can be found in the lake behind the Kakariko Graveyard, in Lanayru Spring, in the same secret grotto south of Castle Town, and within the Sacred Grove.

The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass

Though the Fishing Journal is not obtainable during the game, it can be found by accessing the menu to the left inside the Collections Menu. It serves the same purpose as the Fish Journal in Twilight Princess, and it records which fish Link has caught, how many, and what size. The Journal itself serves no real purpose until Link has united Joanne and the Old Wayfarer. After doing so, the Old Wayfarer gives Link the Fishing Rod, allowing him to catch fish and ultimately obtain a Heart Container through a side quest of sorts.

After Link catches a Skippyjack, Toona, and a Loovar, he can go back to the Old Wayfarer's hut on Bannan Island to be rewarded with the Big Catch Lure. This allows Link to see different looking fish shadows across the World of the Ocean King, and consequently to find new fish. After catching a Rusty Swordfish, the Old Wayfarer will tell Link of the legendary Neptoona. After catching it in a larger fish shadow, Link is rewarded with a Heart Container. Eventually, Link will also find Stowfish attached to some of the larger fish.

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D

File:Majora's Mask 3D Link examining the Swamp Fish Journal (Swamp Fishing Hole) zlCfzTcLS7cf8eS9im.jpg

Link & Tatl examining the Swamp Fishing Hole's Fish Journal

In the 3DS remake of Majora's Mask, the Fish Journal once again appears. Unlike past depictions it appears as bulletin boards found in both the Swamp Fishing Hole and Ocean Fishing Hole. Noticing the bulletin board as an old Fish Journal apparently once used by each of the two Fishing Hole's current proprietors, Tatl will decide to use them to keep track of Link's catches. Tatl will keep a record for each species and the length of the largest one Link has caught, as well as the time & date it was caught (based on the 3DS calendar and clock). If Link examines the bulletin board before catching any fish, Tatl will tell him to go and catch a fish, and he will be unable to use the Fish Journal until he does so.

Swamp Fishing Journal bulletin board and posters

Because Tatl is the one keeping track, the Journal does not reset when Link travels back in time using the Song of Time, allowing Link to keep a permanent record of his catches provided he saves using an Owl Statue.

On the wall near the bulletin board are posters featuring the various species of fish that can be caught at said Fishing Hole and brief description that provides hints on how to catch them or where they typically lurk or when they can be found.

See also

• Fishing Rod