- "Wow! Is this what I think it is? Astonishing! You snagged a sinking lure! What do you want to do with it?"
- — In-game description
The Sinking Lure is a recurring item in the Legend of Zelda series. This lure is illegal to use when fishing since it sinks straight to the bottom of the water, and attracts fish easily with its shiny surface. The Sinking Lure can be used to catch the biggest fish; however, due to its illegality, Link will generally not receive any prize for fish caught with this lure. As of Majora's Mask 3D, however, the Sinking Lure has lost its illegal status.
Appearances[]
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time[]
The Sinking Lure can be found by simply walking in a number of places after Young Link catches a 10-pounder or Adult Link catches a 15-pounder. These areas include: the sunken log toward the middle of the pond, right where the branch sticks out of the water; the stream that flows into the pond, as well as the wall and rocks around it; the various lily pads and rocks at the water's edge; and the grass along the walls of the pond. Link can render the lure legal for use within the Fishing Pond by saying "Let's talk about something else" to the Pond Owner with the Sinking Lure equipped.
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess[]
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The Sinking Lure in Twilight Princess
In order for the Sinking Lure to appear, Link must first have caught a Hyrule Bass, a Hylian Pike, and an Ordon Catfish inside the Fishing Hole (after the last catch a different sound will play), and has also obtained the Coral Earring. With all of these accomplished, the Sinking Lure can be found at the northernmost edge of either the east or the west bank inside the Fishing Hole. Link must bobber fish, casting along the wall, until he reels in the Sinking Lure instead of a fish. If Link selects this lure with Hena in the boat, she will say it is illegal and confiscate it. However, it can be reacquired in the same manner it was attained before.
Hena's brother Coro once used a Sinking Lure to catch an Ordon Catfish. Hena also explains the reason they are illegal is because they change the fish's feeding habits, disrupting the balance of the ecosystem. She cites the ban on Sinking Lures, which has been in place for generations, as the reason the area can still be used for fishing after many years.
The Sinking Lure here takes the appeareance of a "Spoon Lure".
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D[]
- "The rod with the sinking lure, then? Nice. Just the ticket fer catchin' fishies who hang out near the bottom of the water. Them bottom dwellers."
- — Fishing Hole Owners
While the Sinking Lure did not exist in the original Majora's Mask, it exists in the remake, alongside two Fishing Holes, known as the Swamp Fishing Hole and Ocean Fishing Hole. The Sinking Lure here deviates from its usual standards: Link does not have to waste precious minutes of the three-day time limit searching for the lure, and the lure has had its illegality stripped away. However, because obtaining the Sinking Lure is now as simple as simply asking the Pond Owner for it, its usage as well as the regular lure's is 50 Rupees, assuming Link does not have a Fishing Hole Pass. However, if Link decides to change his mind and replace it with the regular lure, or switch the regular lure with the sinking one, Link can simply talk to the Pond Owner and have the lures exchanged with no extra cost.
While the Sinking Lure is useful for catching deep dwelling fish such Termina Loach as well as fish that dwell near the surface such as Termina Bass. However for some fish the standard bobber is better especially those that stay near the surface. This was likely added to offset the Sinking Lure's new found legality.
Some fish have special conditions, such as wearing a certain mask or appearing only at a certain day or time, to make it feasible for Link to catch these fish. For instance, Link cannot catch an Ancient Fish without the Gibdo Mask or a Ninja Flounder without the Garo's Mask. Like past games, the Sinking Lure is useful for catching elusive rare fish such as Lord Chapu-Chapu and Great Fairy Fish.