Mina the Hollower Fishing Guide: How to Fish

Mina the Hollower hides fishing off the main route, so it is easy to miss the Fishing Rod during a normal run. Fishing is optional, but it leads to 16 unique fish trophies, the Fishin’ Reactor achievement, and the Gilded Rod reward once the full collection is finished.

How To Fish In Mina The Hollower

To fish in Mina the Hollower, equip the Fishing Rod Sidearm, spend 3 Joules to cast it, aim the bobber over a fish shadow in the water, then press the Sidearm button again to stop the bobber and reel in the fish.

The Fishing Rod works like a Sidearm, not a normal permanent tool. That means every cast costs Joules, so missed casts can waste resources if the bobber is thrown too early or too far away from the shadow. The shadow in the water is the target. The rod does not catch random water. It needs to land over the moving fish shape.

The clean way to fish is to wait for the shadow to move into a good line, then cast slightly ahead of it. Press the Sidearm button again once the bobber lines up. Some fish are easy because the water is close to land. Others are more awkward because Mina needs better spacing, safer positioning, or a later Sidearm to make the spot less annoying.

Fishing is not required to finish the story, but it is worth doing for completion. For more Mina the Hollower routes and cleanup guides, the main Mina the Hollower guide hub keeps the related guides in one place.

How To Get The Fishing Rod

The Fishing Rod is found at the Backwaters Fishing Hole, which can be reached west or northwest of Ossex through Western Wilds, Occupied Bridge, and Shanty Swamp.

The rod is easy to miss because it is not handed out on the direct main path. To get it, travel toward the Backwaters area and reach the Fishing Hole, where Irwin gives Mina the Fishing Rod Sidearm. This area also has the fish trophy shelf, which fills in as each unique fish is caught.

Step	Where To Go
1	Leave Ossex toward Western Wilds.
2	Move through Occupied Bridge.
3	Head south into Shanty Swamp.
4	Continue toward the Backwaters Fishing Hole.
5	Speak with Irwin to get the Fishing Rod.

Backwaters is connected to the broader route toward Nox’s Bayou, so it fits naturally after the early game opens up. If progression is the confusing part, the Mina the Hollower where to go after the first boss guide helps with that early routing problem before full side objective cleanup starts.

Fishing Rod Controls And Joule Cost

The Fishing Rod costs 3 Joules per cast, and the same Sidearm button is used to cast, stop the bobber, and reel in the fish.

On controller, the Fishing Rod uses the Sidearm input. The source controls list the Sidearm button as Y on Xbox, Triangle on PlayStation, and X on Switch. Since the rod costs 3 Joules, it is better to line up the cast than spam attempts. Mina can miss, and the game will happily take the Joules anyway. Very fair. Very pond based.

The basic fishing rhythm is:

Equip the Fishing Rod as Mina’s Sidearm.
Stand near the water with a visible fish shadow.
Press the Sidearm button to cast the bobber.
Watch the bobber line up with the fish shadow.
Press the Sidearm button again to stop and reel in the catch.

If the bobber keeps missing, change Mina’s position before casting again. Standing closer to the water or casting from a different side of the pond can make the timing much easier.

Best Fishing Tips In Mina The Hollower

The best fishing tip in Mina the Hollower is to cast into the fish shadow’s path instead of casting directly at where the shadow already is.

Fish shadows move, so the bobber needs to meet them. If the cast lands behind the shadow, the attempt usually misses or feels awkward to correct. Waiting for the fish to drift into a cleaner line saves Joules and makes the whole system feel less clumsy.

Use these habits while fishing:

Watch the fish shadow for a moment before casting.
Cast slightly ahead of the fish instead of chasing it.
Stand close to the water when possible.
Keep enough Joules before starting a fishing cleanup route.
Come back later if the spot feels built to annoy people professionally.
Use Angler’s Raft later when water positioning is the problem.

Fishing is much easier once more areas and Sidearms are available. It is fine to grab the rod early and clean up the full fish list later. The game does not need every fish caught the second the rod appears.

All Fish Locations In Mina The Hollower

There are 16 unique fish in Mina the Hollower. Each one adds a trophy to the Fishing Hole shelf after it is caught.

Most fish are caught from water shadows in their listed region. Thalassion Pearl works differently because it is connected to a side route and fight near the Fishing Hole.

Fish Trophy	Location
Fleeper Head	Backwaters, Fishing Hole
Gazeworm Eye	Septemburg, Windy Generator
Spincer Pincers	Septemburg, Wastewater Canal
Dork Eyes	Eastern Heath, Grassland
Shrimpter Tail	Nox’s Bayou, Boat Bog
Trunkstar Core	Astral Orrery, Mirror’s End
Trigger Antennae	Radiant Manor, Chamber
Cuddlepus Shell	Radiant Manor, Dining Room
Triple Flagellum	Near the Music Hall in Ossex
Puffer Beak	Sandfalls, Shifted Sands
Goremaw Fang	Bone Beach, Bone Rush Trail
Tombstone	Queensbury Crypt, Statue Head Hall
Fishcicle Core	Coltrane Peak, Rail Yard
Thalassion Pearl	Backwaters, Fishing Hole side route after defeating Thalassion
Crumblefin Head	Southern Outskirts, Commons near the Cave Network entrance ponds
Glomper Stalk	Western Wilds, Occupied Bridge near the Backwaters entrance puddles

The Septemburg fish can be cleaned up once that route is open. For help reaching that area, use the Mina the Hollower Septemburg route guide before chasing those fish trophies.

Fishing Upgrades And Angler’s Raft

The main Fishing Rod upgrade is the Gilded Rod, which is earned after collecting all fish, while Angler’s Raft is a separate Sidearm that helps Mina stand on water for fishing and traversal.

The Gilded Rod is more of a completion reward than a required tool for the full fish hunt. It lets the Fishing Rod cast farther, but it is earned after the collection is already done. That makes it a nice reward, not the thing that carries the fishing route.

Angler’s Raft is more useful during cleanup. It is found in Sandfalls, Sifted Sands, through a hidden path opened by bombing a suspicious wall. The raft can create a floating platform on water, which helps with awkward fishing spots and movement around water based areas.

Tool	How To Get It	What It Does
Fishing Rod	Given by Irwin at the Backwaters Fishing Hole.	Catches fish shadows and costs 3 Joules per cast.
Angler’s Raft	Found in Sandfalls, Sifted Sands through a bomb opened hidden path.	Creates a temporary floating platform on water.
Gilded Rod	Reward for catching every fish.	Lets the Fishing Rod cast farther.

Since the Fishing Rod and Angler’s Raft both sit in the broader Sidearm and upgrade cleanup lane, the Mina the Hollower all weapon upgrades guide is useful if the goal is full equipment completion instead of only fishing.

How To Get Fishin’ Reactor

Fishin’ Reactor is earned by catching all 16 unique fish and returning to the Fishing Hole.

The trophy shelf at the Fishing Hole tracks the collection as fish are found. Once every unique fish has been added, return there to finish the objective and receive the achievement. The process is fully optional, but it is one of the cleaner completion goals because every fish has a specific region instead of being a random endless pond nightmare.

The best route is to get the Fishing Rod early, catch what is nearby, then return for the full list once more regions are unlocked. That saves time because several fish are spread across later areas, and trying to force the whole collection too early just turns the guide into backtracking with extra water.

Final Blurb

Fishing in Mina the Hollower starts at the Backwaters Fishing Hole, where Irwin gives Mina the Fishing Rod Sidearm. Equip it, spend 3 Joules, cast over a fish shadow, then press the Sidearm button again when the bobber lines up.

The fish collection is optional, but it is worth finishing for Fishin’ Reactor and the Gilded Rod. The only real trick is timing the cast and knowing when to come back later with better tools. Mina can fight monsters, dodge traps, and crawl through cursed little places. Catching a fish should not be the thing that wins. It might try, though.

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