Drift net fishing
Drift net fishing is a skilling method that requires 44 Hunter and 47 Fishing, rewarding experience in both. Drift nets are used to catch fish shoals in the Underwater area of Fossil Island. This method offers fairly high experience rates in both skills at the cost of drift nets, and requires more attention than other passive fishing methods.
Requirements
- Completion of Bone Voyage to access Fossil Island
- 44 Hunter and 47 Fishing (Non-boostable)
- At least 1 drift net. Nets can be brought in noted form and stored with Annette in the fishing area. Between 80–110 nets are used per hour depending on efficiency.
- A diving apparatus and fishbowl helmet are strongly recommended to prevent oxygen level depletion underwater. This requires partial completion of the Freeing Pirate Pete subquest of Recipe for Disaster.
- 200 Numulites for access to the activity for the day or 20,000 for permanent access.
Recommended
- Flippers, a drop available from Mogres after completion of Skippy and the Mogres, allows for sprinting underwater and they greatly increase experience rates.
- A merfolk trident, trident of the seas, trident of the swamp, or dragon harpoon are recommended to increase the chance of successfully chasing fish shoals into the net.
- 5 Numulites per drift net harvest can be paid to send all caught fish directly to the bank.
- Partial Graceful outfit (Chest, Legs, Gloves) or other weight-reducing clothing
Getting there
- Travel to Fossil Island using either the canal barge north of the Digsite or a Digsite pendant's "Fossil Island" teleport option.
- On Fossil Island, row out to sea using one of the rowboats in either the Museum Camp or the north-eastern part of the Mushroom Forest (Use the Mushroom Meadow teleport on the Mycelium Transportation System.
- On the small island, select the dive option on the rowboat.
- Swim north to the entrance and speak to Ceto.
Overview
Speak with Ceto, located just north of the anchor rope, to enter the instanced area. It costs 200 numulites to be allowed in until midnight UTC that day, or a one-time fee of 20,000 numulites for permanent access.
Drift nets are set up at one of two drift net anchor points to start catching fish shoals. Drift nets are made by using two jute fibre on a loom, requiring 26 Crafting. Annette, located inside the fishing area, holds up to 2,000 drift nets for free, and they can be brought to her noted.
Drift nets can capture 10 fish shoals before they become full and must be harvested. Harvesting a drift net destroys it, any caught fish can be individually collected into the inventory, the entire catch can be sent to the bank for 5 numulites, or the remaining fish can be discarded.
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Collecting fish
When a fish shoal swims into an active drift net, it is caught.
Fish shoals are passively collected at a slow rate as long as drift nets are set up and are not full. The player does not need to be in the area for this to occur and can receive Fishing experience even in other zones. When a net fills completely, the message "Your drift net is full." will be displayed in the chatbox.
Active collection
Fish shoals can also be chased into the drift nets to speed up the process. When scared, indicated by a change in animation and an increase in movement, the fish shoal is more likely to swim towards and into the nearest net.
Chasing fish shoals is not always successful at scaring fish, however a merfolk trident, trident of the seas, trident of the swamp, or dragon harpoon increase the chance to scare the fish shoal successfully.
Fish shoals can get stuck on each other, the player, or the rocks around the edges of the area. As such, it is recommended to focus on the fish shoals closer to the nets and ignore the ones near the entrance where there are many obstacles. Standing right between a fish shoal and the net can also block it. Fish shoals cannot be chased if all drift nets are full.
Experience rates
Hunter and Fishing experience gained scales up to level 70 in both of these skills. Hunter experience per shoal caught scales from 72 experience at level 50 to 101.5 experience at level 70. Fishing experience per shoal caught scales from 56.5 experience at level 50 to 77 experience at level 70.
The table below assumes 113 drift nets per hour. Buying the drift nets on the GE would cost 297,416 coins per hour. With focus a player can earn up to 93,000 Fishing experience and 121,000 Hunter experience per hour.
| Level | XP/h | GP/XP | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
 Total
|
|
|
Total
|
| 50 | 50 | 50,000 | 81,000 | 145,000 | -4.65 | -3.67 | -2.05 |
| 65 | 70 | 75,000 | 115,000 | 190,000 | -3.97 | -2.59 | -1.57 |
| 70 | 70 | 87,000 | 115,000 | 202,000 | -3.42 | -2.59 | -1.47 |
Rewards
Upon harvesting a drift net, the drift net will be destroyed and the player will be given the option to discard, bank, or take all rewards. Fishing level determines what type of fish can be caught. Boosts do not allow for catching higher level fish. Sending all caught fish to the bank has a cost of 5 Numulites (200) per harvest. Seaweed Spores 1-3 (153 - 459) frequently spawn on the floor during the activity and can be collected. A drift net is currently worth 2,632 each.
The loot will contain one roll for each fish caught in the net, for a maximum of 10 rolls. The drops will either be fish, numulites, fossils, or medium clue bottles.
It is not possible to obtain the Heron pet from this training method.
Pre-roll
There is a 1/25 chance to roll the fossil drop table for each fish caught in the net, followed by a 1/600 chance to receive a clue bottle if the first roll fails.[1] If both rolls fail, a fish will be received instead. The pre-roll items are not dependent on the player's Fishing level.
| Item | Quantity | Rarity | Price | High Alch | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Numulite.png: Drift net fishing drops Numulite with rarity 27/4,375 in quantity 5-14 | Numulite | 5–14 | 27/4,375 | 200–560 | 150–420 |
 | Unidentified small fossil | 1 | 3/8,750 | Not sold | 60 |
 | Unidentified medium fossil | 1 | 3/17,500 | Not sold | 120 |
 | Unidentified large fossil | 1 | 3/21,875 | Not sold | 180 |
 | Unidentified rare fossil | 1 | 3/87,500 | Not sold | 750 |
| Clue bottle (medium).png: Drift net fishing drops Clue bottle (medium) with rarity 1/600 in quantity 1 | Clue bottle (medium) | 1 | 1/600[d 1] | Not sold | N/A |
 | Pufferfish | 1 | 1/600[d 2] | Not sold | N/A |
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Fish table
The available fish depend on Fishing level, with a new fish introduced every 10 levels starting at 50. The catch rate for all types of available fish is equal.
Levels 47–49
Average Harvest Value: 498.00
| Item | Quantity | Rarity | Price | High Alch | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Oyster | 1 | 1/5 | 64 | 120 |
| Pufferfish | 1 | 1/5 | Not sold | N/A |
 | Raw anchovies | 1 | 1/5 | 54 | 9 |
 | Raw sardine | 1 | 1/5 | 72 | 6 |
 | Raw tuna | 1 | 1/5 | 59 | 24 |
Levels 50–59
Average Harvest Value: 538.33
| Item | Quantity | Rarity | Price | High Alch | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oyster | 1 | 1/6 | 64 | 120 |
| Pufferfish | 1 | 1/6 | Not sold | N/A |
| Raw anchovies | 1 | 1/6 | 54 | 9 |
| Raw sardine | 1 | 1/6 | 72 | 6 |
| Raw tuna | 1 | 1/6 | 59 | 24 |
 | Raw lobster | 1 | 1/6 | 74 | 42 |
Levels 60–69
Average Harvest Value: 601.43
| Item | Quantity | Rarity | Price | High Alch | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oyster | 1 | 1/7 | 64 | 120 |
| Pufferfish | 1 | 1/7 | Not sold | N/A |
| Raw anchovies | 1 | 1/7 | 54 | 9 |
| Raw sardine | 1 | 1/7 | 72 | 6 |
| Raw tuna | 1 | 1/7 | 59 | 24 |
| Raw lobster | 1 | 1/7 | 74 | 42 |
 | Raw swordfish | 1 | 1/7 | 98 | 48 |
Levels 70–79
Average Harvest Value: 1,305.00
| Item | Quantity | Rarity | Price | High Alch | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oyster | 1 | 1/8 | 64 | 120 |
| Pufferfish | 1 | 1/8 | Not sold | N/A |
| Raw anchovies | 1 | 1/8 | 54 | 9 |
| Raw sardine | 1 | 1/8 | 72 | 6 |
| Raw tuna | 1 | 1/8 | 59 | 24 |
| Raw lobster | 1 | 1/8 | 74 | 42 |
| Raw swordfish | 1 | 1/8 | 98 | 48 |
 | Raw shark | 1 | 1/8 | 623 | 102 |
Levels 80–89
Average Harvest Value: 2,256.67
| Item | Quantity | Rarity | Price | High Alch | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oyster | 1 | 1/9 | 64 | 120 |
| Pufferfish | 1 | 1/9 | Not sold | N/A |
| Raw anchovies | 1 | 1/9 | 54 | 9 |
| Raw sardine | 1 | 1/9 | 72 | 6 |
| Raw tuna | 1 | 1/9 | 59 | 24 |
| Raw lobster | 1 | 1/9 | 74 | 42 |
| Raw swordfish | 1 | 1/9 | 98 | 48 |
| Raw shark | 1 | 1/9 | 623 | 102 |
 | Raw sea turtle | 1 | 1/9 | 987 | 120 |
Levels 90–99
Average Harvest Value: 3,847.00
| Item | Quantity | Rarity | Price | High Alch | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oyster | 1 | 1/10 | 64 | 120 |
| Pufferfish | 1 | 1/10 | Not sold | N/A |
| Raw anchovies | 1 | 1/10 | 54 | 9 |
| Raw sardine | 1 | 1/10 | 72 | 6 |
| Raw tuna | 1 | 1/10 | 59 | 24 |
| Raw lobster | 1 | 1/10 | 74 | 42 |
| Raw swordfish | 1 | 1/10 | 98 | 48 |
| Raw shark | 1 | 1/10 | 623 | 102 |
| Raw sea turtle | 1 | 1/10 | 987 | 120 |
 | Raw manta ray | 1 | 1/10 | 1,816 | 120 |
Notes
Mechanics
- It's not possible to swim through the seaweed door with a weapon equipped. The weapons used to chase fish shoals must be equipped after entering the area.
- The warning about deep water can be safely ignored.
- With more than 25kg weight, players will not be able swim after equipping a weapon within the arena.
- The Angler's outfit does not affect Fishing experience gained in this activity.
- After banking, closing the window will discard unwanted Pufferfish quickly.
Strategy
- If you're having trouble with run energy, try prioritizing fish near a single net or reducing your carry weight.
- Pufferfish weigh -0.5kg in the inventory, filling empty inventory slots with caught pufferfish can help a heavy player swim and should be used to reduce weight within the activity.
- Pufferfish will escape if you leave the Underwater area, be aware when utilizing the above strategy.
- The Merfolk Trident weighs the least of the chase weapons (0.907 Kg.).
Economy
- Making your own Drift Nets (2,632) with 2x Jute Fibre (2,096) can reduce the cost of this activity considerably and has a moneymaking guide. Moneymaking: Crafting Drift Nets.
- Player grown Jute is the only source of Jute Fibre and the supply may be very limited at GE recommended prices.
- Players may find it convenient to grow and harvest seaweed at the same time as this activity due to proximity.
Creatures
The following Hunter creature may be caught using the drift net fishing technique.
| Creature | Fishing
|
Hunter
| |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level | Exp | Level | Exp | ||
 |
Fish shoal | 47 | Varies[d 1] | 44 | Varies[d 1] |