Fishing for (against) Trash

[24k Ancient Fruit]

Does anyone have a formula that determines how often trash is caught? By "Trash", I mean non-fish items like Algae as well as Joja Cola and items that can be put in a Recycling Machine that does not result in a Fishing Mini-Game. The downside of catching Trash is that it still consumes Bait, even if it happens to be special Bait such as Wild Bait, Challenge Bait, or Targeted Bait, and the quantity of Trash caught during a cast will always be one piece -- there is no way, for instance, to catch 2 Broken Glasses in a single cast using Wild Bait, or to catch 3 Soggy Newspapers in one cast using Challenge Bait.

I have heard some say that increasing Fishing Level, especially increasing it past 10, using Food such as Fish Stew or Seafoam Pudding, can reduce the frequency of hooking Trash. Is there any truth to that statement? Are there other any other factors that determine the probability of fishing up Trash items?

 

[Lew Zealand]

The only things I know of that modify Trash catches is the farther you cast from land the lower chances of Trash, and the Fishing Bubbles reduce the chances of catching Trash by a little. It used to seem that you caught way more Trash in the Farm ponds but maybe that's changed in v1.6?

Edit: No, not that. I looked at the Farm info and different Farm Map ponds will deliver different Trash rates. I played Beach for a long save and those ponds deliver only Trash while Forest (my current Farm) ponds delivers half Trash so that explains my impression.

 

[VampireCake]

Not sure of the actual numbers but you get a lot of trash trying to catch Lava Eels in the mines. Joja Cola cans are apparently lava-proof.

 

[Prrsha]

Not sure of the actual numbers but you get a lot of trash trying to catch Lava Eels in the mines. Joja Cola cans are apparently lava-proof.

Only a Dryad from Terraria can destroy one. :3

 

[Draconifors]

Not sure of the actual numbers but you get a lot of trash trying to catch Lava Eels in the mines. Joja Cola cans are apparently lava-proof.

The "cola" is probably so full of artificial everythings that it's affecting even the container. :D

And yeah, I also caught a LOT of trash while trying to get a single Lava Eel. Soggy Newspapers and Driftwood somehow survive the lava, too...

 

[HaleyRocks]

If you fish at an area which doesn't have fish past a certain hour in the day, the chance to catch trash skyrockets. River is the usual suspect. While fishing for the Special Order Demetrius' quest, i caught lots of trash, since i started at noon. Next day i went early in the morning and i did it.

Still though, methinks river yields way more trash than mountain lake, secret wood, ocean beach or ginger island bodies of water.

 

[FilthyGorilla]

depends on the area you're fishing at as well as a variety of other factors. If you're trying for trash then fish in the smaller farm ponds or level 100 of the mines, those places have by far the best trash rates.

 

[Quirinea]

Calico pond yields only trash after 8 PM. Is it possible to fish from the fountain or the pool at the entrance of Vulcano dungeon?

 

[24k Ancient Fruit]

depends on the area you're fishing at as well as a variety of other factors. If you're trying for trash then fish in the smaller farm ponds or level 100 of the mines, those places have by far the best trash rates.

I guess that the main message from this thread is that if I'm trying for Trash (e.g. Linus' Special Order), then I should go to an area with no fish such as Calico Desert Pond after 8PM.

However, I'm actually trying to avoid catching Trash in areas where there are fish present. Catching an "impressive collection of Joja Cola, Algae, Broken Glasses/CDs, etc." might not be so frustrating if obtaining these items did not consume bait. While catching Algae, Joja Cola, and trash items won't wear out fishing tackles like the Dressed Spinner, it wouldn't be much fun to get 2 Joja Cola, 2 Broken Glasses, 2 Soggy Newspapers, and 2 Trash from 8 pieces of Lava Eel bait. This is why I'm curious if there would be any way to decrease the frequency at which trash items are caught other than simply changing the location of where I am fishing. For instance, would I be any less likely to get such an unfavorable outcome as mentioned above if I were to consume items such as Fish Taco, Fish Stew, or Seafoam Pudding that buff my Fishing Skill even to Levels beyond 10 before I decided to do my fishing?

 

[24k Ancient Fruit]

Still though, methinks river yields way more trash than mountain lake, secret wood, ocean beach or ginger island bodies of water.

I believe you are right. The only "trash" I ever got from the Mountain Lake at Fishing Level 10 was Algae, which I usually used to regain Energy so that I could fish some more if it were very late at night

 

[Ereo]

I guess that the main message from this thread is that if I'm trying for Trash (e.g. Linus' Special Order), then I should go to an area with no fish such as Calico Desert Pond after 8PM.

However, I'm actually trying to avoid catching Trash in areas where there are fish present. Catching an "impressive collection of Joja Cola, Algae, Broken Glasses/CDs, etc." might not be so frustrating if obtaining these items did not consume bait. While catching Algae, Joja Cola, and trash items won't wear out fishing tackles like the Dressed Spinner, it wouldn't be much fun to get 2 Joja Cola, 2 Broken Glasses, 2 Soggy Newspapers, and 2 Trash from 8 pieces of Lava Eel bait. This is why I'm curious if there would be any way to decrease the frequency at which trash items are caught other than simply changing the location of where I am fishing. For instance, would I be any less likely to get such an unfavorable outcome as mentioned above if I were to consume items such as Fish Taco, Fish Stew, or Seafoam Pudding that buff my Fishing Skill even to Levels beyond 10 before I decided to do my fishing?

A random trash item is caught while fishing, after failing skill checks to get a bite ("hit") from every type of fish and other catchablescurrently available at a location. More types of fish currently available at a location generally results in a greater chance of a bite, which results in a decreased chance of catching trash. Trash is therefore much more common when fishing in locations with few types of fish and rarer fish, such as The Mines, and trash is the only possible result when fishing in the Farm Pond on a Standard Farm.

The likelihood of catching trash at most locations will also decrease substantially as fishing skill increases. At fishing level 10, trash frequency can decrease by over 20 percentage points if few types of fish are present, and trash frequency approaches 0% when at least 5 types of fish (including algae and seaweed) are present.[1]

In the article on fishing it states that the fishing zone (so distance from any walkable tile) influences the trash chances, and higher fishing zones are easier to reach with higher level because you get better casting distance.

I’m almost sure that I read an article on the wiki that went into the math of hooking fish and trash mentioned in the quote from the trash article but of course I can’t find it now.

 

[VampireCake]

I guess that the main message from this thread is that if I'm trying for Trash (e.g. Linus' Special Order), then I should go to an area with no fish such as Calico Desert Pond after 8PM.

However, I'm actually trying to avoid catching Trash in areas where there are fish present. Catching an "impressive collection of Joja Cola, Algae, Broken Glasses/CDs, etc." might not be so frustrating if obtaining these items did not consume bait. While catching Algae, Joja Cola, and trash items won't wear out fishing tackles like the Dressed Spinner, it wouldn't be much fun to get 2 Joja Cola, 2 Broken Glasses, 2 Soggy Newspapers, and 2 Trash from 8 pieces of Lava Eel bait. This is why I'm curious if there would be any way to decrease the frequency at which trash items are caught other than simply changing the location of where I am fishing. For instance, would I be any less likely to get such an unfavorable outcome as mentioned above if I were to consume items such as Fish Taco, Fish Stew, or Seafoam Pudding that buff my Fishing Skill even to Levels beyond 10 before I decided to do my fishing?

Ah. Curiosity lure decreases trash by increasing each fish chance, so less trash is caught overall. Unforunately they're only dropped by mummies in the Skull Cavern, and not craftable. Nothing else off the top of my head - I was going to peek at the wiki but it seems to be temporarily down.

edit: If you have enchanting unlocked, I highly recommend the Preserving enchant, bobbers and bait last way longer. Also if you have a deconstructor, an almost-expired bobber will give you back the same material as an unused one, so you can re-craft for cheaper or even free for some bobbers.