How to get Old Rod, Good Rod & Super Rod in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl

Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl fishing trailer screenshotILCA / The Pokemon Company

In the Sinnoh remakes, players can unlock fishing to catch rare Pokemon. Here is how to get the Old Rod, Good Rod, and Super Rod in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl.

While the Gen IV remakes by Studio ILCA have brought a handful of new features to the Sinnoh region, Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl are largely faithful adaptations of the 2006 RPGs.

One of the features making its return is in the Nintendo Switch reimaginings is fishing. Here is where you can unlock the various Fishing rods to catch water-based Pokemon.

Article continues after ad

pokeballs

Contents:

pokeballs

Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl fishing

Fishing in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl trailerILCA / The Pokemon Company
Players can use Fishing Rods to battle water-based Pokemon.

Like previous generations, Fishing is a pretty simple mechanic. Trainers simply have to walk up to an edge of the water and tap A button to cast their line, before tapping it again once an exclamation mark pops up.

In the Game Freak series “reeling it in” simply triggers a Pokemon battle with the water ‘mon. While skill can’t really help you out here, there is a major component to the feature that will increase your odds of catching rare Pokemon.

Article continues after ad

In Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, the ‘mon you encounter in the water is completely determined by the Fishing Rod you have unlocked. The better the gear, the more characters you can actually catch. Below we will break down how to unlock each of the items.

How to get Old Rod in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl

Trainers can get their hands on the Old Rod fairly into the game. After embarking on your journey the first major location you will visit is Jubilife City. Before heading east to Oreburgh City, go through the left exit to enter the Route 218 tunnel.

Article continues after ad

Inside the passageway, you will see an NPC standing in the middle of the hallway in an orange getup. Talk to the Fisherman who will give you the Old Rod completely free. After giving you a brief tutorial on how to use the item, you are good to go!

We must warn you, however, the Old Rod is easily the worst out of the bunch. In most locations, you can only catch a Magikarp. This isn’t too bad though as you can catch the Water-type early in the game on Route 203. With Exp Share, you will have a Gyrados at level 20 in no time.

Article continues after ad

How to get Good Rod in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl

Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl Finneon trailer screenshotILCA / The Pokemon Company
The Good Rod will let you catch better Pokemon such as Finneon.

The second Fishing Rod can be unlocked after reaching the fourth major location in the game, Hearthome City. After beating the Gym, take the east exit and head to Route 209.

While progressing through the map, you will notice several wooden piers. On one of them is another orange Fisherman who has cast his line into the river.

Walk up to the NPC and talk to him and after a quick conversation, he will reward you with the Good Rod. With the upgraded equipment you can now catch ‘mon such Goldeen and Finneon.

Article continues after ad

How to get Super Rod in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl

Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl Sinnoh Region MapILCA / The Pokemon Company
The Super Rod can be found in the post-game.

Finally, the last upgrade can only be unlocked after beating the Elite 4. Yes, you read that right – those looking to score big catches are going to have to wait until the post-game.

The final NPC can be found in the Fight Area, which is located northeast of the map. Once you arrive at the small area, the fisherman is  found outside the north tunnel.

After getting the Super Rod, you will finally be able to reel in ‘mon such as Gyrados and Seaking.

Article continues after ad

For other Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl guides and walkthroughs, check out these:

All Rare Candy locations | Where to find Munchlax | Hardest Pokemon to catch in the Sinnoh region | Where to find Cresselia | How to find Heatran | How to get the National Pokedex | Best starter to pick