Ancientscales are one of four Regional fish species in Sea of Thieves, along with Plentifins, Wildsplashes, and Devilfish. To catch all five variants of Ancientscales, you’ll need to fish with Leeches within the boundaries of The Ancient Isles, which makes up the southwest region of the map.
To sell your haul to The Hunter’s Call as soon as possible, fish at either The Finest Trading Post (coordinates F-17) or Stephen’s Spoils (coordinates L-15). These are the only two Seaposts in The Ancient Isles, a Region that cuts off south and east at coordinates S-26.
Ancientscales sell for more than Islehoppers, Pondies, and Splashtails, but less than Wreckers, Battlegills, and Stormfish. If you need Leeches, you’ll need to dig for some with your Shovel along any shoreline, or you can find some randomly in Barrels. To limit the pool of fish, you can catch only Splashtails and Ancientscales, be sure not to fish within an island’s title card. This removes potential Islehoppers. Lastly, we recommend fishing with a larger crew to save time and increase your odds of catching rarer fish.
Related: How to catch all Plentifins in Sea of Thieves
Almond Ancientscale
The Almond Ancientscale is the Base variant of Ancientscale, meaning you’ll likely see this fish very often if you’re fishing for more than a few minutes. Though The Ancient Isles’ water is clearer than the murky waters of The Wilds, Almonds can easily be confused with Smoke Ancientscales, especially at nighttime when the water is dark. To avoid confusion, do your best to identify Almond’s pure-brown body and brighter mouth. Adjust your brightness and display settings at night, if necessary. One regular raw Almond Ancientscale sells for 225 Gold at Seaposts.
Sapphire Ancientscale
The Sapphire Ancientscale is the Common variant of Ancientscale. In the waters of The Ancient Isles, the Sapphire looks very similar to an Indigo Splashtail. To differentiate the two, look for Sapphire’s more vibrant blue colors. The best giveaway is its brighter, light-blue head. Since the Sapphire is Common, you’ll likely come across one within 10 to 15 casts or so (unless you’re unlucky). One regular raw Sapphire Ancientscale sells for 300 Gold at Seaposts.
Smoke Ancientscale
The Smoke Ancientscale is the Uncommon variant of Ancientscale, meaning it could take awhile for you to find one. That said, don’t give up. As long as you’re fishing in The Ancient Isles with Leeches, it’d be rare for you not to spot one within 40 minutes of fishing. As noted before, the Smoke looks surprisingly similar to the Almond, more so at night. Try to look for the contrast between its purplish-black color and pink fins. If you can’t tell what you’re seeing at night and you’ve adjusted your in-game brightness settings and your display, you’ll either have to hope you guess right or wait until day. One regular raw Smoke Ancientscale sells for 375 Gold at Seaposts.
Related: How to catch all Pondies in Sea of Thieves
Bone Ancientscale
The Bone Ancientscale is the Rare variant of Ancientscale in Sea of Thieves. While it’s easily noticeable thanks to its albino color palette (white body, pink fins, and pink eyes), it’s not so easy to find. You could fish with a crew of four and not see one for two hours, assuming you’re unlucky. Be assured that it is there; it’s just a rare sight. Eventually, you will find one, but it is best to fish with a larger crew to increase your odds and speed up the process. The reward is well worth it — one regular raw Bone Ancientscale sells for 3,000 Gold at Seaposts.
Starshine Ancientscale
The Starshine Ancientscale is the Night variant of Ancientscale and the last of the five variants. As the name suggests, it can only be caught at night. You shouldn’t have too much trouble spotting it, as its body glows lime green and yellow in the dark. Its pinkish fins also glow. Be careful not to confuse it with a Seafoam Splashtail, the Night variant of Splashtail that glows a cooler, less yellow green. Starshines should be fairly common at night. It shouldn’t take you more than two-night cycles to find one, and that’s on the unlucky side. One regular raw Starshine Ancientscale sells for 300 Gold at Seaposts.
As always — if you’re having too much trouble and want to do something else for a bit — check Shipwreck Barrels, Barrels of Plenty, Skeleton Ship Food Barrels, Rowboat Chests, and Storage Crates for random fish.
