Regular Dragoons are so Heavensward. The new hotness? Sea Dragoons.
Ocean Fishing in Final Fantasy XIV gives you the chance to trade your lance for a fishing pole and earn the title “Sea Dragoon”; but only if your party can catch 100 sea dragons in one fishing trip.
This guide explains the optimal strategy for earning the Maritime Dragonslayers fishing bonus, which gets you the What Did Sea Dragons Do to You? achievement.
Before you fish
First things first: Unlock Ocean Fishing. Gear up your level 80 fisher with GP-melded Facet gear, and grab a pile of Hi-Cordials. You’ll want to have at least 800 GP before trying this achievement so you can use Identical Cast and Double Hook to catch multiple dragons at a time. Bring a stack of Ragworms for the Shaggy Seadragons you’ll be fishing up.
These fishing achievements require a party of like-minded fishers. Getting Spectral weather while you’re fishing up dragons will likely sink your run. If you need help finding a fishing static, check Party Finder in advance of upcoming fishing windows. There are also a few FFXIV Fishing Discords and Cross-world Linkshells full of eager fishers; Limsa’s Shout Chat is a good way to get connected.
Fishing routes
Check the Ocean Fishing Sailing Schedule by speaking with Dryskthota at the docks in Limsa Lominsa. For the seadragon achievement, the best route ends in the Northern Strait of Merlthor at sunset, but you can catch dragons along any fishing route that stops in the Southern Strait of Merlthor.
How to catch sea dragons
When you’re in the Southern Strait of Merlthor, use Ragworms as your bait. Shaggy Seadragons are a small tug (indicated by one exclamation point) and tend to bite between 12 and 15 seconds after you cast. Blindly Double Hooking here is risky. Marine Bombs share the same timeframe as sea dragons and also have a small tug. Once you catch a Shaggy Seadragon, use Identical Cast and then you’re safe to Double Hook. Avoid reeling in fish with medium (!!) or large (!!!) tugs; you might proc a Spectral window.
If your party ends up just shy of 100 after your stop in Merlthor and you’re on the Northern Strait at sunset route, you can try to catch a few Coral Seadragons under a Spectral window. Use Ragworms to catch a Spectral Sea Bo and cross your fingers that Spectral weather appears. When Spectral Currents are up, keep using Ragworms to catch Coral Seadragons. Look out for small tugs (!) that bite right away. There are a lot of layers of luck required here, so don’t count on this method to get you over 100.
Special thanks to achievement hunter S’yahn Tia of Cactuar for compiling tons of fishing data into one simple spreadsheet.
