The Fishing Rod may not be found as early as in other games, but that’s in large part because Game Freak finally got rid of the Old Rods and Super Rods in this generation. Rather, you’ll find you have to play a good chunk of the game before you’ll have much access to Water Pokemon or any of those pesky underwater Stickers.
So how do you find the Fishing Rod, and how do you use it when you do? Let’s jump in!
How to Find the Fishing Rod in Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon
If you’re still on Melemele Island, just put your nose to the grindstone and progress through the story. You won’t even see a glimpse of the Fishing Rod until you’re well into Akala Island, so just put it out of your mind until then.
Once you arrive at Akala, make sure you follow the story past Route 4. As you pass through Paniola Ranch and Route 5, you’ll even find two more submerged stickers, just teasing you about not having your Fishing Rod yet.
After clearing Route 5, recuperate in the Pokemon Center. You’re not far from finding the Fishing Rod now, but you’re going to need to be ready for a serious fight on Brooklet Hill.
As soon as you begin the Water Trial on Brooklet Hill, you’ll immediately receive the Lapras PokeRide so that you can traverse the area. Chase all of the Wishiwashi downstream to finally face the Totem Pokemon at the end of the path. After completing the Trial, Lana awards you with the Fishing Rod.
Remember, however, that the Fishing Rod’s functionality has changed since the last generation. Instead of being assigned to a D-Pad Shortcut, you need only press the A button while facing a submerged Sticker or an outcropping of rocks where you can fish.
With the Fishing Rod in hand, you can finally catch Water Pokemon and collect submerged Stickers to your heart’s content. For more on the latest mid-gen remakes, be sure to check out the rest of our Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon guides.
