OSRS Fishing Zulrah Scales: The Ultimate Guide to Sacred Eels

OSRS Fishing Zulrah Scales: The Ultimate Guide to Sacred Eels


In Old School RuneScape (OSRS), Zulrah scales are a highly sought-after resource used to charge powerful items like the Toxic Blowpipe, Serpentine Helm, and Trident of the Swamp. While defeating the Zulrah boss is the primary method to obtain these scales, there’s an alternative that’s often overlooked: fishing for sacred eels. This guide dives deep into the process of fishing Zulrah scales via sacred eels, offering tips, strategies, and insights to maximize your efficiency and profits. Whether you’re an Ironman looking for self-sufficiency or a main account seeking a low-competition money-making method, this blog post has you covered.

Zulrah scales are a versatile item in OSRS, dropped primarily by the Zulrah boss or obtained by dissecting sacred eels. They’re essential for charging some of the game’s most iconic weapons and armor, making them a staple in both PvM and PvP activities. Their consistent demand on the Grand Exchange ensures they maintain a decent price, making fishing for them a viable alternative to bossing.

Uses of Zulrah Scales

  • Toxic Blowpipe: A ranged weapon requiring scales and dart tips to function.
  • Serpentine Helm: Offers venom immunity and requires scales to stay charged.
  • Trident of the Swamp: A powerful magic weapon that consumes scales per cast.
  • Anti-Venom: Crafted at 87 Herblore using scales and Antidote++.

Why Fish for Zulrah Scales?

Fishing sacred eels provides a steady, low-risk method to gather scales without facing Zulrah’s challenging mechanics. It’s especially appealing for Ironmen who need a reliable scale source early on or players who prefer a more relaxed, AFK-friendly approach over bossing.

How to Start Fishing Sacred Eels for Zulrah Scales

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Fishing sacred eels is a members-only activity that takes place in Zul-Andra, a remote village accessible after progressing through the Regicide quest. Here’s everything you need to know to get started.

Requirements

Getting to Zul-Andra

Zul-Andra is located east of the Poison Waste. The fastest travel options include:

  • Zul-Andra Teleport Scroll: Takes you directly to the dock.
  • Fairy Ring (BJS): Requires 76 Agility (boostable) for the stepping stone shortcut.
  • Charter Ship: From Port Tyras, costing 3,200 GP (or less with discounts).

Before fishing, speak to High Priestess Zul-Harcinqa in Zul-Andra, or you’ll be stopped by locals.

Fishing and Dissecting Sacred Eels: Step-by-Step

Once you’re in Zul-Andra, fishing sacred eels is straightforward but requires some preparation to optimize your gains. Here’s how it works.

Fishing Process

Head to the northern edge of Zul-Andra, equip your fishing rod and bait, and start fishing at the designated spots. Each sacred eel caught grants 105 Fishing XP. With high Fishing levels (90+), you can expect to catch around 200–225 eels per hour, depending on focus and boosts.

Dissecting for Scales

Use a knife on each sacred eel to extract Zulrah scales. This process yields 3–9 scales per eel and 109–127 Cooking XP, with the number of scales increasing based on your Cooking level:

Cooking Level Average Scales per Eel
72–79 3–4
80–87 5
88–95 6
96–103 7
104 (boosted) 8–9

At 99 Cooking, you’ll average 7 scales per eel, while boosting to 104 with a Chef’s Delight can push it to 8–9.

Boosting Efficiency

  • Rada’s Blessing: From the Kourend & Kebos Diary, increases eel catch rates by up to 8%.
  • Spirit Flakes: Boosts yield by 50%, stacking with Rada’s Blessing.
  • Fish Barrel: Frees up inventory space for longer trips (optional).
  • Angler’s Outfit: Adds up to 2.5% extra Fishing XP.

Experience and Profit Rates from Sacred Eels

Fishing sacred eels offers a balanced mix of Fishing XP, Cooking XP, and GP. Here’s what you can expect based on your levels and efficiency.

XP Rates

With maximum efficiency (tick manipulation and boosts), rates can reach up to 25,000 Fishing XP and 28,000 Cooking XP per hour.

Profit Potential

Profit depends on the number of scales obtained and their Grand Exchange price (around 200–250 GP each as of April 2025). At 99 Fishing and Cooking, you’ll catch approximately 220 eels per hour, yielding 1,540 scales (7 scales per eel). After subtracting bait costs (about 5 GP each), you’re looking at:

  • Profit: ~370,000–385,000 GP per hour.

Boosting Cooking to 104 can push this to 1,760 scales (~420,000 GP/hour), though Chef’s Delight costs may offset some gains.

Tips and Strategies for Maximizing Zulrah Scale Fishing

To get the most out of sacred eel fishing, consider these advanced tips and strategies tailored for different playstyles.

For Ironmen

Ironmen benefit greatly from sacred eels as an early-game scale source. After obtaining a Trident or Blowpipe from bosses like Kraken or Zulrah, fishing eels lets you charge these items without grinding Zulrah repeatedly. Bank scales until you’re ready to use them, and pair this method with AFK training for a relaxed grind.

For Profit Seekers

Focus on maximizing scale output by boosting Cooking to 104 and using Rada’s Blessing and Spirit Flakes. Deposit eels in the Zul-Andra chest and dissect them later at a bank to save time. Monitor GE prices to sell scales at peak value.

AFK vs. Active Play

  • AFK: Use a fish barrel and minimal boosts for a laid-back 180–200 eels/hour.
  • Active: Employ tick manipulation and all boosts for 250+ eels/hour.

Comparison to Zulrah Bossing

Killing Zulrah yields 220–337 scales per kill (including dismantled drops), with top players achieving 15–30 kills/hour (3,300–10,000 scales). While bossing outpaces fishing in raw scale output, it requires high combat stats, gear, and focus. Fishing sacred eels is safer, more accessible, and less resource-intensive, making it a strong alternative for casual players.

Fishing Zulrah scales through sacred eels is a rewarding method in OSRS that blends skill training with profit. Whether you’re building an Ironman account or diversifying your money-making options, this guide equips you with the knowledge to succeed. Grab your rod, head to Zul-Andra, and start reeling in those scales today!