Alright, so here’s the deal with fishing in OSRS. I’ve been grinding this skill for way too long, and honestly? Most fishing calculators out there are pretty trash. But this one at osrsmoneymaking.guide actually gets it right.

When I first started playing, I had no clue what I was doing. Like seriously, I was catching shrimps at level 60 because I thought they were “efficient.” Yeah, laugh all you want. We’ve all been there.

Why This Calculator Actually Works

Look, I’m not gonna sugarcoat this – fishing is boring as hell. But what makes it worse is not knowing if you’re wasting your time with the wrong method. This calculator fixes that problem completely.

The coolest part? You just type in your username and BAM – it pulls your current level automatically. No more alt-tabbing to check your stats every five minutes. Plus, it shows you exactly how much money you’ll make (or lose) with each method.

I remember grinding sharks for weeks thinking I was being smart. Turns out monkfish were way better for my level. Would’ve saved myself like 20 hours if I’d used this thing earlier.

Breaking Down Each Method (Real Talk)

Early Stuff (Levels 1-30) Shrimps and sardines are whatever. You gotta do them but don’t expect to get rich. Anchovies are slightly less painful than herring because you don’t need bait.

Trout and salmon at Barbarian Village though? That’s where things get real. Spent probably 200 hours there across different accounts. The XP isn’t amazing but it’s consistent, and feathers are dirt cheap.

The Good Stuff (30-70) Lobsters feel like a milestone when you first catch them. Something about that red claw just hits different. XP is meh but the money’s decent.

Monkfish changed everything for me. 120 XP per catch AND 300+ GP profit? Sign me up. This is where I made most of my money for other skills. SERIOUSLY underrated method.

End Game (70-99) Sharks are overrated, fight me. Yeah they’re iconic but the catch rate is frustrating. Dark crabs in wildy though? That’s where the real money is. Just don’t get PKed like I did… seventeen times.

How I Actually Use This Thing

Here’s my strategy that nobody talks about:

I don’t stick to one method like most guides tell you. Instead, I check the calculator and switch methods based on what I need. Need quick cash for a bond? Monkfish it is. Want pure XP during double XP weekend? Barbarian fishing all day.

The profit column is clutch for this. Like when I was saving for my first whip, I could see exactly how many monkfish I needed to catch. Made the grind feel way more manageable.

What Nobody Tells You About Fishing

Location matters way more than people think. Sure, the calculator shows you the fish, but where you catch them changes everything. Catherby for lobsters because the bank’s close. Fishing Guild for the XP boost if you’re 68+. Piscatoris for monkfish obviously.

Market timing is huge. Those profit numbers change constantly. I’ve seen shark prices swing by 100 GP in a single day. Check the calculator regularly, especially on weekends when more people are playing.

Don’t chase the highest level method. This was my biggest mistake early on. Sometimes staying at a “lower” method with better catch rates gives you more XP per hour. The calculator shows you the raw numbers, but you gotta factor in your actual catch rate.

Real Examples From My Accounts

My main account hit 99 fishing mostly through monkfish and dark crabs. Took about 3 months of casual playing. My ironman was different – had to do way more variety since I couldn’t just buy supplies.

The calculator would’ve helped massively on the ironman. Knowing exactly how many feathers I’d need for 20-58 fishing would’ve saved me so many trips to shops.

For my pure, I used this to calculate the most efficient route to 40 fishing for combat brackets. Turns out lobsters were perfect – good XP and I could actually use the food later.

Advanced Tips That Actually Work

Banking efficiency: The calculator tells you how many fish you need, but plan your banking routes. At monkfish, I could do exactly 23 inventories before needing to restock on bait.

Profit margins aren’t everything: Sometimes a method with lower profit per fish has better GP/hour because of catch rates. Don’t just look at the profit column.

Plan around your playstyle: If you’re gonna be AFK, pick methods that work for that. If you’re actively clicking, optimize for pure efficiency.

Common Newbie Mistakes

Biggest one? Thinking higher level automatically means better. I see people doing swordfish at 50 when lobsters would be way better for their situation.

Another one – not considering supply costs. Yeah, dark crabs have great profit margins, BUT you need dark fishing bait which cuts into that profit significantly.

And please, for the love of Guthix, don’t ignore members content if you have membership. The F2P methods are intentionally limited.

The Real MVP Features

Username lookup: Saves so much time not having to check stats manually.

Target flexibility: Set either target level OR target XP. Super useful when you’re going for specific goals.

Item requirements: Shows exactly what supplies you need. No more guessing how many feathers to buy.

Membership indicators: Clear about what’s F2P vs members. Wish more tools did this.

What Could Be Better

Honestly? The calculator’s pretty solid as is. Maybe add fishing outfit bonuses automatically, but that’s nitpicking. The core functionality is exactly what you need.

Would be cool to see average catch rates factored in, but that varies so much by player that it might not be worth it.

FAQ Stuff

Does it work for ironmen? Yeah, obviously. XP is XP whether you’re iron or not.

How accurate are the prices? Pretty good for most items. High-volume stuff like sharks might be off by a bit, but it’s close enough for planning.

Mobile friendly? Yep, works fine on phone. Actually prefer using it on mobile while I’m fishing on my laptop.

Updates regularly? Prices update with GE data. Haven’t seen any issues with outdated info.

Bottom Line

Look, fishing’s gonna be a grind no matter what. But having the right info makes it way less painful. This calculator gives you exactly what you need to make smart decisions about your training.

I wish I’d found this thing years ago. Would’ve saved me countless hours of inefficient grinding and probably a few rage quits too.

Whether you’re pushing for 99 or just trying to get high enough for certain quests, use the calculator. Plan your route. Know your profit margins. Make the grind as painless as possible.

That’s it. Now stop reading guides and go catch some fish. The XP won’t earn itself.

And seriously – don’t do what I did and grind sharks from 76 to 85. Your sanity will thank you later.