A current forum guide recommends fishing the Lotus Atoll with hotspots for water XP from about Fishing 17 until you can start lava fishing at 27. This is the steady water option that also builds toward the Rod of the Sea. No source gives an XP/hr figure for it.
summary of 3 sourcesnewest 26 Oct 2026
What you need
- Level
- Fishing 17-27
- Also needs
- Fishing 10 and Researcher Gilbert in the Ship Crew to reach the Lotus Atoll
Steps
- Rods: Rod of Champions, then Rod of Legends (Fishing 20), then Rod of the Sea (Fishing 24).
- Armor: Sponge Armor, then Shark Scale Armor at Fishing 24.
- Wear a Rift Necklace if you have one.
- Pet: Ammonite. Bait: Fish Bait, or Whale Bait once Fishing Speed is capped.
- Use hotspots on the Atoll.
In its favour
- Builds your water rod and armor for later events
- Safe and easy
Against it
- Slower than Stridersurfer fishing for pure XP, per the same guide
Sources
Each date is the one recorded for that source. Open them and check: they say more than this page does.