Breath of Fire III is a rare breed of JRPG. It’s got style, a unique dragon-gene system, and a soundtrack that has no business being that groovy. But then, you hit the Cliff. To progress past the Tidal Caves and reach the Black Ship, the game suddenly decides you aren’t a legendary dragon warrior, you’re a delivery boy. You need a Mackerel to bribe a hungry man, and if you don’t know the specific “language” of BoF3’s fishing minigame, this is where your playthrough goes to die.

The Clarity: Why the Mackerel is a Gatekeeper

In modern games, “fishing” is usually a brain-dead side activity you do for a trophy. In BoF3, it’s a mechanical wall. The Mackerel isn’t just a fish; it’s a key. You need it to appease the Mayor’s greed (and his stomach) near the Cliff area.

The problem? The game’s fishing tutorial is vague at best, and the Mackerel is a “Technique Fish.” It doesn’t care about your high-level gear; it cares about your rhythm. If you go in swinging like a maniac, you’re just going to end up with a snapped line and a bitter attitude.

The Insight: The “Early” Professional Loadout

You don’t need the legendary rod to do this. You just need to stop playing like a tourist. Here is the “Reliquary” approved method for bagging the Mackerel before you lose your patience:

1. The Spot: Head to the Fishing Spot near the Cliff (Ocean spot). Don’t bother fishing anywhere else; you’re looking for saltwater.

2. The Bait: Use a Minnow or a Technique Lure. The Mackerel is a mid-water dweller. It isn’t a bottom-feeder, and it isn’t skimming the surface.

3. The “Meter” Secret: This is where people fail. BoF3 fishing is about the “Green Zone.” When the fish bites, do not just hold the button. Tap it to keep the tension bar in the middle. The Mackerel has a specific “tug” pattern, it’s a stuttered pull. If the bar is slamming into the red, you’re being too aggressive. Let it breathe.

4. Identify the Silhouette: Save your bait. The Mackerel has a medium-sized, sleek silhouette. If you see a giant blob or a tiny speck, pull your lure back. Don’t waste your Minnows on Manillo or jellyfish junk.

The “Chaos” Factor: Dealing with the RNG

The real “Mackerel Trap” is the RNG. You’ll likely hook five Flatfish and three Octopuses before the Mackerel even looks at you. This isn’t “bad luck”; it’s the game testing your resolve.

Pro Tip: If the Mackerel isn’t appearing, exit the fishing spot and re-enter. This resets the fish “spawn” for that instance. It’s a 32-bit era trick that still works on the PSP version. Don’t sit there for an hour clearing out the pond; just “refresh the map” like a pro.

The Resolution: Back to the Real Game

Once you’ve got that Mackerel, hand it over, get the “Beef” (the plot progression), and get the hell out of there. You have Dragon Genes to collect and a God to find. The Mackerel quest is a relic of a time when developers thought “padding” was a feature, but once you master the tension meter, it’s just a five-minute speed bump.

Bottom Line: Breath of Fire III respects players who pay attention. Treat the fishing like a rhythm game, not a button-masher, and you’ll be back to transforming into a Behemoth in no time.

Caught your fish? Good. Now go experience the rest of this pixel-art masterpiece. If you’re wondering why we’re still talking about games from 1997, check our full [Rewind: Breath of Fire III Retrospective] to see why it still clears most modern RPGs.