The Boreal Pines update dropped in December 2024 and it’s one of the best content additions Fisch has ever gotten. New location, 12 new fish, two new rods, and the Frostwyrm boss. I’ve spent the last week grinding this area and here’s everything you need to know.
Fair warning: this area is harder than most of Fisch. The cold damages you, the fish are tricky to catch, and the Frostwyrm has a 0.25% spawn chance. But the rewards are worth it.
How to Access Boreal Pines
Coordinates: 21400, 135, 4123
Requirements:
- Boat
- Northern Expedition access
How to Get There:
- Sail to Northern Expedition Island
- Find the Expedition Portal
- Enter the portal to reach Boreal Pines
The portal is hard to miss. It’s a big glowing thing. Once you’re through, you’re in a frozen winter wonderland.
Dealing with Cold Damage
Boreal Pines is freezing. Literally. You take cold damage over time unless you have protection.
Solutions:
- Winter Boots - Sold by Marvin in Boreal Pines
- Lantern - Provides warmth in a radius
- Frostnova Bait - Has cold resistance built in
I recommend getting Winter Boots first thing. The cold damage is annoying and will kill you if you’re not paying attention.
New Rods
Two new rods came with this update.
Boreal Rod
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Lure Speed | 60% |
| Luck | 50% |
| Control | 0.05 |
| Max Weight | 14,000 KG |
| Price | 18,000 C$ |
Location: Near Marvin, purchasable from a tree
My Take: Solid mid-tier rod. Good for players who don’t have Mythical Rod yet. The 50% luck is decent for the price.
Cryolash Rod
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Lure Speed | 75% |
| Luck | 85% |
| Control | 0.03 |
| Max Weight | 25,000 KG |
| Passive | Frozen fish bonus |
How to Get: Complete 100% Boreal Pines Bestiary
My Take: This is the real prize. 85% luck is excellent and the passive boosts frozen fish catches. But you need to catch all 12 fish first, including the Frostwyrm.
All 12 Boreal Pines Fish
Here’s every fish you need for 100% bestiary completion.
Common Fish
Eelpout
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Rarity | Common |
| Location | Frozen Pond (center of Boreal Pines) |
| Bait | Any |
| Time | Any |
| Weather | Any |
Tips: Easy catch. Fish in the frozen pond in the middle of the area. You’ll catch dozens while hunting rarer fish.
Burbot
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Rarity | Common |
| Location | Main water areas |
| Bait | Any |
| Time | Any |
| Weather | Any |
Tips: Another easy one. Shows up everywhere in Boreal Pines.
Uncommon Fish
Arctic Char
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Location | Main water areas |
| Bait | Shrimp or better |
| Time | Any |
| Weather | Any |
Tips: Slightly harder than commons but still easy. The minigame has erratic movement so be ready.
Grayling
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Location | Rivers and streams |
| Bait | Any |
| Time | Day |
| Weather | Clear |
Tips: Prefers daytime and clear weather. Fish in the river areas.
Rare Fish
Lake Trout
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Rarity | Rare |
| Location | Deep water areas |
| Bait | Fish Head |
| Time | Any |
| Weather | Any |
Tips: Use Fish Head bait. Found in deeper parts of the water.
Inconnu
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Rarity | Rare |
| Location | Main water areas |
| Bait | Minnow or Shrimp |
| Time | Night |
| Weather | Any |
Tips: Night spawn. Switch to night fishing for this one.
Legendary Fish
Lake Sturgeon
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Rarity | Legendary |
| Location | Deep water |
| Bait | Squid or Fish Head |
| Time | Any |
| Weather | Any |
Tips: Big fish, needs good weight limit on your rod. Use Squid bait for best results.
Greenland Halibut
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Rarity | Legendary |
| Location | Ocean edges |
| Bait | Squid |
| Time | Any |
| Weather | Blizzard preferred |
Tips: One of the harder catches. Blizzard weather increases spawn rate. Be patient.
Mythical Fish
Glacial Squid
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Rarity | Mythical |
| Location | Crystal Fissure Cave |
| Bait | Truffle Worm |
| Time | Any |
| Weather | Any |
Tips: Found inside the Crystal Fissure Cave. Use Truffle Worm bait. This took me about 2 hours to catch.
Exotic Fish
Frostwyrm
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Rarity | Exotic |
| Location | Crystal Fissure (during hunt) |
| Bait | Truffle Worm or Frostnova |
| Time | During Frostwyrm Hunt |
| Weather | Blizzard |
Tips: See the Frostwyrm section below. This is the hardest catch in Boreal Pines.
Secret Fish (Not Required for Bestiary)
There are also secret fish in Boreal Pines that don’t count toward the 100% bestiary. These are for completionists only.
How to Spawn Frostwyrm
The Frostwyrm is the boss fish of Boreal Pines. It only spawns during Frostwyrm Hunt events.
Natural Spawn Rate:
- 0.25% (1/400) chance at the start of each in-game day
- 2.5% (1/40) during Winter season
How to Force Spawn:
- Get multiple Sundial Totems
- Use them to cycle through days quickly
- Eventually a Frostwyrm Hunt will trigger
When Hunt Triggers:
- Server-wide announcement appears
- Crystal Fissure area becomes active
- Frostwyrm spawns in the Crystal Fissure pool
Catching Frostwyrm:
- Use Truffle Worm or Frostnova Bait
- High luck rod (Trident, Rod of the Depths)
- The minigame is brutal. Practice on easier fish first.
I spent about 4 hours cycling days with Sundial Totems before my first Frostwyrm Hunt triggered. Then I failed the catch twice before finally landing it. Be patient.
Best Rods for Boreal Pines
| Rod | Why |
|---|---|
| Rod of the Depths | 130% luck, catches everything |
| Trident Rod | 150% luck, Atlantean mutation |
| Mythical Rod | 70% luck, budget option |
| Blade of Glorp | Good for frozen fish |
| No-Life Rod | Infinite weight, catches anything |
The Blade of Glorp deserves mention. It has bonuses for frozen/ice fish which makes Boreal Pines easier.
Best Baits for Boreal Pines
| Bait | Best For |
|---|---|
| Frostnova Bait | All Boreal Pines fish + cold resist |
| Truffle Worm | Glacial Squid, Frostwyrm |
| Fish Head | Lake Trout, predators |
| Squid | Lake Sturgeon, Greenland Halibut |
Frostnova Bait is the MVP here. It’s preferred by Boreal Pines fish AND gives cold resistance. Get it from codes (BorealPines, MerryFischmas2).
Completing the Bestiary
Here’s my recommended order for 100% completion:
- Get Winter Boots - Stop the cold damage
- Fish the Frozen Pond - Catch Eelpout and other commons
- Fish main waters during day - Grayling, Arctic Char
- Fish at night - Inconnu
- Deep water fishing - Lake Trout, Lake Sturgeon
- Crystal Fissure Cave - Glacial Squid
- Wait for Frostwyrm Hunt - Use Sundial Totems to speed up
- Catch Frostwyrm - Complete the bestiary
Total time for 100%: About 5-8 hours depending on RNG.
Getting the Cryolash Rod
Once you have 100% bestiary:
- Go to the Cryolash Cabin in Boreal Pines
- Interact with the rod display
- Purchase option unlocks automatically
The Cryolash Rod is one of the best in the game for frozen fish. Worth the grind.
NPCs in Boreal Pines
Marvin
Location: Near the entrance Sells:
- Winter Boots
- Boreal Rod (18,000 C$)
- Basic supplies
Corbin (Frozen NPC)
Location: Inside Crystal Fissure Cave How to Thaw: Use a Lantern near him Gives: Quest rewards, lore
Tips from My Playthrough
Server hop if stuck. If you’ve been fishing for 15+ minutes without a legendary bite, try a new server. Spawn timers reset.
Blizzard weather is your friend. Several rare fish have higher spawn rates during blizzards. Check the weather.
Stock up on Frostnova Bait. Redeem all the codes that give it. You’ll need a lot.
The Glacial Squid took forever. I spent 2 hours in the Crystal Fissure Cave. Bring entertainment.
Frostwyrm is RNG hell. The 0.25% spawn rate is brutal. Sundial Totems help but it’s still a grind.
The Cryolash Rod is worth it. 85% luck with a frozen fish passive. It’s now my main rod for this area.
Related Content
- Fisch Codes for Frostnova Bait and rewards
- Fisch Fish Tier List for valuable catches
- Fisch Locations Guide for all areas
- Fisch Rod Tier List for the best rods
- Fisch Bait Guide for bait optimization
