Any tips for a newbe?

[James]

Hi all!
I've tried a few fishing games and got hooked on RF4.
It is from my angle the best fishing sim so far - by far. Very nice setting and mechanics, huge credits to the developers! However, it is EA and I do the freeride which means I have a long way to bigger catches etc.

Currently on level 13 and progress is painfully slow. I make 100 credits and at the same time I break my gear and loose my lures at the same pace, so I'm stuck at about 300-400 credits, it seems :). Going up - and coming back down. It's like I have to think twice before I buy another pack of worms. Not to mention extra food to bring to Old Burg lake etc. Also, how do I dispose of gear that is beyond repair?

I have invested in a few perks (spinner fishing) and cooked my own first meal. I certainly like the details but have a hard time levelling up. What should I go for? I guess it's a common question? I want to catch bigger fish, but everytime I do get one on the hook, I loose my lure/line and/or break my pole. I have steadidly tried to get better gear, but it does not help at this point. The price-step to something usable seems too far away. So, is fishing small game for a year the only way to go?

I was looking for a way to buy into this game but it seems hard to find motivation if the business model is how people describe it? I have no clue and no preconceptions about it so I would really appreciate if someone could elaborate on the progress curve once you invest the money. Do not get me wrong, I like the simulation and "real" part of it (that's why I got hooked on RF4). Just need some advice before I buy into premium...

I like "The Hunter", it's an open world sandbox hunter game where you hunt and hang around in a beautiful environment. It has a pricetag, but lets you progress noticably well during the hunts - unless you're a complete fool, lol. I am not a fishing noob (IRL), but sometimes RF4 makes me feel that way. And I just wonder why?

Cudos to the developers, really love this game and want to contribute by buying the game when released.

[Graubart]

Hi, it looks like you need to improve your gear setup. Make sure your rods and reels do not break. You can accomplish this by applying a line which snaps before the reel brakes and a reel which brakes before the rod brakes.
A broken rod can not be repaired, and a broken reel is expensive to repair.
When fishing with a lure, make sure you apply a leader (steel, if there are possible pike). And there is no need at this point to use really expensive lures. Keep it cheap and invest into better rods and reels before you go for the expensive lures.
I am aapproaching Level 22 now and have no problem buying equipment that matches the needs. It works, but you need to make sure your equipment is used correctly - as you would in real life.

[Crucian]

Hi James,

What Grabaurt has said is very true. There is no need to break your gear. If you are breaking gear, then something about the setup is off. I would advise for your line/leader to always be the weakest point in your setup. This way if something goes wrong, you don't break your gear. Trust me, never breaking your gear is possible. I have never broken a rod or reel in game, something I pride myself on very much :). https://rf4game.com/forum/index.php?/topic/254-levos-guide-setup-suggestions/ This is a guide you may find useful.

Regards,
Crucian

[James]

Thank you Graubart and Crucian for valuable input. I realized many things about the vulnarable chain; lure, rod, reel and try to keep the logic so that I will only loose bait/lure in case of big fish. But it also is the snagging that eats up my budget, lol. I will try to stay out of trees and branches as much as possible.

So, what parameters do I use (most generally) to determine the load chain? For rods and reels I can not make out the crucial parameters, max load, drag, Test?, Load capacity (rods). What is Test? I'll try to be more specific with an example of a rig here:

1) ROD: Load capacity 6,5 kg (test 15-45g, what does that mean?)
2) REEL: Max drag 3 kg (0,22 mm capacity)
3) LINE: Load capacity 5 kg (0,22 mm)
4) LEADER: Load capacity 8 kg

Where is the weak spot in that rig? I will loose my LEADER because it is lower than the LINE Load capacity, right? But I am thinking I need a better REEL (that will match the ROD better, or is that numeber (Max drag 3 kg) dynamic and left for the actual behaviour as you haul in the fish?

Starting to appreciate this game more and more. Great attention to detail! I like the notion of having to be comfortable with your rig. And in order to be comfortable you actually have to think. At first I think newcomers (like me) invest in wrong things as soon as credits are available. Gears that dont match optimally etc.

I am currently looking for progression to catch bigger Pike.

A good tip to invest in the top order down; reel, rod, line, lure/bait?
Or would you like to suggest another order?

And again - is there a way to dispose of broken gear - a container to throw it in? I don't want it in my backpack if it is beyond repair ;)

Thanks for a great community and a good game!

[Graubart]

1) ROD: Load capacity 6,5 kg (test 15-45g, what does that mean?)
A: Your rod can handle a drag power of 6.5 kg. Note that this is not the weight of the fish, most fish apply much more power than their own weight. The rod is designed for a casting weight of 15-45 g.

2) REEL: Max drag 3 kg (0,22 mm capacity)
A: Your reel can handle a drag power of 3 kg. With a line diameter of 0.22 mm, it can carry a given length of the line. thicker lines= less capacity (length). Thinner lines = higher capacity.

3) LINE: Load capacity 5 kg (0,22 mm)
A: Your line will snap when the drag power of the fish exceeds 5kg. The line has a diameter of 0.22 mm.

4) LEADER: Load capacity 8 kg
A: Your leader will snap when the drag power of the fish exceeds 8(!) kg.

So, looking at your setup: Your reel will brake at 3kg drag applied by the fish. Your line would snap at 5kg drag, your rod would brake at 6.5kg and your leader will be the last thing to snap, after all other gear was destroyed.
So, with the given configuration you will loose all fish that can apply more then 3kg drag, leaving you with a destroyed reel.
Example for a good config, using your Rod and brake:
Leader: 2.5kg (your 8 kg leader has to be replaced)
Line: 3 kg (Your 5kg line has to be replaced)
Reel: 3 kg
Rod: 6.5 kg.

If I were you, I would upgrade the reel asap, to something that can handle 6 kg. Then your setup (using your numbers again) would be:
Leader: 4.5 kg (your 8kg leader has to be replaced)
Line: 5 kg
Reel: 6 kg
Rod: 6.5 kg., which will dramatically improve your abilities.

Whatever rig you design: The status of the weakest item is what is shown in the coloured bar at the bottom of the screen, during drill. The closer you get to red, the more likey your weakest item will brake/snap. So keep it always in the green and yellow area, you can adjust the behaviour of your rig during the drill by changing the brake power (mouse wheel).

[James]

Thanks for super good information and tips!
It is now clear as mud!
Really appreciate your time. I'll implement this knowledge and enjoy RF4 even more now!

[Rosepirate]

a very good start (fish ruffies at night with the less expensive feeder rod) use the happyhook hook cs-11 sl-12 (small) use worm. mosquito lake 2-4 m (other lake also)

this is the msot $ mission i ever encouter and always do it + pike when you are gonna be able to afford something that can handle 6-10 kg fish

for xp, get drunk and get premium ... slow is the for RF4 but i dont regret any minute spent there

[Admiral Ackbar]

Originally posted by James:

Thanks for super good information and tips!
It is now clear as mud!
Really appreciate your time. I'll implement this knowledge and enjoy RF4 even more now!

Highly suggest mdawggaming on youtube. He is constantly producing vods for beginners.

[James]

Thank you probablyfishing. I'll check it out!

[Ducky]

Well Graubart gives some good tipps but they are verry hard to handle because there is no steel leader below 8kg or was it 6kg? well cant remember...and with reels and lines you will never get max drag power from a reel if your line is below the reels power

[dma29379]

you can stash broken \unused items in the camping tents where there is cooking items and a fire

[76561199168159295]

some tips:
1. you can always go back to the cottage pond everyday to collect 50 or 30 worms for free(float gear), once a day.
2. cooking is wasting your sliver or credit, except for tea . you get free lunch everyday at mosquito and winding R map.
3. starting from old burge lake, there is no more free lunch. sugar duck is your best meal.
4. try complete cafe mission will bring you more silver.
5. I would suggest crucian , gibel and roach at your level and they are active all the time. Ruffe only feed in the night time.

[James]

Thank you all for great tips and very useful information!

[Graubart]

@Ducky keep in mind that a leader bearable of 6 kg does not mean you get in 6kg fish. It means you can reel in fish that applies 6kg of drag to your setup, and that would be a pike of less than 3 kg! Fish can and does build up tremendous power, much more than his own weight.

Steel leaders are basically ONLY useful for pike, all other fish (at least below level 15) is safe to catch with the other leaders. The load chain (weakest to strongest) at your setup here is exactly the same as in real life.

[James]

Thank you Graubart for that insight. I usually go for pike at this stage of my gaming in RF4 so I feel I need steel leaders. I also understand the physics about pikes/fish pulling more weight on the line than actual fish weight. Naturally it is so, nothing new, but good that the game simulates it!

[DaffyPwnz]

James.... I'll first point out that the information here is correct, but only to a degree. Your gear is capable of handling more fish power than is being given here.

For example,

Where you are being guided to use only 3kg line, I would suggest to look at getting say 4.5kg line, the reason this is is because yes, 3kg line will break if a fish has more than 3kg of power, BUT! only if you lock your reel, meaning if you set to infinate drag setting (going above 29) will lock your reel. So with this being said, if you control your drag (by scrolling your mouse wheel) while fighting a fish, you can loosen the drag when the fish runs to give it some freedom to run, and when you want to try to tire the fish, you can tighten your drag, but as long as you dont lock the drag, your line will generally never break. Just be careful you dont get spooled (lose all your line)

Having a lighter leader than your line is always a given.... However there are times you may want a heavier leader, targeting pike for example, you dont have to use a steel leader, you just need a thick flurocarbon leader, at your level, id suggest anything about 0.5mm should see you well at mosquito and winding, however the pike at old berg get quite big and for there, best bet is a 22.5kg FC leader which is 0.90mm. But this is only when you have a decent 10+kg reel and rod to match.

Take time and think about what fish you want to target, research online their trophy sizes and base your gear towards that, that way, if you hook a trophy, your sweet, and if you dont, well anything below should just be a simple wind in.

Hit me up if you have any questions about what I have advised here and I also agree, check out Mdawgs youtube vids, he makes some really good ones for new players.

Daffy.