The Good Rod in Pokémon Y is a free Key Item from the fisherman in Coumarine City. Talk to him and accept his offer. It isn’t tied to a Gym Badge. Use the rod on any water to fish for wild Pokémon. On the Route 8 coast, Pokémon Y’s Good Rod gives Skrelp and Shellder, where Pokémon X gives Clauncher and Staryu. Inland, Pokémon Y gives you Red-Striped Basculin.
Good Rod at a glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Where do you get it? | Coumarine City, from a Fisherman on the marina, east of the Incense and Berry stalls |
| What does it cost? | Nothing. It’s a free Key Item that can’t be bought or sold |
| Do you need a Badge? | No. It isn’t tied to a Gym Badge |
| Is it the same in Pokémon X? | Yes, same city and same Fisherman. The fish in the water are different |
| Where is the Super Rod? | The Fishing Shack on Route 16. It comes later than the Good Rod |
How to get the Good Rod in Pokémon Y
Walk down to the marina in Coumarine City. The Fisherman stands on the dock between the boats and the food stalls, east of the Incense and Berry stalls. Talk to him and accept, and the Good Rod goes into your Key Items.
Register it to the Ready button
The Y button is the Ready button, and you can register up to four Key Items to it. Open the Key Items pocket of your Bag, pick the Good Rod and choose Register. With more than one item registered, press Y and choose with the +Control Pad or Circle Pad. Registering the Good Rod doesn’t remove the Old Rod, so check which one you pick before you cast, or you’ll keep catching Magikarp, Luvdisc or Poliwag.
Old Rod, Good Rod and Super Rod: the order
The three rods come in this order in Kalos. The Good Rod catches higher-level Pokémon than the Old Rod, and the Super Rod catches higher still.
| Rod | Where you get it | Typical level | Example catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Rod | Ambrette Aquarium, lower floor | 15, or 20 to 35 further on | Magikarp inland, Luvdisc on the coast, Poliwag farther on |
| Good Rod | Coumarine City marina | 25 to 45 | Skrelp and Shellder on the coast, Goldeen inland, Red-Striped Basculin in many spots |
| Super Rod | Fishing Shack on Route 16 | 35 to 60 | Gyarados, Seaking, Poliwhirl and Relicanth, depending on the water |
What the Good Rod catches in Pokémon Y
Each Good Rod table has three slots at 60%, 35% and 5%. When two slots hold the same species, the table shows the combined total, such as 65%. The levels below are the levels for each species.
| Where | Pokémon Y, rate and level | Pokémon X difference |
|---|---|---|
| Route 8 coast | Skrelp 65%, Shellder 35%, Lv 25 | Clauncher 65%, Staryu 35% |
| Ambrette Town, Cyllage City | Skrelp 65%, Horsea 35%, Lv 25 | Clauncher 65%, Horsea 35% |
| Route 12 | Remoraid 65%, Clamperl 35%, Lv 25 | Same as Y |
| Azure Bay, Shalour City | Remoraid 65%, Chinchou 35%, Lv 25 | Same as Y |
| Route 3, Parfum Palace | Goldeen 65%, Corphish 35%, Lv 25 | Same as Y |
| Route 22 river | Goldeen 65%, Carvanha 35%, Lv 25 | Same as Y |
| Laverre City, Route 15, Route 16 | Red-Striped Basculin 65%, Poliwhirl 35%, Lv 25 | Blue-Striped Basculin, same slots |
| Couriway Town | Red-Striped Basculin 65%, Poliwhirl 35%, Lv 35 | Blue-Striped Basculin, same slots |
| Route 14 | Barboach 65% (Lv 25 or 35), Poliwhirl 35% (Lv 35) | Same as Y |
| Route 19 | Barboach 65%, Poliwhirl 35%, Lv 35 | Same as Y |
| Pokémon Village | Red-Striped Basculin 65%, Poliwhirl 35%, Lv 40 | Blue-Striped Basculin, same slots |
| Frost Cavern | Red-Striped Basculin 65%, Poliwhirl 35%, Lv 30 | Blue-Striped Basculin, same slots |
| Victory Road | Red-Striped Basculin 65%, Poliwhirl 35%, Lv 45 | Blue-Striped Basculin, same slots |
| Route 21 | Red-Striped Basculin 60%, Poliwhirl 35%, Dratini 5%, Lv 40 | Same as Y |
The table above lists the Good Rod spots. The full water map with every rate is on the Kalos map page.
Skrelp and Shellder: the Y-only coast
On Route 8, Skrelp gives 65% of the bites at level 25, and Shellder takes the other 35%. In Pokémon X the same spot gives Clauncher and Staryu instead. At Ambrette Town and Cyllage City, the coast gives Skrelp at 65% and Horsea at 35% in Pokémon Y, and Clauncher and Horsea in Pokémon X.
The Super Rod on the same coast gives Dragalge in Pokémon Y, where Pokémon X gives Clawitzer. Route 8 also has Cloyster at 5% with the Super Rod in Y. That’s the other Y-only coast species to look for.
Route 21 is the only three-species table
Route 21 is one of nine Good Rod spots where the table is the same in both games. The others are Shalour City, Route 3, Route 12, Route 14, Route 19, Route 22, Parfum Palace and Azure Bay. Route 21 is the only one with three species. Red-Striped Basculin is at 60%, Poliwhirl at 35%, and Dratini at 5%, all at level 40. The Basculin is the red form in both games.
How the bite works
Each cast has a base chance of a bite, and several things change it. The rules below are for the Generation VI fishing system that Pokémon X and Pokémon Y use.
| Factor | Effect on the bite chance |
|---|---|
| Base chance | 49% for each cast |
| Solid ground beside the spot where the line lands | +20% for each side (north, south, east, west) that Surf can’t cross. The tile you stand on doesn’t count, and neither do water tiles that other Trainers occupy |
| Morning or evening | +20% |
| Suction Cups or Sticky Hold on the first Pokémon | Doubles the chance, up to a maximum of 100% |
A spot with solid ground on two sides, fished in the morning with Suction Cups in front, can reach 100%. Fishing in open water at midday with no Suction Cups gives you the base 49%, and you’ll spend a while on it. Pick a corner with walls on two sides, and fish in the morning or evening for the best chance.
Consecutive fishing and shiny chances
Hook a Pokémon, then another one in a row in the same area, and you’re on a chain. With each Pokémon added to the streak, the game gets extra tries at a shiny. With a streak of 20 or more, the shiny chance caps at about 1% per hook.
The chain ends when a cast reels in nothing or when you leave the area. Defeating, catching or running from the Pokémon you hooked doesn’t end it, so stay on one spot and reel in every bite. A Fisherman on Route 16 tells you your longest chain.
Why the Good Rod isn’t working
| What you see | What to do |
|---|---|
| Still catching Magikarp, Luvdisc or Poliwag | The Old Rod is the one selected. Press Y and pick the Good Rod from the list |
| No Skrelp | Skrelp is on the Route 8 coast and at Ambrette Town and Cyllage City. Check the spot, and check that you are in Pokémon Y |
| No Shellder | Shellder is only on the Route 8 coast, in Pokémon Y |
| Chain keeps breaking | A cast that reels in nothing ends it, and so does leaving the area. Stay on one spot and reel in every bite |
| Bites feel rare | Use Suction Cups or Sticky Hold in front, and fish in a corner with walls on two sides |
Is the Good Rod different in Pokémon X?
The gift is the same: same city, same Fisherman. What changes is the water. On Route 8, Pokémon X gives Clauncher and Staryu where Pokémon Y gives Skrelp and Shellder. At Ambrette Town and Cyllage City, Pokémon X gives Clauncher and Horsea. Inland, Pokémon X gives you Blue-Striped Basculin where Pokémon Y gives Red-Striped. Route 21 is the same in both games.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get the Good Rod in Pokémon Y?
Go to the marina in Coumarine City and talk to the Fisherman on the dock. Accept his offer.
Do you need a Badge for the Good Rod?
No. The Good Rod isn’t tied to a Gym Badge.
Where is Skrelp in Pokémon Y?
Skrelp is on the Route 8 coast and at Ambrette Town and Cyllage City. With the Good Rod it’s 65% on level 25 at each spot.
Can you chain fish with the Good Rod?
Yes. Stay on one spot and reel in every bite. The chain ends if a cast comes up empty or you leave the area.
Where is the Super Rod?
Route 16. It’s a separate gift from the Good Rod, and it catches the stronger fish.
Is the Good Rod the same in Pokémon X?
The gift is the same, but the fish differ on the coast and inland. Pokémon X gives Clauncher and Staryu on Route 8, and Blue-Striped Basculin inland.