The Trophy Meagre is one of the best-paying catches at Skårland Fjord, and it does not take exotic gear to land one. I take it on the bottom with Atlantic Herring, early in the morning, from a marked spot out on the fjord. The one in the photo below went 45.6 kg at 180.4 cm and paid out 20,412 coins plus 13,725 XP in a single fish, which is why this is a catch worth going out of your way for. This guide is the exact method: the spot, the coordinate, the rig, the bait, and the timing, plus the full bait and lure options if you want to fish it a different way.
Why Target the Meagre at Skårland Fjord?
The Meagre is a powerful coastal predator that grows big here, and the payout is the real reason to chase it. My Trophy fish returned over 20,000 coins and nearly 14,000 XP in one catch, which is strong money and strong levelling for a single bite. If you are grinding coins or XP at endgame, a run of Trophy Meagre is one of the more efficient ways to do it at Skårland Fjord. It is also just a satisfying fish to fight, since it pulls hard for its shape.
This is one species inside a much bigger map. If you want the full picture of what else lives here and how the fjord fishes, read my Skårland Fjord setup and fish guide alongside this one.
About the Meagre
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The Meagre, sometimes called a salmon-bass, is a strong, silvery coastal predator prized for its size and its fight. Common fish run up to around 20 kg, but the biggest specimens push past two metres and can break the 100 kg mark, so there is real upside when you hook one. It likes well-oxygenated water with plenty of food, usually down to about 100 metres, and it does not stick to one depth. You can find it close to the bottom, in the mid-water, or up near the surface.
It feeds on sardines, cod, shrimp, and mollusks, and it responds to both natural baits and large lures, with early morning and evening tides being the standout windows. The one thing to respect is its sharp senses: fresh bait and a quiet, clean presentation matter more with this fish than with most. Because it roams through the water column, it can be targeted a few different ways, from trolling and spinning to a classic bottom rig, which is the method I rely on and cover below.
Where to Catch Meagre at Skårland Fjord
This is a boat catch, so take the Valkyrie or your boat of choice out onto the fjord. Head for the marked area near coordinates -1361, -2456 on the Skårland Fjord map, which is where I dropped the marker and landed my Trophy Meagre. Drop a marker buoy when you get there so you can hold the exact position and return to it. Treat the coordinate as a starting area rather than a precise pixel, since the fish moves, but this is water that has produced Trophy Meagre for me. If you are new to reaching a set of coordinates, the navigation and marker buoys make it easy to line up and stay on the spot.
Best Time: Early Morning
Timing matters here, and it lines up with what the Meagre does in the wild. I caught my Trophy fish in the early morning, just after 05:00, which matches both the early peak on the fish activity chart and the fish’s preference for morning and evening tides. Use the Time Forward feature to reach the early morning window rather than grinding through a flat, low-activity stretch, and check the activity graph before you commit to a session. One warning worth repeating from the game itself: advancing to the next day sells all your fish, so use Forward Time to move a few hours within the day and keep your catch, and only take Next Day when you are done.
The Setup for Meagre
You do not need the heaviest rod on the boat for this fish. I use my everyday Skårland workhorse, the Sigma F 200 NE SE, as a bottom rig, and it handles a 45 kg Meagre without drama. Here is the exact rig I ran for the fish above.
| Component | What I Used |
|---|---|
| Rod | Sigma F 200 NE SE (Saltwater Bottom Casting E-Rod) |
| Reel | Glacion 21000 SE |
| Main Line | Kaigen Fluoro 1.0 mm |
| Leader | Colorful Fluorocarbon Leader 1.2 |
| Hook | Tungsten Golden Hook #7/0 |
| Sinker | Tungsten Sinker 375 g |
| Bait | Atlantic Herring |
Any strong saltwater bottom rod in this class will work if you match the rest of the rig. The #7/0 hook suits the herring, and a 375 g sinker holds bottom in the fjord without being overkill. The fluorocarbon leader keeps things low-visibility, which matters for a fish with sharp senses like the Meagre.
Bait: Atlantic Herring and Alternatives
Atlantic Herring is my go-to, and it is a great choice on this rod because it is not a one-fish trick. The same herring rig also targets Atlantic Cod, Coalfish, Common Ling, European Hake, Norway Seaperch, Sea Trout, and more, so while you wait on a Trophy Meagre you will pick up plenty of other Skårland Fjord species and keep the coins flowing.
If you want to switch it up, the Meagre also takes a range of other natural baits: Finger Mullets, Scaled Sardines, Lesser Sand Eel, Split Tail Mullet, Crab, Gulf Shrimp, and Giant Tiger Prawn. Any of these is a fair option, so use what you have or can afford. Just keep the bait fresh, because this fish is fussy about presentation.
Prefer Lures? Spinning and Trolling Options
The bottom rig is what I rely on, but the Meagre responds well to large lures too, so if you would rather spin or troll for it you have options. The lures it favours are Pilkers and Fish Pilkers, Saltwater Spoons and Medium Spoons, Saltwater Twisters and Saltwater Slugs, and Softbaits like shads and grubs. Because the fish roams the whole water column, working lures through the mid-water and along the surface on the morning and evening tides is a valid alternative to sitting on the bottom. Pick the style you enjoy. The bait rig is the reliable coin-and-XP farm, while lures make for a more active session.
How to Fish It
Put it together and it is simple. Travel out to the marked area, drop a marker buoy to hold the spot, and set your start time to early morning. Bait up with Atlantic Herring, send the bottom rig down, and let it sit on the seabed. When a Meagre takes, it fights hard, so keep your drag controlled and bring it up steadily rather than forcing it. Land it, open photo mode, and collect a very healthy payout of coins and XP.
Common Mistakes
Fishing the wrong time of day. The early morning window is when I get the bites, which fits the Meagre’s preference for morning and evening tides. Grinding through a low-activity stretch just wastes bait and patience, so use Forward Time to reach the peak.
Advancing to the next day by accident. Next Day sells all your fish. Use Forward Time to move within the same day and keep your catch until you actually want to bank the trip.
Using stale or careless presentation. The Meagre has sharp senses, so fresh bait and a clean, quiet presentation genuinely matter here.
Not marking the spot. Drop a marker buoy at the coordinate so you can hold position and come back to the same productive water instead of drifting off it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do you catch Meagre at Skårland Fjord?
Take the boat out to the marked area near coordinates -1361, -2456 on the Skårland Fjord map, drop a marker buoy, and fish a bottom rig on the seabed. That is the spot where I landed my Trophy Meagre.
What bait works for Meagre in Fishing Planet?
Atlantic Herring on a bottom rig is my go-to. The Meagre also takes Finger Mullets, Scaled Sardines, Lesser Sand Eel, Split Tail Mullet, Crab, Gulf Shrimp, and Giant Tiger Prawn, so use whichever fresh bait you have.
Can you catch Meagre with lures?
Yes. It responds to large lures like Pilkers, Fish Pilkers, Saltwater Spoons, Medium Spoons, Saltwater Twisters, Saltwater Slugs, and Softbaits. Since it roams the whole water column, you can spin or troll for it as an alternative to bottom fishing, especially on the morning and evening tides.
What is the best time to catch Meagre?
Early morning. I caught mine just after 05:00, which matches the early activity peak and the fish’s preference for morning and evening tides. Use Forward Time to reach the morning window, and avoid Next Day since it sells all your fish.
What rod and rig do you need for Meagre?
A strong saltwater bottom rod works well. I use the Sigma F 200 NE SE with a Glacion 21000 SE reel, fluorocarbon leader, a #7/0 hook, and a 375 g sinker, baited with Atlantic Herring.
How much is a Trophy Meagre worth?
A lot. My Trophy Meagre at 45.6 kg and 180.4 cm paid 20,412 coins and 13,725 XP in a single catch, which makes it one of the more rewarding fish to farm at Skårland Fjord.