Fishing

Route from skill 1 to 300 for Classic Era. You need a fishing pole and bait, and you must unlock each rank at the trainer.

Trainers and requirements

Apprentice: level 5 at a fishing trainer. Buy a pole and Shiny Bauble from the fishing supplies vendor.
Journeyman at skill 75: at the trainer.
Expert (from skill 150): book Expert Fishing – The Bass and You, Old Man Heming in Booty Bay, level 20. Buy Bright Baubles there as well.
Artisan (from skill 225): quest Nat Pagle, Angler Extreme, level 35. Nat Pagle in Dustwallow Marsh. Four quest fish: Feralas Ahi (Feralas), Misty Reed Mahi Mahi (Swamp of Sorrows), Sartheris Striker (Desolace), Savage Coast Blue Sailfin (Stranglethorn).

Skill	What	Where
1-75	Starting zones	Dun Morogh, Durotar, Elwynn Forest, Mulgore, Teldrassil, Tirisfal Glades (no capital cities)
75-150	Capital cities and zones	Capital cities or Barrens, Darkshore, Loch Modan, Silverpine Forest, Westfall
150-225	Dustwallow Marsh	Alternatives: Alterac Mountains, Arathi Highlands, Desolace, Stranglethorn Vale, Swamp of Sorrows, Thousand Needles
225-300	Advanced zones	Felwood, Feralas, Hinterlands, Tanaris, Un’Goro Crater, Western Plaguelands (Bright Baubles required)

Route from skill 300 to 375 for TBC Classic. The route for 1-300 is in the Classic Era tab.

You learn Master Fishing from the book „Master Fishing – The Art of Angling“ from Juno Dufrain in Zangarmarsh.
Poles with a bonus: Seth’s Graphite Fishing Pole (+20, quest „Rather Be Fishin’“ in Terokkar Forest), Nat Pagle’s Extreme Angler FC-5000 (+25, quest „Snapjaws, Mon!“, Horde only), Big Iron Fishing Pole (+20, auction house).

Skill	What	Where
300-350	Waters	Zangarmarsh, the two marked lakes. About 400 effective fishing skill (with pole and bait) is needed, otherwise fish escape. Without a suitable pole use Aquadynamic Fish Attractor up to 325, then Bright Baubles (about 40 from Juno Dufrain).
350-375	Waters	Terokkar Forest, water in the marked areas. Not the lake near Shattrath and no flight-restricted zones, they need much more fishing skill. More valuable fish than in Zangarmarsh.

Source: Compiled from the MoP Classic guide on wow-professions.com (skill 1-600).

Every fishing trainer in a capital teaches all ranks up to Zen Mastery. The optional Pandaria trainer is Nat Pagle in the Krasarang Wilds. Train at 75, 150, 225, 375, 450 and 525.
You do not need a fishing pole, it appears when you cast the spell. Stand close to the water and do not swim.
Optional: the Ancient Pandaren Fishing Charm (Ghostly Pandaren Fisherman, Valley of the Four Winds) raises the chance for extra fish.

Skill	What	Where
1-75	Fish in Pandaria, catch Golden Carp	Fishing is possible from skill 1. Golden Carp can be caught in all Pandaria zones.
75-225	Fish anywhere	Every successful catch counts, even junk. About 1.0 catches per skill point (1-100), about 1.6 (100-200), about 1.9 (200-300). Train at 75, 150 and 225.
225-450	Fish anywhere	From 300 progress gets much slower, about 3.6 catches per skill point (300-450). Train at 375 and 450.
450-600	Fish anywhere	The slowest stretch: about 5.5 catches per skill point, about 1,800 catches up to 600 in total. More valuable fish show up more often from about 500. Train at 525.

Beta data. WoW Forever has not been released yet. This route is based on the beta data from wow-professions.com and may change before launch.

Journeyman: Fishing 50, level 10. Expert: book ‚Expert Fishing – The Bass and You‘ (Old Man Heming, Booty Bay, or auction house), level 20, Fishing 125. Artisan: quest at Nat Pagle, level 35, Fishing 225.
Buy a Fishing Pole and Shiny Bauble from the fishing supply vendor.
Use Bright Baubles from 150 on so fish do not escape.

Skill	What	Where
1-75	Fishing in the starter zone	Dun Morogh, Durotar, Elwynn Forest, Mulgore, Teldrassil, Tirisfal Glades, Zephras Isle (capital cities do not count)
75	Learn Journeyman	At the trainer
75-150	Capital city waters	Darnassus, Stormwind, Orgrimmar, Undercity or Thunder Bluff. Alternatively The Barrens, Darkshore, Ironforge, Loch Modan, Silverpine Forest, Westfall
150-225	Learn Expert, then Dustwallow Marsh	Alternatively Alterac Mountains, Arathi Highlands, Desolace, Stranglethorn Vale, Swamp of Sorrows, Thousand Needles
225	Artisan quest: Nat Pagle, Angler Extreme	Four fish from four zones: Feralas Ahi (Feralas), Misty Reed Mahi Mahi (Swamp of Sorrows), Sar’theris Striker (Desolace), Savage Coast Blue Sailfin (Stranglethorn Vale)
225-300	Fishing in Felwood, Feralas, The Hinterlands, Tanaris, Un’Goro Crater or Western Plaguelands	Bright Baubles needed. Untested.