Delta Force Fishing Guide: All 27 Fish, Locations, Bait, Rods & Fast Leveling

Delta Force fishing unlocks at Operations Level 17 through Joe Reed in Layali Grove – Easy. Once unlocked, fishing becomes its own progression system with Float and Lure Fishing, Fishing Levels, Certifications, rods, reels, lines, bait, lures, Fishing Coins, and a Gallery containing 27 fish species.

Fishing is available in the Easy versions of Layali Grove, Zero Dam, and AZ3. Team Jade's official instructions also confirm that catching fish earns Fishing EXP, higher Certifications unlock more advanced equipment, and Gallery records remain saved even if you fail to extract with the fish.

If you're trying to go from your first cast to Fishing Level 50, the most important thing to understand is that Fishing Level alone isn't enough. Progress stops at several Certification gates, forcing you to return to Joe Reed and complete fishing assessments before continuing. Current live-game guides document those gates at Levels 10, 20, 30, and 40.

Delta Force fishing quick guide

The basic mechanics, supported fishing maps, Fishing EXP system, Gallery behavior, and EDC Tool Kit are confirmed by Team Jade.

How to unlock fishing in Delta Force

Fishing isn't available immediately on a new Operations account. You first need to reach Operations Level 17.

From there:

1. Enter Layali Grove – Easy.

2. Find Joe Reed, the fishing enthusiast connected to the fishing system.

3. Continue his dialogue until his fishing request becomes available.

4. Accept and complete the request.

5. Extract from the Operations match.

6. Open your GTI Mailbox.

7. Claim the fishing equipment sent by Joe Reed.

8. Open the Fishing section in Black Site.

9. Equip your fishing rod through the EDC Tool Kit.

10. Enter a supported Easy map and select the rod from your EDC Tool Kit wheel near fishable water.

Team Jade officially lists Operations Level 17 and finding Joe Reed in Layali Grove – Easy as the fishing unlock requirements. Current player guides also document the mailbox and EDC Tool Kit steps that follow his introductory request.

Where is Joe Reed in Delta Force?

Joe Reed appears in Layali Grove – Easy, but community guides have documented multiple possible places where he can be found rather than one guaranteed position every deployment.

If Joe Reed doesn't immediately give you the fishing request, continue interacting with him until the relevant request appears. Leaving after the first dialogue interaction can result in the fishing chain remaining incomplete.

How to fish in Delta Force

There are two Delta Force fishing methods:

Team Jade describes the two rod types as mechanically different and confirms that different rods can catch different types of fish.

How to use the Float Fishing Rod

The Float Fishing Rod has the simpler minigame.

Cast into fishable water and watch the float. Small movement isn't the signal to reel.

Wait until the float fully sinks below the surface, then reel immediately. If your timing is correct, the fish is caught without the longer tension-management fight used by Lure Fishing.

Because each attempt can finish quickly, Float Fishing is also one of the most efficient ways to gain early Fishing EXP.

How to use the Lure Fishing Rod

Lure Fishing is more involved.

After casting, wait for the line to become taut and reel quickly to hook the fish. Once hooked, watch the direction in which the fish struggles and reel against that movement to reduce its stamina.

The line-tension indicator is critical:

If tension becomes excessive, the line can snap and the fish escapes. Team Jade specifically recommends releasing pressure when necessary before continuing the fight.

All Delta Force fishing locations

Fishing currently works on three Operations maps, all on Easy difficulty. Team Jade officially lists Layali Grove – Easy, Zero Dam – Easy, and AZ3 – Easy as fishable maps.

Current fishing guides identify eight commonly used fishing areas across those maps.

Layali Grove fishing locations

Layali Grove is the most important Delta Force fishing map because it contains Joe Reed and several distinct bodies of water.

The commonly documented spots are Serenity Bay, Cavern, Waterway, Canal, and Storage Station Dock.

It is also where you will repeatedly return for Fishing Certification quests.

Zero Dam fishing location

Zero Dam's main documented fishing area is the Dam Riverbank.

It provides multiple positions along the river where the rod can be used.

AZ3 fishing locations

AZ3 has two commonly documented areas: Offshore and Waterway.

The Offshore area becomes especially relevant later in fishing progression because current guides place one of the Level 40 Certification targets, the Radioactive/Radiation Grouper, there.

Delta Force Fishing Level and Certification roadmap

Fishing progression is separate from normal Warfare and Operations XP. Every successful catch grants Fishing EXP, while advancing your Certification gives access to stronger rods, lines, bait, and more difficult fish.

Current guides list Fishing Level 50 as the cap, with progression stopping at Levels 10, 20, 30, and 40 until Joe Reed's assessment is completed.

The Certification requirements are documented consistently by multiple current guides, although some English fish names differ between the assessment wording and Gallery terminology.

Delta Force Level 20 fishing quest

At Fishing Level 20, the assessment requires catches meeting specific weight thresholds:

Mullet: more than 1.5 kg.

Zander: more than 2.5 kg.

Some guides use Flathead Grey Mullet and Pikeperch for these same progression targets, so check the name displayed in your own client if the wording differs.

Completing the assessment unlocks the next progression tier and the Metal Lure Rod.

Delta Force Level 30 fishing quest

The Level 30 assessment requires:

Topmouth Culter

Endlicher's Bichir / Saddled Bichir

There is no listed weight requirement for these catches in the current guides.

The naming is worth highlighting. Some Certification guides refer to Endlicher's Bichir, while the 27-fish Gallery lists published by current guide sites call the fish Saddled Bichir.

Completing Level 30 unlocks the High-Carbon Lure Rod and progression toward Level 40.

Delta Force Level 40 fishing quest

The Level 40 assessment is the longest Certification stage.

Current guides describe it as a two-part requirement involving:

North African Catfish

Radioactive Grouper / Radiation Grouper

Juvenile Bull Shark

The North African Catfish is reported in the Layali Grove river, while the Grouper is associated with AZ3 Offshore. Guides report the Juvenile Shark in the Layali Grove river or AZ3 Offshore.

As with the Bichir, the names don't perfectly match every published Gallery list. The Gallery commonly calls the collectible shark Baby Shark, while Certification guides use Juvenile Bull Shark or Juvenile Shark. Radioactive Grouper also appears as Radiation or Radiated Grouper in different English sources.

Check the exact mission text in your client before discarding a fish because its translated name looks slightly different.

How to level Delta Force fishing fast

For fast Delta Force fishing leveling, use Float Fishing heavily during the early progression.

Float catches take much less time than a full Lure Fishing fight. Current live-game guides therefore recommend prioritizing frequent, reliable catches over spending several minutes chasing high-rarity fish while you're still building Fishing EXP.

Your progression should change when you reach Certification requirements. Once an assessment asks for a particular species or weight, stop fishing purely for EXP and target what Joe Reed actually needs.

The supplied MarksmanGames guide follows the same overall approach, separating fast leveling from the fish needed for maximum Fishing Level and then moving into advanced/red-fish hunting.

The most important mistake to avoid is grinding after your level has stopped increasing. If you're sitting at Level 10, 20, 30, or 40 and the bar won't advance, return to Joe Reed and check your Certification.

Delta Force fishing rods

Four main rod progression stages are documented in current fishing guides.

The official fishing description confirms that Float and Lure rods target different fish types and that advanced equipment opens up as your Certification rises.

Delta Force fishing reels

Current fishing inventories document five reel tiers:

Reels matter most during Lure Fishing, where retrieval and controlling stronger fish become part of the catch.

Delta Force fishing lines

Fishing lines also improve through several tiers. Current guides list six main lines:

Stronger fish put more pressure on your line, so fishing equipment becomes increasingly important once you move from early Float catches into high-tier Lure Fishing.

Delta Force fishing bait and lures

Float Fishing and Lure Fishing use different equipment.

Current fishing inventories document four Float Fishing baits and ten Lure Fishing lures.

Higher-tier equipment can improve your chances when targeting more difficult catches, but species compatibility still matters. The most expensive Delta Force fishing lure isn't automatically the correct lure for every fish.

All fish in Delta Force

The Fishing Gallery currently contains 27 fish species, divided into Common, Rare, and Collectible species groups.

Common fish

Rare fish

Collectible fish

Six of the seven Collectible species use Lure Fishing. Sapphire Snakehead is the exception and uses Float Fishing.

What are red fish in Delta Force?

A Delta Force red fish is an Ultimate-rarity catch.

This is separate from the Gallery's Common, Rare, and Collectible species classifications.

Individual catches use five rarity colors:

So a Collectible fish is not automatically a red fish. "Collectible" describes the species group, while "red" refers to the Ultimate rarity of the individual fish you caught. Current fishing guides also caution that not every species necessarily appears in every item-rarity variant.

This distinction matters when searching for Delta Force red fish locations, because simply catching the right species may not complete your highest-rarity Gallery record.

How to catch rare and red fish in Delta Force

Don't start serious Ultimate-rarity hunting with the starter setup.

The advanced guides supplied for this article separate Fishing Level grinding from the later hunt for red fish, and community reports also point toward stronger lines and overall fishing equipment becoming increasingly important for hard fights.

For difficult Lure catches, use your highest appropriate rod, line, reel, and compatible lure, and prioritize an open casting position. Large fish can move aggressively during the tension minigame, so narrow waterways and nearby structures can make maintaining line-of-sight harder.

What are Fishing Coins in Delta Force?

Fishing Coins are the fishing system's dedicated currency.

Extracted catches can be sold for Fishing Coins, which are then used within the fishing progression and store system. The supplied beginner fishing guide specifically documents using Fishing Coins to buy rods, bait, and reels.

This creates an important difference between catching a fish and extracting with it.

A catch can update your Gallery immediately. To keep the physical fish and sell it, you still need to survive the Operations match and extract.

Do you need to extract fish?

No for Gallery progress; yes if you want to keep the actual fish.

Team Jade states that fish you personally catch immediately unlock or update their Gallery data. Extraction and selling do not remove those records.

The Gallery tracks the highest rarity plus maximum and minimum length and weight for your catches.

If you die, however, fish carried in your normal inventory are lost. Current guides distinguish those physical catches from fishing equipment protected through the EDC Tool Kit.

Delta Force Fishing Gallery explained

The Fishing Gallery acts as your permanent collection record.

For each fish, it can track your:

highest rarity, maximum length, minimum length, maximum weight, and minimum weight.

Team Jade confirms that these records remain even after a failed extraction or after selling the fish.

That makes the Gallery the better measure of long-term fishing completion than filling your Stash with every fish you catch.

What is the Fishing Exclusive Expansion Crate?

Unlocking the system also gives you a dedicated Fishing Exclusive Expansion Crate.

Team Jade states that after claiming Joe Reed's mail, the crate is automatically equipped to your Stash and does not consume one of your existing expansion slots. Fishing-related supplies and catches receive priority for storage there.

Your fishing rod itself should be equipped through the EDC Tool Kit before entering Operations.

Can other players kill you while fishing?

Yes.

Fishing takes place inside normal Operations matches, not in a protected fishing mode.

You can be attacked while casting, watching your float, or fighting a fish with the Lure Rod. This makes positioning important: a convenient shoreline isn't necessarily a safe shoreline.

The fishing guides supplied for this article repeatedly emphasize that the player still needs to account for the normal extraction-shooter environment while fishing.

Delta Force fishing FAQ

Does Delta Force have fishing?

Yes. Delta Force has a complete fishing system in Operations featuring Fishing Levels, Certifications, rods, reels, fishing lines, bait, lures, Fishing Coins, and 27 Gallery fish.

What level do you unlock fishing in Delta Force?

You need Operations Level 17. Enter Layali Grove – Easy and find Joe Reed to begin the unlock process.

Where can you fish in Delta Force?

You can fish in Layali Grove – Easy, Zero Dam – Easy, and AZ3 – Easy.

How many fish are in Delta Force?

The current Fishing Gallery contains 27 fish species: nine Common species, eleven Rare species, and seven Collectible species.

What is the max Delta Force Fishing Level?

Current live fishing guides list Fishing Level 50 as the maximum. Progression gates occur at Levels 10, 20, 30, and 40.

How do you level fishing fast in Delta Force?

Use Float Fishing for frequent early catches, then shift your attention to required fish when you reach a Certification gate. Float Fishing avoids the longer tension fights associated with Lure Fishing and is therefore faster for repeated early catches.

Why is my Delta Force Fishing Level not increasing?

You have probably reached a Certification gate. Check whether you're at Fishing Level 10, 20, 30, or 40, then return to Joe Reed and complete the current assessment.

What is the best fishing rod in Delta Force?

Current progression guides place the High-Carbon Lure Rod above the Fiberglass and Metal Lure Rods. It becomes available through the Level 30 Certification progression.

The Float Rod still has a separate purpose because some fish, including Sapphire Snakehead, require Float Fishing.

What are red fish in Delta Force?

Red fish are Ultimate-rarity catches, the highest individual catch rarity. They should not be confused with the Collectible species category.

Do you lose your fishing rod when you die?

A fishing rod equipped through the EDC Tool Kit remains protected after a failed extraction. Physical fish carried in your normal inventory do not.

Do you need to extract for Fishing Gallery progress?

No. Team Jade confirms that Gallery data updates when you personally catch the fish, regardless of whether you later extract or sell it.

Can you fish on Normal or Hard difficulty?

The fishing system is currently documented for the Easy versions of Layali Grove, Zero Dam, and AZ3.

The fastest path through Delta Force fishing

The cleanest progression is to unlock fishing with Joe Reed at Operations Level 17, use the Float Rod for efficient early Fishing EXP, and return to Joe Reed whenever you reach a Certification gate.

From Level 10 onward, the system increasingly pushes you toward Lure Fishing and specific catches. Upgrade your rod, line, and reel as those tiers become available rather than spending all your Fishing Coins chasing difficult Ultimate fish too early.

For Gallery completion, treat species, catch rarity, and Certification requirements as three separate goals. Catching all 27 species fills the species collection, red Ultimate fish improve your rarity records, and Joe Reed's assessments are what actually unlock the road to Fishing Level 50.