The Ocarina of Time fishing pond on Lake Hylia pays out twice in the Switch 2 remake: a Piece of Heart for a big catch as Child Link, and the Golden Scale for a bigger one as Adult Link. The remake measures fish in centimetres instead of pounds, and the sources we checked do not fully agree on the adult number, so this guide shows both figures and tells you which one to aim for. Checked November 10, 2026, 19:30 UTC, five days after the Switch 2 launch.
Table of Contents
Quick answer
- Child Link: catch a fish of 50 cm or longer and keep it. VGC says the Piece of Heart arrives as you leave the pond.
- Adult Link: VGC’s pond guide says 60 cm earns the Golden Scale; VGC’s separate scale guide says 70 cm. Aim for 70 cm and you cover both.
- Sinking Lure: it only appears after you land a 50 cm fish, and any fish caught with it earns no reward. Skip it for the prizes.
- Golden Scale bonus: dive to the bottom of the tank in the Lakeside Laboratory and the scientist gives you another Piece of Heart.
- Cost: Nintendo Life lists a 30 Rupee fee to start a session. The original game charged 20 Rupees.
Where is the Ocarina of Time fishing pond?
The pond is on a small island in Lake Hylia. As Adult Link, VGC lists three ways in:
- Play the Scarecrow’s Song (our Ocarina of Time songs list has the notes and the Switch 2 inputs).
- Plant Magic Beans in the soft soil near the pond as a child, then ride the plant as an adult.
- Fill Lake Hylia by completing the Water Temple.
VGC says to angle the line the way the fish swims; pulling against it breaks the line. AI-generated illustration
How to fish: hooking and landing a big fish
Pay the fee and you can fish for as long as you like. These steps follow VGC’s remake walkthrough:
- Aim and cast the line out like any other item.
- Wiggle the lure to tempt a fish. Too much wiggling makes a fish cautious, and larger fish are warier than small ones.
- When a fish bites, press ZR to hook it. If you were already holding ZR to reel, let go and press it again.
- Angle the line the same way the fish is swimming. Pulling against it snaps the line quickly.
- Hold ZR and keep adjusting the angle. When the fish stops thrashing, reel it in. Once it is close, Link lands it automatically.
- Choose to keep it or set it free. You can only hold one fish, so keep the biggest you have caught.
Keep only a fish that meets the size you need and release the rest, as VGC advises.
Fishing pond rewards and fish sizes
| Who you are | Catch needed | Reward | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Child Link | 50 cm or longer | Piece of Heart on leaving the pond | VGC pond guide |
| Adult Link | 60 cm or longer | Golden Scale | VGC pond guide |
| Adult Link | 70 cm or longer, no Sinking Lure | Golden Scale | VGC scale guide |
| Adult Link, with Golden Scale | Dive in the Lakeside Laboratory tank | Second Piece of Heart | VGC and Nintendo Life |
The adult row is the one to watch. The two VGC pages contradict each other, and neither gives a reason. Nintendo Life’s Heart Piece guide says it is unclear what the exact size parameter is, and mentions a 59 cm catch for the pond’s Heart Piece, which fits the 50 cm rule. We could not confirm a single official number, so treat 60 cm as the minimum and 70 cm as the safe target. If the Golden Scale does not appear after a 60 cm fish, keep fishing for a bigger one rather than assuming you missed something.
VGC also notes that the fish get larger while Link is in stasis in the Sacred Realm, which is why new rewards open up for adult catches.
What the Sinking Lure does in the remake
The Sinking Lure is a red and yellow worm that sinks to the bottom of the pond and gives you a better chance at large fish. According to VGC, it appears only in later sessions, once you have caught a fish of 50 cm or longer. It spawns in a small number of random spots, some of them underwater, and is hard to see at night.
The Sinking Lure is a red and yellow worm, and fish caught with it earn no prize. AI-generated illustration
The catch is that the pond owner treats it as cheating. A fish landed with the Sinking Lure cannot be kept and earns no reward, which is also why VGC’s scale guide says the 70 cm fish must be caught without it. The original game had the same rule: the prize is denied if you use it, and the Zelda Wiki says the lure does not show up until you have already claimed the child Piece of Heart or the adult Golden Scale (on Fandom). Use it only if you want to catch big fish for fun after you have both prizes.
How the remake changes the fishing pond
| Original game | Switch 2 remake | |
|---|---|---|
| Fish size unit | Pounds | Centimetres |
| Fee | 20 Rupees | 30 Rupees per Nintendo Life |
| Prize rule | Beat the current pond record by at least 4 lb | Fixed sizes per VGC: 50 cm child, 60 or 70 cm adult |
| Sinking Lure | Appears only after you have won the prize | Appears after a 50 cm catch |
The original rules come from the Fishing Hole page on the Zelda Wiki on Fandom. Because the old record rule moved the target with every new record, many original-game guides list different pound figures. Do not apply those numbers to the remake.
Why the Golden Scale is worth it
Link can dive to a depth of three metres with no scale, six with the Silver Scale (the prize from the Zora’s Domain diving game) and nine with the Golden Scale, according to VGC’s scale guide. The Golden Scale also unlocks a Piece of Heart: swim to the bottom of the tank in the Lakeside Laboratory and the Lake Scientist rewards you. That is two Hearts from one pond, so it is worth finishing before you move on. Our Ocarina of Time Heart Pieces list covers all 36 for tracking the rest.
The Golden Scale lets you dive to the bottom of the Lakeside Laboratory tank for a second Piece of Heart. AI-generated illustration
Lake Hylia also hides Gold Skulltulas (five, two at the Lakeside Laboratory) and a bottle with Ruto’s Letter on the lake bed. See the Gold Skulltula locations and the Empty Bottle locations to clear the whole area in one trip.
Fishing pond tips from the guides
- Be patient with the wiggle. VGC says over-wiggling makes fish cautious, and bigger fish are more cautious than small ones.
- Follow the fish. Pulling the line against its swimming direction breaks it fast.
- Keep only the best fish. You can carry one at a time, so release anything smaller than your target.
- Do the child and adult visits separately. Fish grow between timelines, so one visit does not cover both rewards.
- Original-game trick, not confirmed for the remake: the Zelda Wiki says the legendary Hylian Loach appears only on your fourth consecutive visit in the original. We found no source saying the remake keeps this rule, so do not plan around it.
FAQ
How big does the fish need to be for the Golden Scale?
VGC gives 60 cm in its pond guide and 70 cm in its scale guide. Catch a 70 cm fish without the Sinking Lure to be safe.
Do I get anything for the Sinking Lure fish?
No. VGC says fish caught with the Sinking Lure cannot be kept and earn no rewards.
Can I miss the fishing pond rewards?
Nothing we found says the pond locks. You can visit as a child and again as an adult, and the adult pond opens through the Scarecrow’s Song, Magic Beans or the Water Temple.
Sources: VGC, Zelda OOT Remake: Fishing Pond and Sinking Lure explained; VGC, Silver and Golden Scales; Nintendo Life, Heart Piece locations; Zelda Wiki (Fandom), Fishing Hole and Sinking Lure for the original game.
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Featured image: AI-generated illustration
