Always a Bigger Fish

Quest giver: Wawalago
Location: Limsa Lominsa Lower Decks (X:8.1, Y:15.2)
Class: Fisher
Level: 68

Required items: 3 Dafangshi
Experience: 2,227,500
Gil: 4,267
Previous quest: Search for the Spawning Grounds
Next quest: Farewell, and Thanks for the Fish
Patch: 4.0

“

Master Wawalago is examining you with an expectant eye.

— In-game description

Rewards

1 Gazelle Horn Fishing Rod
99 Silkworm

In addition to the above, choose one of the following options:

Walkthrough

If you're not familiar with Spearfishing, this quest can be confusing and difficult. Here's how to do it:

Make sure you have spearfishing unlocked. If not, you need to complete the quest A New Fishing Ex-spear-ience given by Sumitsubo at The Ruby Sea (X:28.9, Y:15.9).
Change your class to fisher. Activate Truth of Oceans (this is done automatically if you are FSH level 70 or above).
Go to The Sunken Junk spearfishing hole around Yanxia (X:10, Y:34) and dive under water ( As shown to the right ).
If necessary, use your Shark Eye II ability to find a Lv 70 Teeming Waters. There are some lvl 65 nodes to the east, but that is The One River Southwestern Riverbeds spearfishing hole, so be careful to avoid those.
Begin spearfishing. Your first goal is to catch 8 Ichthyosaur. They are fast-moving large fish. You may find the Veteran Trade ability to be helpful, but it only works for one type of fish at a time. Using it multiple times will not block multiple kinds of fish from spawning, only the last kind of fish you caught before activating the ability.
Once you exhaust a node, find another one (using Shark Eye II if necessary). There are three nodes in The Sunken Junk spearfishing hole, and you can just cycle through them.
After catching 8 Ichthyosaur, the swimming shadows node in The Sunken Junk's South Side spearfishing hole will appear. If you have Truth of Oceans activated, you will see the message "You sense level 70 swimming shadows to the <direction>" and the node will appear on your mini-map, similar to how Unspoiled Nodes appear for botany and mining.
Spearfish the swimming shadows node and catch three Dafangshi. They are slow-moving medium fish. You will need this mission in your log to catch dafangshi, otherwise they will not appear. In addition, unlike a normal spearfishing target, dafangshi will appear as "Unknown Fish."
If you are unable to catch 3 Dafangshi from one spearfishing attempt at the swimming shadows node, you will need to catch 8 more ichthyosaurs to spawn the swimming shadows at The Sunken Junk's South Side again.

Steps

Wait for Reyna at the Gods' Grip.
Gather information from the villagers in Isari.
Report to Wawalago in Kugane.
Join Wawalago outside Namai.
Catch dafangshi.
Deliver the dafangshi to Wawalago at the Glittering Basin.
Show the dafangshi to Jisho in Isari.
Deliver the dafangshi to Ukimono in Tamamizu.
Speak with Wawalago at Fisherman's Bottom.

Journal

Master Wawalago is examining you with an expectant eye.

Wawalago excitedly explains that he's received a missive from Reyna, who is eager to share what she and her colleagues have learned from their inspection of the harutsuge sprags you successfully snared for her. Unable to contain his eagerness to meet the lovely lass with a passion for all things piscine, the guildmaster also states his intentions to steal away from the watchful eye of Sisipu and join you. Make your way to the Gods' Grip to see what manner of enlightening knowledge the fishing enthusiasts have gleaned.

Wawalago is moderately dismayed to be greeted not by the gorgeous Reyna but rather her colleague Ansaulme, but quickly puts aside his qualms to inquire as to Ishgardian anglers' latest findings. Ansaulme relates their findings, such as they are: to wit, that they could determine no anomalies with the waters of the Ruby Sea from the specimens you secured. When the guildmaster then surmises that this could only mean that the problem can be traced to their spawning grounds, Ansaulme is impressed by his powers of deduction, encouraging Wawalago to travel to the Far East to investigate for himself. As the guildmaster hems and haws, Sisipu appears, chastising him for his insensitivity to her true feelings and giving him her blessings to make the journey eastward. You make for the fishing village of Isari to gather what information you can in advance of the guildmaster's arrival in Kugane.

In Isari, an elderly fisherman by the name of Jisho shares with you an intriguing bit of history. Before the Garleans came, the Isari fishermen joined with their Kojin friends to hold a yearly event known as the Wadatsumi festival. The festivities involved catching fearsome sea beasts known as giant plesiosaurs and offering them in tribute to the kami of the seas, that calm might return to the oceans. Traditional religious practices, however, were outlawed twenty-five years ago when the Garleans came, and the bonds of friendship between Isari and the Kojin gradually faded away. You set off for Kugane to share this enlightening information with Master Wawalago.

Upon hearing your tale, Master Wawalago quickly deduces that the outlawing of the festival has resulted in an overpopulation of plesiosaurs, who doubtless are preying upon on harutsuge hatchlings before they can reach full size. As such, it would stand to reason that reviving the festival would restore the harutsuge to the seas. Together with your companions, you make for the shores near Namai to catch yourselves some dafangshi, that you might present them to the Kojin in return for their cooperation in bringing back the festivities of old.

Wawalago encourages you to ensnare three dafangshi, the fish favored by the Kojin, that it might convince them to take part in the revived Wadatsumi festivities. Should you find the task too trying, he suggests you speak with your Kojin friends and learn what you might of their special technique of spearfishing.

Employing your spearfishing skills to their fullest, you manage to haul in three dafangshi. Wawalago expresses his admiration and bids you show them to Jisho in Isari, and secure his permission before then persuading the Kojin to take part in the festivities.

Jisho is delighted to see the dafangshi, and is nigh brought to tears at the thought that his humble village, which struggled so long under the yoke of the empire, might at long last see its glory days return. As he calls upon the young ones to begin preparation, he bids you deliver the dafangshi to Tamamizu in his stead.

Ukimono is likewise overjoyed at your offering of the dafangshi, saying that nothing would give him greater joy than to restore a beloved tradition of his people's past. This will not happen overnight, however, as the young Kojin himself remembers little of the particulars of the celebration. While Ukimono and Govv round up willing collaborators in Tamamizu, you set off back to Eorzea with Guildmaster Wawalago, who intends to do further research regarding the festivities at the guild.

Back at Fisherman's Bottom, Wawalago restates his intent to research the Wadatsumi festival to the best of his abiltiies. He encourages you to make a foray to your favorite fishing hole in the meantime, so that you might be prepared to fish as you have never fished before when the occasion arrives.
- ※The next fisher quest will be available from Wawalago upon reaching level 70.

Dialogue

Accepting the quest

Wawalago: Tip-top timing, [Forname]! Reyna's mailed me a missive saying she's wrapped up her research into shooting stars, and is ready to report the results she's reaped.
Wawalago: Finally, a clue to help us crack this confounding case! This is no time to tarry-- get yourself to the Gods' Grip! Why, I think i'll even steal away from Sisipu's spying eyes and scoot on over there with you.

Wait for Reyna at the Gods' Grip (cutscene)

Wawalago: Ho there, [Forename]! The ravishing Reyna should be arriving any moment now to regale us with our report.

???: A thousand pardons, Master Wawalago, but i fear there has been a change of plans. My fellow fishing enthusiast has made for Kugane, and i am here to deliver our findings in her stead.

Wawalago: Ansaulme!? I thought you'd be busy keeping that barbarous brother of yours from running roughshod over the disconsolate denizens of your demesne

Ansaulme: Indeed, i cannot stay for long, so allow me to share what we have found--which I fear is not as much as we had hoped. We studied the sprags [Forename] caught in hopes of finding some clues as to what afflicts them, but we could identify nothing out of the ordinary. Nor is there any sign that aught is amiss in the waters they inhabit.

Wawalago: Well, that's a right relief, yet baffling and bewildering all the same. If all's well in the waters of the Ruby Sea, whither could be the shooting stars have shuttled off to? 
Wawalago: The other day, i had occaision to speak with an angler acquantince from Radz-at-Han. As he told it, he's not seen any denizens of the deep matching the harutsuge's description in his domain either. 
Wawalago: Which means that whatever it is ails and afflicts them, it's all but certain to be centered around their spawning grounds, striking them when they've scarecly hatched and winnowing their numbers before they can navigate their way westward

Ansaulme: A remarkable deduction from one who has scarce left fisherman's bottom of late--if I have heard true. If only you could travel to the Ruby Sea and investigate for yourself, there is no telling what you might glean.

Wawalago: Would that i could whisk away just like that! But no, if i don't bolt back to mybarrel--and briskly-- and Sisipu comes to know i've been cooperating with a Sahagin, there's no telling how it'll torture and torment the poor girl.

< What will you say? >
< I want you to come with me.>
<Leave it to me, and worry not.>

<Leave it to me, and worry not.>
Wawalago: That means more to me than you could know, [Forename]. And yet, Ansaulme's argument has a measure of merit...

???: Wawalago! You stubborn, self-absorbed, slack-witted...stupid-head!

Sisipu: For all your vaunted knowledge of fish and the seas, you don't know a godsdamned thing about your closest colleague and confidant! The last thing i want to see is you acting all weaselly and wishy-washy!

Wawalago: S-Sisipu?! How in the heavens did you-

Sisipu: I followed you, silly. Or did you really think you'd been evading my eyes and ears all this time? And of all the reasons for your ridiculous behavior... This is truly beyond belief!
Sisipu: Yes, my home was raided by the Sahagin when i was a child--this is true. But what sort of ignorant fool do you take me for? I know as well as anyone that there are kindly Sahagin in the realm who care only for protecting their clutch. Why would i begrudge you lending one of them your aid?
Sisipu: If you wanted to take a leave of absence, all you needed to do was ask! It's not like you do any work around the guild anyway!

Wawalago: Sisipu... Hah hah! To think i could be so thick witted in taking in the thoughts of a lovely lass
Wawalago: And with that, [Forename] I do say it's time to set sail for Kugane. You'll be heartened to hear that i spent a spell in the Fae East in my younger years. I'll be on my way in short order. In the meantime, might I ask you for a minor favor? 
Wawalago: Head over to Hingashi ahead of me and engage the local denizens in discourse. See if there's aught you can learn of any anomalies in the Ruby Sea compared to times past.

Ansaulme: Now that you mention it, Reyna spoke of a fishing village that once had dealing with the Kojin. I believe the village was called...Isari. I can make no promises, but it may be as good a place as any to begin your search.

Wawalago: Isari it is, then! investigate the village and Inquire with its inhabitants, and i'll see you in Kugane when you're through with the task!

Ansaulme: Good to see those two come to an understanding, is it not? In any event, I must return and see that my brother has not done too much damage in my absence. Safe travels, and may your journey to the Far East be a fruitful one!

Gather information from the villager in Isari

Languid Lass

Languid Lass: When i was just a little girl, my father would invite his Kojin friends to dine with us. They'd bring all manner of strange-looking fish from the depths. At first i was hesitant to taste them, but i soon found out they were quite delicious.
Languid Lass: But I was only a small child then, and my memories are hazy at best. Perhaps one of the older villagers may be able to tell you more?

Jisho

Jisho: Indeed, there was a time when our village had regular dealings with the Kojin, though there was much less grey in my hair when this was so. Yes, I daresay some twenty-five years have passed since then...
Jisho: In those days, Isari was known for the Wadatsumi festival, a grand event held once each year. Isari fishers and Kojin alike would join together to ensnare the giant plesiosaurs that disturbed the waters and offer them in tribute to the kami of the sea, that calm might return to the oceans.
Jisho: Then the Garleans came, and traditional religious observances were abolished. The Wadatsumi festival now a thing of the past, our once-close bonds of friendship with the Kojin faded over the years.
Jisho: The Kojin particularly enjoyed a certain fish found only in the Glittering Basin of Yanxia─the dafangshi, if my memory serves. It was a regular offering of this delicacy that convinced them to join us in our festivities.
Jisho: ...But that was a long time ago, and our village has become much more insular since then. These days, there is scarcely anyone in Isari who remembers what a dafangshi looks like, let alone how to snare one.

Fledgling Fisherman

Fledgling Fisherman: I hear that in the old days, Isari fishermen would venture out into the open seas in hopes of hooking all manner of marvelous catches. Nowadays, there is little point in venturing far beyond the coastal shallows, where the vast majority of fish reside.
Fledgling Fisherman: Now that you mention it, I also recall hearing tales from my father of a festival held in years past, where we would welcome outsiders to Isari in a celebration of the art of fishing. Though of the details, I fear I remember little...

Report to Wawalago in Kugane

Wawalago: Ah, to smell the soothing sea breeze with a buxom beauty at my side-- this is the life, Isn't it [Forename]? Oh, but i forget myself-- did you find out anything of our fish in your foray to Isari?
Wawalago: A fishing festival that featured the feeding of giant plesiosaurs to the deities of the deep, you say? Give Wawalago a moment to mull that one over...
Wawalago: But of course! It's not a sullying of seawater that's responsible for the shooting stars' plight, but rather the proliferation of a predator who preys upon them!
Wawalago: Allow me to explain and elucidate. I have some pasing familiarity with this plesiosaur of which the man spoke. More fiend than fish, suffice to say it feasts on smaller fry with utterly fearsome ferocity.
Wawalago: When the festival was in full swing, Isari fishmermen and their Kojin friends hunted the hunters, as it were, leaving smaller swimmers of all stripes-the harutsuge, for one- to persist and prosper.
Wawalago: Now that it's fallen out of fashion, the plesiosaurs rampage and run rampant, devouring the fledgling fish in the sea before they can reach full maturity. All we need do is restore and revive this tradition, and the situation is as good as solved!
Reyna: But from what [Forename] says, that would require the cooperation of the Kojin. How are we to get them to agree, with not a single angler in Isari able to catch this "dafangshi" that they so favor?
Wawalago: Hah hah! a trifling task, my lovely lass. If the Isari are incapable of doing the deed, we need simply snare a dafangshi or two ourselves!
Wawalago: Surely this is well within the powers of puissant piscators like ourselves, is it not? Reyna and I will go and grab young Govv, and we will gather again in Yanxia!

Optional dialogue

Reyna: So this is Master Wawalago. From the deep and manly tone of his voice over the linkpearl, I was expecting someone...taller.

Join Wawalago outside Namai

Wawalago: Ready to get fishing, friend? Remember- a couple of these dafangshi are all we need to bring the festival back in fashionand see the harutsugu flourish!
Wawalago:... But there's one thing that worries old Wawalago. The old fisherman said there wasn't an angler in all of Isari who knew aught of how to catch one of them. 
Wawalago: That got me to thinking- perhaps a simple line and lure won't suffice to snare one of the specimens we seek. And so i was listening to the locals, who shared some intriguing information in response to my inquiries. 
Wawalago: The dafangshi are said to reside in the Glittering Basin, but it seems they're ever a cautious and chary creature, and few are the fellows who have actually laid eyes on the fish.
Wawalago: So I sought out the guidance of a grizzled old angler, who said that he was hunting for an ichtyosaur near the sunken junk when he espied the shadow of a dafangshi in the distant depths. 
Wawalago: If they're scared of swimming near the surface, diving deep and trying your hand with a trident like our friend Govv might afford you an advantage. In any event, it seems knowledge of the Truth of Oceans should atleast give you a place to start!
Wawalago: And with that, I'd best be getting off to the Glittering Basin as well! Godsspeed and good luck in reeling those dafangshi, and I look forward to greeting you when you've triumphed in the task!

Deliver the Dafangshi to Wawalago at Glittering Basin

Wawalago: From the gleam in his eye and the grip on his trident, I gather Govv's got a good thing going there. How fare you in your Fishing efforts? Draw on the Truth of Oceans, and hunt down those ichtyosaurs near the sunken junk!

After giving the Dafangshis

Wawalago: Fine Fishing, [Forename]-yes, These are dafangshi, beyond a dram of a doubt! They made themselves manifest while you were engaging your eyes on other fish, you say? Curious comportment, indeed...
Wawalago: Anyroad, I'm relieved to report that Govv's spearfishing has also proved a spectacular success. With this, we should have enough to reel in the Kojin- Figureatively speaking- and entice them to engage with the Isari anew. 
Wawalago: So let's carry our catch back to Isari and convince the villager to let us carry on with the plan we've contrived. Here's hoping they're just as delighted with this development as we are.
Wawalago: If I might trouble you with a trifling task, [Forename] I'd ask you to go alone. After all, Isari's only just been freed from the fetters of the Empire, and it's residents are surely only still acclimating themselves to the arrival of outsiders.
Wawalago: For my part, I'll stay behind and see if i can't spear myself a few more dafangshi for our Kojin friends. Though we have ourselves quite a haul already, the more the merrier, eh? 
Wawalago: Why don't you wander back to Isari and share our catch with that Jisho chap? You can jouney to and join us in Tamamizu when you're through.

Show the dafangshi to Jisho in Isari

Jisho: I would like nothing more than to revive the Wadatsumi festival, but the Kojin will never entertain our plea. Not without an offering of dafangshi, at least...

Upon giving the Dafangshi to Jisho

Jisho: Why, these- these are dafangshi! You went all the way to Yanxia to catch these for us? 
Jisho: I have no words, friend. You are far too kind, and a far more worthy fisherman than I. To think i would live to see that day Isari emerged from the shadow of the Empire to reclaim the glory of our past 
Jisho: I will round up the young ones. We must begin preparations for the festivities at once!
Jisho: In the meantime, pray deliver the dafangshi to the Kojin in my stead, and with my fondest regards. This should go far toward reforging the bonds of friendship that our peoples once shared.

Deliver the dafangshi to Ukimono in Tamamizu

Ukimono: Welcome back, friend. Govv says you come bearing a gift from the village of Isari? Dare i hope it is what i think it may be?

After giving the dafangshi(cutscene)

Ukimono: Why, I've not seen a haul of dafangshi like this in... I know not how many years. It would be my honor to join you in reviving the festivities of old. 
Ukimono: There is, however, but one rub. I am ashamed to admit this, but i am somewhat younger than my appearances might suggest, and my knowledge of the Wadatsumi is limited at best. 
Ukimono: All i ask for is time- time to seek the wisdom of my elders, and bring my brothers and sisters around to your cause. Worry not- there are many here in Tamamizu with fond memories of the olden days

Govv: Pssshhh! If there is anything I can do to help, you need only ssspeak the word! I will do anything to sssee the shoting ssstars- the harutsssuge- return to the seas as soon as possible!

Wawalago: I, too, will do aught I'm able to see that this festival is a smashing success. First things first, I'll head back to the guild and gather all the knowledge I can glean 
Wawalago: Yes, I daresay that right on my desk sits a comprehensive compendium on fishing festivals from Eorzea to the Far East. There's bound to be something illuminating writ within!

Reyna: Then for my part, I'll head back home and see if Ansaulme has anything enlightening to share. Besides, he'd never forgive me if he found out we were having so much fun without him.
Reyna: [Forename], why don't you head back home with Master Wawalago. And Govv, you seem to be on good terms with the Kojin- why not help recruit more of them to the cause? Till we meet again my friends!

Optional Dialogue

Govv: Pshhh... The Kojin were mossst impresssed with my ssspearfishing skillsss. I have no doubt they will join the fessstival with usss.

Reyna: Govv's managed to spear a healthy haul of dafangshi for us. There's no way the Kojin will refuse such generosity!

Wawalago: So Jisho and the Isari fishermen are fixing to bring back the festival as well? Fantastic!

Ukimono: I promise you it will not take long to convince my brothers and sisters of the worthiness of your cause. Pray afford me just a measure of time.

Turning in the quest

Wawalago: Back so briskly, are you? I'm happy to have your help, of course, but I daresay you're more than deserving of some rest and relaxation after all your toils and travails.
Wawalago: What say you practice your piscatorial skills while I pry further into the particulars of this Wadatsumi festival. After all, when the time comes, you'll want to be ready to fish and fish as you've never fished before!