Forgive me for being a dummy and bumping an old thread, but I am confused. What is the actual benefit of halcyon or composite over clothes pole? Does it hook a fish more frequently? Does it get skill ups faster? Or does it just break less often?

I've been trying to start up on fishing for about 3 days now and have totaled about 6 hours in Selbina getting to skill level 1.3 (I think) with clothes pole and little worm (while unsuccessfully lfp as a 17 blm). Like 8 stacks of nearly worthless Cobalt Jellyfish. I possibly wouldn't mind a little more initial investment if it reduced this torture. The only reason I've continued this far is because I can farm on my alt while fishing.

I may just not have the patience for this, but I'm trying. Way back in retail I fished to about level 14. I only went until I found better means of making gil past moat and gold carp. Fishing is a little more appealing here since I can dual box, which I never did in retail, but damn it is tough starting out.

So again, is there any actual benefit starting with something better than a clothes pole?

Composite has the best bite rate and pretty much unbreakable by any normal fish so you can go 1-98 with it and have no issues

Not to mention cobalts are around 1300/stack. You don't make a ton better money than that for a good few levels.

Yeah cobalts sell great

I switched to composite and did Selbina for a while. It is hard to say, but the bite rate may have been better. The most noticeable thing was I pulled up two silver rings which never happened with the clothes pole.

Interestingly, I saw people bitching about the same thing (starting fishing in Selbina) and someone suggested Port Windurst. I'm now trying my luck there with the sabiki rig which seems to be going better.