D&D 5E Running a fishing skill check

[Tonguez]

Using a line or Net is a Survival Check
Spear Fishing uses Dexterity v AC 12

Difficult when Fishing
Calm Water DC 10
Rough Water DC 12
Open Sea DC 15
Storm Surge DC+5

• Rolls below DC by -5: Roll Random Fishing Encounter
• Rolls below DC: junk roll. Roll 1d6 1 - 3 Nothing, 4 Old Boot, 5 Map in a bottle, 6 lost jewlery
• Rolls that meet DC: A common fish is caught. 1-5 lb, edible, 1d10sp value
• Rolls exceeding DC by 5+: A larger or rarer fish is caught. 10-20 lb, 1d10gp value
• Rolls exceeding DC by 10+: A trophy fish 30+ lb, rare species, sells for 50+5d10 gp

Random Fishing Encounters

• 1 Venomous Fish (eg Lionfish)
• 2 Barracuda/Giant Eel attack
• 3 Fishing Gear lost
• 4 Giant Aquatic Creature on line* (Combat eg Marlin/Sturgeon, Shark, Sea Serpent, Skum)
• 5 Sea Hag trinket (cursed)
• 6 Unexpected Artifact
• 7 Seafolk encounter (Social/Combat?)
• 8 Capsized/Pulled into water

 

[Stormonu]

Oddly, Spelljammer has a section on fishing as well.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Oddly, Spelljammer has a section on fishing as well.

Space fish!

 

[Reynard]

What stat would you use for a skill check?

Patience.

Fishing, like most real world skills, is extremely multidimensional. You need to know what and how to bait, you need to be able to cast, you need to be able to set the hook, you have to know how to reel in without breaking the line, and so on. In general, D&D uses Wisdom with naturalistic skills, so I would do that.