There is no one "best" way to level fishing from 0-100. But what I have tried to do with this guide is provide you with what I feel are the best suggestions in terms of location and rod/bait combinations that will allow you to level up fishing depending on whether you decide to focus on completing the Lu Shang's Quest, making FFXI Gil, or skilling up as quickly as possible. Yes there are other options, and I encourage you to research them at each stage of your fishing career, but I feel that the suggestions below represent the best choices out of all the alternatives based on my own experiences and that of other fishers.

This section of the guide basically provides you with locations and rod/bait combinations that will allow you to get consistent skill ups by targeting specific fish, while catching Carp that you can turn in for the Lu Shang's at the same time. As far as I can tell this is the easiest way to complete this very difficult quest for you level 0-11 and wish you to get more Final Fantasy XI Gil.

Your target fish: Crayfish (0/7), Moat Carp (0/11).The locations are: Bastok Markets (Waterway), Eastern Altepa Desert, Jugner Forest (Lake/River), Korroloka Tunnel (Pond), La Theine Plateau, North San d'Oria, Rabao, Rolanberry Fields (Pond), West Ronfaure, West Ronfaure (Knight well), West Saratubaruta (Pond), Windurst (Walls/Waters/Woods), Yhoator Jungle (Underground), Zeruhn Mines (River).

Rod: Carbon, Clothes pole, Composite, Fastwater, Glass Fiber, Halcyon, Hume, Mithran, Single Hook, Tarutaru, Willow, Yew. And the bait is Little Worm, Robber Rig, and Rogue Rig.

Outdoor areas yield better Carp rates than cities, but at the increased risk of broken poles and caught monsters. Knight well is my personal favorite for this stretch with good bite rates and easy access to Little Worms (purchased from Lusiane at F-8 in South San d'Oria), as well as quick Moat Carp turn ins. Tricolored Carp, Gold Carp, and Giant Catfish can break Carbon/Hume Rods, so you will most likely be better off using the Mithran/Halcyon in certain areas, but be aware that the occasional Arrowhead Log in Jugner Forest, West Ronfaure, or the jungles could snap it, if you are concerned about rod breaks use the Composite. In all other outdoor areas the fishable mobs are under level 30. Once you reach level 7 fishing skill, you should consider switching from Little Worms to Insect Balls in order to isolate Moat Carp without costing too much of your Cheap FFXI Gil.