How to Catch a Chirurgeon in Final Fantasy XIV: Your Complete Guide to This Tricky Fish

Let’s be honest—fishing in Final Fantasy XIV can be about as exciting as watching paint dry, until you need to catch something specific for an event. Enter the Chirurgeon, that sneaky little fish that’s probably caused more frustration than a raid wipe at 1% boss health. But don’t worry, we’ve got your back with this step-by-step guide that’ll have you reeling in this slippery customer faster than you can say “Mooch.”

Getting Started: What You Need to Know About the Chirurgeon

The Chirurgeon isn’t your average catch-and-release situation. This particular fish is tied to the Minimog Challenge during certain Final Fantasy XIV events, and trust me, you’ll want those Irregular Tomestones of Allegory it rewards. Think of it as your ticket to some sweet cosmetic gear that’ll make your Warrior of Light look absolutely fabulous.

Here’s the thing, though—you can’t just waltz up to any fishing spot and expect this fish to bite. The Chirurgeon has standards, apparently. It requires a specific location, specific bait, and a whole lot of patience (the emotion, not the fishing skill, though you might need that too).

Step-by-Step: Your Chirurgeon Catching Adventure

Preparation Phase: Gear Up and Head Out

First things first—you need to get yourself to The Bannock in the Central Shroud. The easiest way? Teleport to Bentbranch Meadows and take a pleasant stroll north. It’s like a nature walk, except you’re about to engage in some serious piscine warfare.

Once you arrive at The Bannock, hunt down the Merchant and Mender. This NPC is your new best friend because they’re selling Moth Pupa bait. Stock up—you’ll need these little grubs for the first part of your fishing expedition.

The Two-Step Fish Dance

Here’s where things get interesting (and slightly ridiculous). You can’t catch a Chirurgeon directly. Oh no, that would be too simple for Final Fantasy XIV. Instead, you need to catch a fish to catch a fish. It’s like Russian nesting dolls, but with more scales.

Head to the river near The Bannock and cast your line with that Moth Pupa. Your target? A Striped Goby. These little guys are relatively common, so you shouldn’t have too much trouble snagging one. Once you’ve got your Striped Goby flopping around in your inventory, the real fun begins.

The Mooch Maneuver: Using Fish as Bait

Time to put that Mooch skill to work. If you’re a free trial player, you’ll be using Mooch II—because apparently, even fishing skills have premium versions in this game. Use your freshly caught Striped Goby as bait and cast that line again.

Now comes the waiting game. You’re looking for a very specific bite pattern—three exclamation points (!!!). This is the Chirurgeon’s calling card, like a fishy autograph. Any other bite pattern? That’s not your target, so feel free to ignore it or reel it in for experience points.

Sealing the Deal: Hooking Your Prize

When you see those three exclamation points, your heart might skip a beat. Don’t panic! If you’ve got Patience or Patience II active, use Precision Hookset to maximize your chances. No patience buff? The regular Hook skill will do just fine—this isn’t rocket science, it’s just fishing.

Successfully reel in that Chirurgeon, and congratulations! You’ve just conquered one of Final Fantasy XIV‘s more annoying fishing challenges. Head over to the Mogpendium to claim those sweet, sweet Irregular Tomestones of Allegory.

Remember, fishing in MMORPGs is supposed to be relaxing, but somehow it always ends up being the most stressful part of any event. At least now you know exactly what to do when the Chirurgeon Challenge rolls around again.