ESO Abyssal Grenadier is one of four rare fish required for the High Seas Master Angler achievement during the High Seas of Tamriel event. Despite its deep-sea name, you won’t find it by exploring the underwater areas or defeating the event’s bosses. Instead, it’s caught from special Abecean Saltwater Fishing Holes off the Gold Coast, near the Riotous Redress anchorage.
The challenge with catching ESO Abyssal Grenadier is finding the correct fishing holes and getting the rare fish to appear. There’s no separate boss drop or special fishing quest involved, but you may catch duplicates of the other event fish before getting the one you need. Using the right bait and ESO’s existing fishing bonuses can help, and your fishing attempts can also contribute towards the event’s Golden Pursuits objectives.
ESO Abyssal Grenadier Location
ESO Abyssal Grenadier can be caught from Abecean Saltwater Fishing Holes, located in the waters off the Gold Coast near the Anchorage for the Riotous Redress.
Travel to the Gold Coast and head towards Anvil, where the High Seas of Tamriel event takes place. Look for the Riotous Redress anchorage and search the surrounding waters for fishing spots specifically labelled Abecean Saltwater Fishing Hole.
These are event-specific fishing spots, separate from the ordinary saltwater holes found elsewhere around the Gold Coast. You need the Abecean holes for the High Seas Master Angler achievement, so check the interaction name before casting your line.
Each fishing hole has a limited number of catches before becoming exhausted. Once that happens, move to another active Abecean Saltwater Fishing Hole nearby. There’s no need to travel across the Gold Coast or enter the underwater daily quest area to find a different fishing location for this species.
Best Bait for ESO Abyssal Grenadier
The correct bait for ESO Abyssal Grenadier is Worms or Chub, both of which are used for saltwater fishing in The Elder Scrolls Online.
All four High Seas Master Angler fish belong to the Salt category, so you can keep using the same bait while working towards the achievement. Neither Worms nor Chub is confirmed to have a special advantage when targeting Abyssal Grenadier specifically.
Using bait intended for another water type can result in Used Bait rather than the catches you’re looking for. Bring enough Worms or Chub for several fishing holes, particularly if you’re hoping to complete all four rare-fish requirements during the same session.
How to Improve Your Chances of Catching ESO Abyssal Grenadier
Rare fishing catches in ESO are affected by several existing bonuses. None guarantees Abyssal Grenadier specifically, but they can improve your chances of obtaining trophy fish or reduce the time between catches.
Angler’s Instincts is a slottable Champion Point star in the Craft discipline that increases your chance of catching higher-quality fish. Its effect is comparable to fishing alongside another player and can stack with similar bonuses.
Reel Technique, another slottable Craft Champion Point star, reduces the time it takes for a fish to bite by 25%. It doesn’t specifically increase the chance of catching Abyssal Grenadier, but it allows you to complete more fishing attempts during a session.
You can also use Artaeum Pickled Fish Bowl, a food that improves the chance of catching higher-quality fish. The food can be crafted with its recipe or obtained from other players, making it an option for anyone who wants an additional fishing bonus.
If you have the companion Sharp-as-Night, his Sharp’s Patience perk improves the chance of catching trophy fish and slightly reduces fishing time. ZeniMax has confirmed that the perk works alongside Reel Technique, fishing food and other fishing bonuses.
Fishing alongside other players can also improve your chances of receiving higher-quality catches. Shared fishing holes become exhausted more quickly, so you’ll need to move between active spots as a group.
ESO Abyssal Grenadier and High Seas Master Angler Rewards
Catching ESO Abyssal Grenadier completes one of the four requirements for the High Seas Master Angler achievement.
The full checklist includes:
- Pelican Eel
- Abecean Slaughterfish
- Abyssal Grenadier
- Pelagic Lanternfish
You only need to catch each species once. After landing Abyssal Grenadier, open your Achievements menu and check High Seas Master Angler to confirm that the fish has registered.
Completing all four requirements awards 5 achievement points. The achievement doesn’t list a separate cosmetic or collectible reward.
High Seas Master Angler is also separate from Flight of the Albatross, which awards the Arcing Ornaug Energy collectible associated with the Suncleft Grotto Ornaug mount. The fishing achievement isn’t one of the eight requirements for Flight of the Albatross, so you don’t need to catch these four fish specifically to earn that mount fragment.
Golden Pursuits Fishing Objectives
Fishing for ESO Abyssal Grenadier can also contribute towards the Set Sail on the High Seas Golden Pursuits campaign.
Two objectives require players to fish from Abecean Saltwater Fishing Holes 10 times and 20 times. Since these are the same fishing spots used for High Seas Master Angler, you can make progress on both activities without changing locations.
The Golden Pursuits objectives count fishing activity at the event holes rather than requiring a particular rare species. You can therefore complete those tasks before catching Abyssal Grenadier, or continue fishing for the trophy after the objectives are finished.
For the complete task list and milestone rewards, see our ESO Set Sail on the High Seas Golden Pursuits guide.
What If ESO Abyssal Grenadier Isn’t Dropping?
If ESO Abyssal Grenadier isn’t appearing, first check that you’re fishing from an Abecean Saltwater Fishing Hole rather than an ordinary Gold Coast fishing spot. Make sure you’re using Worms or Chub, then check your High Seas Master Angler achievement to see whether the fish has already registered.
The achievement uses the same collection of event fishing holes for all four species, and duplicates are possible. You might catch multiple Pelican Eels or Pelagic Lanternfish before receiving an Abyssal Grenadier, even when your location and bait are correct.
There is no documented separate spawn location or bait combination that guarantees an Abyssal Grenadier. If you’re using the correct fishing holes and saltwater bait, continue fishing and move to another active hole whenever one becomes exhausted.
Do You Need to Complete Bounty of the Abecean Sea?
ESO Abyssal Grenadier isn’t a reward for completing Bounty of the Abecean Sea, the repeatable High Seas daily quest. It’s caught through fishing, so defeating Krelzimar or clearing the underwater sections won’t directly award the fish.
The High Seas Master Angler achievement doesn’t list completion of the daily quest as a requirement. Players have also reported accessing the event fishing holes without first completing the full underwater route on that character.
If you’re unable to find a fishing hole, check the waters near the Riotous Redress anchorage rather than searching the Dwemer diving chamber or underwater boss areas.
When Does ESO Abyssal Grenadier Become Unavailable?
High Seas of Tamriel runs from September 30 until October 14, 2026, making October 14 the deadline for completing the fishing achievement during its confirmed event window.
Because rare catches depend on chance, you may need several fishing sessions to collect all four species. Once Abyssal Grenadier has registered, you can continue using the same fishing holes and bait for whichever other High Seas Master Angler fish you’re missing.
Catching ESO Abyssal Grenadier comes down to using the correct event fishing holes and waiting for the rare catch to appear. You won’t need to search for a hidden underwater spawn or defeat a particular boss, and the same Worms or Chub bait works for all four High Seas Master Angler fish.
Fishing bonuses can help shorten the hunt, especially if Abyssal Grenadier is the last species missing from your achievement. Once all four fish have registered, you’ll receive the five achievement points for High Seas Master Angler.
Official source: The Elder Scrolls Online: High Seas of Tamriel Event
