PC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteA “whopper” in Monster Hunter Wilds is not one fixed fish. It is a category of large fish that triggers the game’s special reeling minigame. Guides point to the lake in Scarlet Forest Area 17 as the place to look, and the catch is tied to Kanya’s fishing quest, The Catch of a Lifetime.
Where to search in Scarlet Forest Area 17
Head to the lake in Scarlet Forest Area 17. Guide coverage describes the search area in slightly different terms, and these descriptions are compatible rather than contradictory:
- Above the dam: PC Gamer describes the lake above the dam as the spot to fish.
- Northern edge: Shacknews advises searching along the northern side of the lake.
- Deep side: PowerPyx points to the deep side of the lake, where the player character cannot walk.
Treat these as a broad search zone rather than a single marked point. The guides do not agree on which bank is most productive, so if one edge comes up empty, scan another. Visible cues that guides mention include unusually large fish, fins breaking the surface, and disturbed or churning water. These are signs worth casting toward, but they are not a guaranteed indicator that a whopper will bite.
Accept the quest before you cast
Kanya gives the quest. Accept The Catch of a Lifetime before you hook the fish. According to the guide coverage, a catch made before the quest is accepted does not count toward its objective, so get the quest first and then go fishing.
Choosing a lure: Tuff Joint Bait or Duster Rig
Several guides mention two lures that come through Kanya’s fishing quest progression: Tuff Joint Bait and Duster Rig. The guides disagree about which one they used or recommend, so the choice is not settled. Use whichever lure you have unlocked, and if the game prompts you about compatibility with the fish you are targeting, follow that prompt.
| Lure | How guides describe getting it | What guides say about using it |
|---|---|---|
| Tuff Joint Bait | Through Kanya’s fishing quest progression | Named by some guides as a lure to use; not established as mandatory |
| Duster Rig | Through Kanya’s fishing quest progression | Named by other guides as a lure to use; not established as mandatory |
Hooking and reeling the whopper
The fight is a movement-based minigame, and it follows the fish rather than a fixed pattern. Control inputs differ between platforms and control schemes, so match the on-screen prompts to your own setup. The general sequence reported in guides is:
- Cast toward a visible large fish or a churning patch of water along the lake edge you chose.
- When the fish bites, watch which way it heads before you do anything else.
- When the fish pulls, move the rod in the same direction the fish is moving.
- When the fish jumps, react in the direction it is travelling, not against it.
- When the fish tires and stops pulling, reel it in.
If you can, keep the line in open water. Guides note that nearby obstacles make the encounter harder, because they limit how far you can follow the fish.
What counts as a whopper
“Whopper” describes a large fish that starts the special minigame, so the label depends on the fish’s size and type rather than on one species. Guides list the following as examples: Gajau, Speartuna, Great Trevally, Swordfish, Tuna, and Gastronome Tuna. The guides do not share one complete list, so read these as examples rather than a full roster of qualifying fish.
Rank #3
- Used Book in Good Condition
If no large fish appear
Some guides suggest fishing in the morning under the Plenty environmental condition. Other coverage names Area 17 as a productive location without tying it to a time or environment. Treat the morning and Plenty suggestion as something to try, not a requirement. The guides examined here do not establish exact time-of-day, season, weather, or respawn rules, so there is no confirmed schedule to plan around. A practical sequence is:
- Scan a different edge of the lake, starting with the northern shore and then the deep side.
- Switch to the other lure you have unlocked.
- Try fishing in the morning under the Plenty condition, and note whether the fish appear.
If none of these produce a large fish after repeated attempts, the guides provide no further fix, so it is worth checking a more recent walkthrough for any changes made after the coverage described here.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
