Shimmering beneath Dredge’s dark currents lies the elusive Aurora Jellyfish-an ethereal creature whose glow marks one of the game’s rarest sights. Tracking it down requires patience, timing, and a keen sense for the sea’s quiet patterns.
The Researcher is located at the Old Fortress in the Stellar Basion, the series of islands on the southwest corner of Dredge‘s map. She’s doing research on the monster in the center of the islands – oh, yes… be careful of that – and needs three fish: Glowing Octopus, Firefly Squid, and Aurora Jellyfish. The first two are relatively easy; if you sail around the island, at night, fishing at several different spots, you’ll easy catch a few.
But the Aurora Jellyfish won’t show up, because you need another piece of equipment for that: a Trawl Net.
Where to find a Trawl Net in Dredge
You can get a Trawl Net by researching it in the Nets tab of the Research menu, then purchasing it from a Shipwright or Travelling Merchant once it becomes available in their stock. To access that research, first upgrade your boat at the Dry Dock to add net slots, which also enables the related research node. After you spend a Research Part on the Coastal Trawl Net, it will appear for sale at locations like Starlight Pontoon or other regional Shipyards, where you can buy and equip it before heading to Stellar Basin for Aurora Jellyfish.
You can buy a Trawl Net if you don’t have one already, and you can upgrade them using Research Parts. At the Stellar Basin, you’ll want to equip the Trawl Net and simply sail around the coastal areas of the island. Make sure it’s at night. It may take a few minutes, but if you’re in the right area, you’ll eventually nab an Aurora Jellyfish. Dredge makes a little ding sound when something’s been caught in your net, but if you haven’t caught one yet, you’ll get a notification that it’s been added to your Encyclopedia, too.
How to get and equip Trawl Net in Dredge
To get and equip a Trawl Net in Dredge, first upgrade your boat at a dry dock to add net slots, then purchase the net from the Shipwright or Travelling Merchant.
Boat Upgrade (Net Slots)
-
Sail to any dock with a Dry Dock (like Greater Yarmouth or Dusty Pontoon early-game).
-
Gather 2 Cloth and 1 Wood by dredging shipwrecks.
-
Spend the materials at the Dry Dock to unlock +4 net spaces (this also enables the Nets research tab).
Buying the Net
-
Visit the Shipwright (at the docks) or Travelling Merchant.
-
Buy the Basic Trawl Net for $250 (no research needed) or upgrade to Improved Trawl Net ($300, requires 1 Research Part).
-
It goes into your new Net inventory tab.
Equipping and Using
-
Open your Equipment menu (inventory screen) and assign the Trawl Net to one of your new net slots.
-
While sailing, deploy it via the radial ability menu (hold the interact key to open, select the net icon).
-
It passively catches fish (like Coastal species for Aurora Jellyfish) as you move-check the Net tab for catches.
Best nets to upgrade to after Basic Trawl Net
After the Basic Trawl Net, prioritize the Improved Trawl Net for better yield and duration, then move to specialized nets like Silt Filtering or Tempered Mesh based on your fishing needs.
Immediate Upgrade Path
-
Improved Trawl Net: Costs $300 and 1 Research Part; boosts yield to ~10 fish/day over 2 days with 5×6 capacity-ideal for general use and early quests like Aurora Jellyfish.
-
Silt Filtering Trawl Net or Tempered Mesh Net: Both $350 and 2 Research Parts; offer ~12 fish/day over 2 days with 6×6 capacity (Silt excels at filtering junk, Tempered adds durability).
Advanced/Large Nets
-
Large Trawl Net: $400 and 3 Research Parts; 8×8 capacity for bigger hauls, great mid-game for volume.
-
Heavy Duty Trawl Net: $800 and 4 Research Parts; top base-game option at ~18 fish/day over 3 days with 9×10 capacity.
DLC Considerations
-
If you have The Pale Reach DLC, skip ahead to Radiant Trawl Net (quest reward)-it’s the overall best, catching Ice/Coastal/Oceanic/Shallow fish with 7×7 capacity over 3 days.
| Net | Cost/Research | Yield/Duration | Capacity | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Improved Trawl | $300/1 | ~10/2 days | 5×6 | General early upgrade |
| Silt Filtering | $350/2 | ~12/2 days | 6×6 | Low junk |
| Heavy Duty | $800/4 | ~18/3 days | 9×10 | Max volume (base game) |
| Radiant (DLC) | Quest | High/3 days | 7×7 | All fish types |
Buy from Shipwright or Travelling Merchant after boat upgrades; equip via inventory and deploy from radial menu while sailing.
