Destiny 2 Exotic Fish Broken Blade Fishing Guide and Locations

Strange treasures hide beneath Destiny 2’s tranquil waters-rare Exotic fish that shimmer with secrets and Broken Blades that whisper of hidden power. Here’s how guardians can track them down before they vanish with the tide.

But shortly after launch, a mystery surrounding missing Exotic fish started to unfold inside the Destiny 2 fishing community. Weeks after it was first datamined, one of the mysterious Exotic fish finally appeared in-game on Tuesday, June 20. And by depositing it into their aquariums, players picked up the “Broken Blade of Strife” item. Since then, two more Exotic fish, as well as the “Broken Blade of Ambition” and the “Broken Blade of Cunning,” have entered the game as well.

In this Destiny 2 guide, we’ll explain how to catch the missing Exotic fish and what to do with the Broken Blades once you earn them.

How to catch Exotic fish

Catching Exotic fish requires patience and precise timing during fishing events. Use the correct bait for each fishing location-Coil, EDZ, or Nessus-and increase your focus meter by catching normal and rare fish first. Higher focus levels raise the odds of Exotic fish appearing. Participate during active fishing spots with community players to improve spawn rates and watch for shimmering water, which signals a better chance at rare catches.

The Kheprian Axehead was the only Exotic fish in the game for the first four weeks of the season, and you could only catch it at whatever the featured fishing location was for the week. However, on June 20, Bungie added Fishing Rallies to the game. And – after a bug fix – players were finally able to catch a second Exotic fish, native only to Savathun’s Throneworld: the Whispering Mothcarp. During the week of June 27, the Nessus Fishing Rally appeared in-game, allowing players to also catch the Vexing Placoderm Exotic fish. And finally, on the week of July 4, the EDZ Fishing Rally appeared, and with it the Aeonian Alpha-Betta Exotic fish.

Here’s how to catch all four Exotic fish in Destiny 2:

• Whispering Mothcarp: Fish in Savathun’s Throne World when it’s the featured location for a chance to catch it.
• Vexing Placoderm: Fish on Nessus when it’s the featured location for a chance to catch it.
• Aeonian Alpha-Betta: Fish in the EDZ when it’s the featured location for a chance to catch it.
• Kheprian Axehead: Fish on any featured location for a chance to catch it.

Note: Exotic fish are very rare, and it’s not uncommon to use over 100 bait without a single Exotic.

Turning in any Exotic fish to the kiosk in the HELM will net you an Exotic piece of armor. But the first time you deposit each of the Exotic fish you’ll also pick up one of three mysterious new items: the Broken Blade of Strife, the Broken Blade of Ambition, or the Broken Blade of Cunning.

What do you do with the Broken Blades?

Broken Blades can be exchanged at the H.E.L.M. for fishing rewards or reputation progress toward seasonal vendors. After catching one during fishing activities, visit the correct vendor to trade it for materials or gear tied to the season’s activity. Holding onto several Broken Blades can also increase your odds of receiving rare or Exotic fish during later fishing sessions.

Each time you get a Broken Blade, it will add a new perk to your Fishing Tackle, saying which blade you have and where you got it. These perks are relatively useless until you – or someone you know – has all three. Once you’ve gotten the Broken Blade of Strife, Ambition, and Cunning, they’ll merge into a single perk that reads: “Broken Blades have been claimed from the EDZ, Throne World, and Nessus.”

Once you have this perk, you’ll be able to interface with all three secret statues in the Deep Dive seasonal activity, which will unlock a secret door that leads to the timed Exotic mission Whetstone, which rewards the Wicked ImplementExotic scout rifle.

While access to the Whetstone Exotic mission is the primary reward for the Exotic fish (in addition to the Exotic armor, that is), you’ll also get a special Triumph – Exotic Angler – and an adorable emblem called “Pond Pals” if you manage to catch all four.

Update 1 (June 28): We’ve updated this guide to reflect the addition of the second hidden Exotic fish, Vexing Placoderm, and the Broken Blade of Ambition. Both were added to the game on June 27th.

Best bait farming routes for Destiny 2 fishing

Bait farming in Destiny 2 focuses on quick, repeatable activities that drop Fishing Tackle consumables, with Heroic Public Events and Patrols offering the highest efficiency per minute. Team up with friends for optimal speed by alternating tasks. Use a Resource Detector Ghost mod to gain extra bait from planetary materials.​

Top Solo Route: EDZ Patrols + Lost Sectors

Patrols in the EDZ (Outskirts/Tether) yield 2 bait each and respawn instantly for chaining.

• Run EDZ Lost Sector (e.g., “Skydock IV”) repeatedly: 4 bait per 2-minute clear.​

• Equip Resource Detector Ghost for 1 bait per EDZ material cluster while patrolling.​

• Cycle 10+ Patrols between events; expect 50-70 bait in 20-30 minutes solo.​

Best Group Route: Heroic Public Events

Heroic Public Events drop 5-10 bait each and last 5-7 minutes.

• EDZ or Nessus: Chain “Capture the Beacon” or “Disrupt” events from orbit; grab nearby Patrols simultaneously.​

• Fireteam splits tasks-one group events, others Patrols-for 100+ bait/hour.​

• Prioritize zones near fishing spots (EDZ Outskirts) to farm bait then fish seamlessly.​

Activity Comparison

Stock 50-70 bait before Exotic fishing sessions at active spots, as multiplayer Focused Fishing boosts rare catches.​

Most efficient playlist activities for bait per hour

Strikes and Gambit playlist activities provide consistent Fishing Tackle (bait) rewards in Destiny 2’s Season of the Deep, typically 10 bait per completion, outperforming Crucible due to shorter match times.​

Strike Efficiency

Strikes average 6-8 minutes per run on Normal mode, yielding 10 bait plus occasional extras from planetary materials.

• Vanguard Ops playlist rotates quick strikes like “The Arms Dealer” or “The Glassway” for 75-100 bait per hour solo.​

• Use a loadout with high enemy clear speed (e.g., Well of Radiance Warlock) to chain runs without matchmaking delays.​

Gambit Efficiency

Gambit matches last 8-12 minutes and drop 10 bait reliably, hitting 60-80 bait per hour with minimal skill floor.

• Prioritize envoys and bank motes quickly to end games faster; avoid overtime losses.​

• Pairs well with strike queues during downtime for hybrid farming.

Comparison Table

Playlist activities trail patrols/heroics (120+ bait/hour) but suit passive farming while earning seasonal progress.​