Following on from my combined Fishing and Cooking guide, here's a straight 1 to 300 cooking guide using materials found on mobs.

Please note it is a LOT easier and cheaper to level your cooking whilst leveling your Fishing at the same time.

I've tried to pick the cheapest, easiest and quickest recipes to make and where possilbe I've tried to stick to trainer only recipes. So get your попа to a cooking trainer and pick up the apprentice cooking skill.
Once you've trained as an apprentice cook, you'll have 3 recipes to start with (along with the fire making skill), they are as follows: 

Herb Baked Egg
Roasted Boar Meat
Charred Wolf Meat

So of these recipes, you'll only be wanting to use the Roasted Boar Meat or Charred Wolf Meat recipes, as they dont need any other reagents to cook.

So lets start cooking

Horde

Levels 1 to 40

Kill any of the following:
Mottled Boars around Orgrimmar for Chunks of Boar Meat.
Wolves and Stalkers around Mulgore for Stringy Wolf Meat.
Darkhounds around Tirisfal Glades for Stringy Wolf Meat.

You'll need about 45 Wolf Meat or about 55 Boar Meat.
Cook the Boar Meat and Stringy Wolf Meat until 40 (train on Spiced Wolf Meat at level 10 and use this to get skill ups quicker, but you'll have to buy mild spices).

At this point you really should take up Fishing as it's easier to fill the gaps, patriculary if your on the Horde side. But people have requested a cooking only guide, so let's try and stick to mob drops.

Levels 41 to 90

At level 50 train as Journeyman Cook.
Goto The Sepulcher in Silverpine Forest and buy the Smoked Bear Meat recipe from Andrew Hilbert.
Kill Grizzled Bears around Silverpine Forest for Bear Meat.
You'll need about 60.

Levels 91 to 125

Go find Grub in The Barrens. He's in a Tower by Grosh'gek Farm, just north off the road between Crossroads and Ratchet and pick up the quest for Dig Rat stew.
Kill Dig Rats until you have about 30 more than the quest needs. Complete quest and cook Dig Rat Stew till your level 125.

Levels 126 to 175

To Train as a Expert cook, goto Shadowprey Village and buy the Expert Cooking Book from Wulan.
Goto Razor Hill and buy Hot Lion Chops recipe from Zargh and about 60 Hot Spices.
Kill Mountain Lions around Hillsbrad Foothills for Lion Meat.
You'll need about 60.

Levels 176 to 200

Goto Grom'gol and buy Roast Raptor recipe from Nerrist and about 30 Hot Spices.
Kill Raptors around Grom'gol for Raptor Flesh.
You'll need about 30.

Levels 201 to 225

Goto trainer and train Spider Sausage.
Kill Darkfangs around Dustwallow Marsh for White Spider Meat.
You'll need about 30.

Level 225

Goto Gadgetzan and speak to Dirge Quikcleave to obtain Artisan cooking quest - Clamlette Surprize (he's in the tavern). Whilst your there, pick up the recipe for Tender Wolf Steaks.
You'll need 12 Giant Eggs, 10 zesty Clam Meat and 20 Alterac Swiss. The Alterac Swiss is the easiest to get, just goto the Inn in Thunderbluff and buy them from the Innkepper . Get the eggs from the Owlbeasts in The Hinterlands (the drop rate is way better than the Rocs in Tanaris). For the clam meat goto Steamwheedle Port in Tanaris and kill the Turtles. They will drop Big Mouth Clams at a good rate, which contain Zesty clam Meat.
Keep killing Owlbeasts in The Hinterlands and grab another 70-80 eggs. Also kill the Wolves round here for Tender Wolf Meat.
Goto Bloodvenom Post in Felwood and buy the Monster Omelet recipe from Bale and about 140-160 Soothing Spices (this is where it gets really expensive. Take up fishing already, it's cheaper).

Levels 226 to 285

Stay in Felwood and cook those eggs for Monster Omelets and any Tender Wolf Meat you got. If you didnt have enough to get you to 285, go kill the Wolves around Felwood for Tender Wolf Meat and make Tender Wolf Steaks.

Levels 286 to 300

Goto Cenarion Hold in Silithus and speak to Calandrath for the Desert Recipe chain of quests. When you get to the third quest you'll get the recipe for Smoked Desert Dumplings.
Kill Dredge Crushers and Strikers for the Sandworm Meat (low drop rate). You'll only need about 10 more than the quest needs plus the soothing spices (about 20 in total).
Cook till 300.

Congratulations, your now a Master Cook BTW did I mention how much easier it would be if you actually used Fishing aswell?

Alliance

As a member of the Alliance you'll have an easier time finding reagents for the lower level recipes.

Levels 1 to 40

Kill any of the following:
Crag Boars around Dun Morogh for Chunks of Boar Meat.
Boars around Elwynn Forest for Chunks of Boar Meat.
Crag and Mountain Boars around Loch Modan for Chunks of Boar Meat. 
Thistle Boars around Teldrassil for Chunks of Boar Meat.
Wolves around Elwynn Forest Stringy Wolf Meat.
Wolves around Dun Morogh Stringy Wolf Meat.

You'll need about 45 Wolf Meat or about 55 Boar Meat.
Cook the Boar Meat and Stringy Wolf Meat until 40 (you can train on Spiced Wolf Meat at level 10 and use this to get skill ups quicker, but you'll have to buy mild spices).

Levels 41 to 75

Goto Drac Roughcut in Thelsamar, Loch Modan and buy Smoked Bear Meat recipe.
Kill bears around Loch Modan for Bear Meat.

Levels 76 to 85

Train as Journeyman cook and get Crab Cake recipe.
Kill Crawlers around Darkshore and Westfall for Crawler meat.
You'll need about 10. N.B. Dont sell the Crawler Claws, you'll need them for the next stage.

Levels 86 to 100

Goto Stormwind City and buy Crooked Crab Claw recipe from Kendor Kabonka. Get about 20 mild spices.
Go back to Darkshore or Westfall and continue killing Crawlers.
You'll need about 20.

Levels 101 to 130

Goto Chef Grual (geddit?, grual - gruel?...oh nevermind) in Darkshire and get the Seasoned Wolf Kabobs quest.
Get the Stormwind Seasoning Herbs from Felcia Gump in Stormwind (Trade District).
Kill Ravagers and Wolves around Duskwood for Lean wolf Flank.
You'll need about 50-60 (including the ones you need for quest).N.B. you could get the Lean Wolf Steak recipe from Super Seller 680 in Desolace and continue killing until your cooking is upto 150+ and then skip the next step).


Levels 131 to 175

At level 125 train as Expert Cook.
To Train as a Expert cook, goto Shandrina by Mystral Lake in Ashenvale and buy the Expert cookbook.
Goto Kendor Kabonka in Stormwind City and buy the Curiously Tasty Omelet recipe.
Kill Raptors in Arathi Highlands for Raptor Eggs.
You'll need about 55 Eggs and 55 Hot Spices.

Levels 176 to 200

Goto Chef Jessen in Southshore and get the Soothing Turtle Bisque quest.
Kill the Turtles all along the river between Southshore and Tarren Mill for Turtle Meat.
Keep killing them till you have about 40 meat, then hand in quest and cook till level 200.

Levels 201 to 225

Goto trainer and train Spider Sausage.
Kill Darkfangs around Dustwallow Marsh for White Spider Meat.
You'll need about 30.

Level 225

Goto Gadgetzan and speak to Dirge Quikcleave to obtain Artisan cooking quest - Clamlette Surprize (he's in the tavern). Whilst your here, pick up the Tender Wolf Steaks recipe.
You'll need 12 Giant Eggs, 10 zesty Clam Meat and 20 Alterac Swiss. The Alterac Swiss is the easiest to get, just goto the Trade District in Stormwind City and buy it from Ben Trias. Get the eggs from the Owlbeasts in The Hinterlands (the drop rate is way better than the Rocs in Tanaris). For the clam meat goto Steamwheedle Port in Tanaris and kill the Turtles. They will drop Big Mouth Clams at a good rate, which contain Zesty clam Meat.
Keep killing Owlbeasts in The Hinterlands and grab another 70-80 eggs. Also kill the Wolves round here for Tender Wolf Meat.
Goto Talonbranch Glade in Felwood and buy the Monster Omelet recipe from Malygen and about 140-160 Soothing Spices (this is where it gets really expensive. Take up fishing already, it's cheaper).

Levels 226 to 285

Stay in Felwood and cook those eggs for Monster Omelets and any Tender Wolf Meat you got. If you dont have enough to get you to 285, go kill the Wolves around Felwood for Tender Wolf Meat and make Tender Wolf Steaks.

Levels 286 to 300

Goto Cenarion Hold in Silithus and speak to Calandrath for the Desert Recipe chain of quests. When you get to the third quest you'll get the recipe for Smoked Desert Dumplings.
Kill Dredge Crushers and Strikers for the Sandworm Meat (low drop rate). You'll need about 10 more than the quest needs plus the soothing spices (20 in total).
Cook till 300.

However, I can't find any guide concerning the different items boosting the fishing competence, I decided to write one. So far I found about:

Fishing Pole:

- Blump Family Fishing Pole http://db.vanillagaming.org/?item=12225 (+3 but Alliance only)

- Strong Fishing Pole http://db.vanillagaming.org/?item=6365 (+5 but Horde only)

- Darkwood Fishing Pole http://db.vanillagaming.org/?item=6366 (+15)

- Big Iron Fishing Pole http://db.vanillagaming.org/?item=6367 (+20)

- Nat Pagle's Extreme Angler FC-5000 http://db.vanillagaming.org/?item=19022 (+25 but Horde only) 

- Arcanite Fishing Pole http://db.vanillagaming.org/?item=19970#reward-of (+35) (Booty Bay fishing contest)

Gear:

- Lucky Fishing Hat http://db.vanillagaming.org/?item=19972 (+5) (Booty Bay fishing contest)

- Nat Pagle's Extreme Anglin' Boots http://db.vanillagaming.org/?item=19969 (+5) (Booty Bay fishing contest)

- Enchant Gloves - Fishing http://db.vanillagaming.org/?item=11152 (+2) (Booty Bay fishing contest)

Lure:

- Shiny Bauble http://db.vanillagaming.org/?item=6529 (+25)

- Nightcrawlers http://db.vanillagaming.org/?item=6530 (+50)

- Flesh Eating Worm http://db.vanillagaming.org/?item=7307 (+75)

- Bright Baubles http://db.vanillagaming.org/?item=6532 (+75)

- Aquadynamic Fish Attractor http://db.vanillagaming.org/?item=6533 (+100) (Engineering craft)

Conclusion: If you get all the BiS fishing items, you can get up to 447 in fishing which means you don't acually need all the best items to get capped (425 is the max requirement)

Edit: I found several very good database to know more about fishing:

- Capsu.org: http://web.archive.org/web/20061224013148/http://www.capsu.org/wow/ (very complete guide, updated for BC tho)

- WoW-europe: http://web.archive.org/web/20070103152729/http://www.wow-europe.com/en/info/underdev/fishing.html (announce of the contest in 2006)

- Vanilla WoW.wikia: http://vanilla-wow.wikia.com/wiki/Fishing (meh guide but still)

- Thottbot: https://web.archive.org/web/20060428103526/http://www.thottbot.com/?s=fishing (most precise droprate informationfor every zones)

Is this information correct?

I'm currently Level 192 and it's taking more than 6 successful catches to skill up atm.

The original El's Anglin' REBORN website was launched in early 2017 from caches of the original El's Anglin' website, which no longer exists. This was merely put together just to have the information available, but the website itself was not particularly good. In late 2017, I began the work of revamping the website, to make it easier to navigate and overall improving the service. It holds much of the same information as before (if there's any missing content, or anything that needs to be done differently/better, let me know and I'll look into it). 

The new website now includes functional searching, expansion-limitations (there is content for classic, Burning Crusade and Wrath of the Lich King on the website, but you can filter this yourself), better overview of fishing-locations, pools and fishes. I'm continuously looking at improving the service; additional features may come soon! 

If you want to reach out to me, send me a message through the website's contact form, or you'll find me on Discord: Qirel#1300. 

https://www.elsanglinreborn.com/

I really wanted to use it to level my cooking and to use it in early dungeons.

Oily Blackmouth

If you have trouble finding these then go to Hillsbrad Foothills and fish from the ponds and rivers there. You will get a stack of Oily Blackmouth in about 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes. I tend to stay away from fishing these since the gold per hour is really low.

Recommended fishing skill: 150

*****************************
Stonescale Eel

Tanaris at Steamwheedle Port is a good spot for these. You will get a stack of Stonescale Eel in about 1 hour. Steemwheedle Port also gives you Raw Spotted Yellowtail (in large amounts) and clams (which gives you Zesty Clam Meat, and has a chance to give you a Golden Pearl).

Recommended fishing skill: 200

*****************************
Raw Nightfin Snapper

Feralas is a good spot. Horde players can safely stand in Camp Mojache and fish for these. You'll get about 1 stack of these in 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes. This fish and Raw Sunscale Salmon are time dependent. Below is the day-night cycle for these two fish.

• 12 Midnight to 6 AM → Raw Nightfin Snapper
• 6 AM to 12 Noon → Raw Nightfin Snapper & Raw Sunscale Salmon
• 12 Noon to 6 PM → Raw Sunscale Salmon
• 6 PM to 12 Midnight → Raw Nightfin Snapper & Raw Sunscale Salmon

Recommended fishing skill: 225

*****************************

Cooking

If you are going to cook then pick up fishing. Easiest 1-300 ever.

*****************************

• [1] Recipe: Brilliant Smallfish
• [50] Recipe: Rainbow Fin Albacore (Kilxx in Ratchet)
• [50] Recipe: Longjaw Mud Snapper
• [85] Recipe: Savory Deviate Delight (Rare drop in The Barrens)
• [100] Recipe: Bristle Whisker Catfish (Kilxx in Ratchet)
• [125] Expert Fishing – The Bass and You (Old Man Heming in Booty Bay)
• [175] Recipe: Mithril Head Trout (Kelsey Yance in Booty Bay)
• [225] Recipe: Spotted Yellowtail (Gikkix in Steamwheedle Port)
• [225] Recipe: Filet of Redgill (Kelsey Yance in Booty Bay)
• [240] Recipe: Grilled Squid (Gikkix in Steamwheedle Port) – Seasonal “fish”
• [250] Recipe: Nightfin Soup (Gikkix in Steamwheedle Port)
• [250] Recipe: Poached Sunscale Salmon (Gikkix in Steamwheedle Port)

*****************************

225 Cooking quest:

Gadgetzan. Zesty Clam Meat is found in the clams fished from Tanaris. Save them for this quest. Look in the auction house for the Giant Eggs whenever you visit a major city during your leveling time. You can buy them cheaply. Get the Alterac Swiss from wherever. Use a database.

*****************************

225 – 300:

Just cook 5-7 stacks of Raw Spotted Yellowtail or Raw Redgill. Both are green at 300 skill. Or cook Raw Nightfin Snappers and Raw Sunscale Salmon at 280+. Both are yellow at 300.

*****************************

Non-fishing recipes that are useful:

• [100] Recipe: Crispy Lizard Tail
• [130] Recipe: Curiously Tasty Omelet
• [175] Recipe: Roast Raptor

*****************************

And am I right in saying these only come from fishing in open water and not schools?

Any help or pointers are much appreciated!

I remember in vanilla i used to be able to fish it from darkshore maybe 1 out of 15 fish

but i just spent an hour in darkshore to no avail

also tried wetlands, got a few firefin snapper but still no blackmouth

On 12/11/2016 at 6:13 AM, Nahaz said:

Here's a cooking guide for Horde and Alliance i found online. All credit goes to wow-guide.blogspot.ca. It sticks to mob drops for ingredients, but fishing makes it a lot easier.

Insert shitty formatting here.

Quote

Following on from my combined Fishing and Cooking guide, here's a straight 1 to 300 cooking guide using materials found on mobs.

Please note it is a LOT easier and cheaper to level your cooking whilst leveling your Fishing at the same time.

I've tried to pick the cheapest, easiest and quickest recipes to make and where possible I've tried to stick to trainer only recipes. So get your ass to a cooking trainer and pick up the apprentice cooking skill.
Once you've trained as an apprentice cook, you'll have 3 recipes to start with (along with the fire making skill), they are as follows: 

Herb Baked Egg
Roasted Boar Meat
Charred Wolf Meat

So of these recipes, you'll only be wanting to use the Roasted Boar Meat or Charred Wolf Meat recipes, as they dont need any other reagents to cook.

So let's start cooking.

Horde

Levels 1 to 40

Kill any of the following:
Mottled Boars around Orgrimmar for Chunks of Boar Meat.
Wolves and Stalkers around Mulgore for Stringy Wolf Meat.
Darkhounds around Tirisfal Glades for Stringy Wolf Meat.

You'll need about 45 Wolf Meat or about 55 Boar Meat.
Cook the Boar Meat and Stringy Wolf Meat until 40 (train on Spiced Wolf Meat at level 10 and use this to get skill ups quicker, but you'll have to buy mild spices).

At this point you really should take up Fishing as it's easier to fill the gaps, patriculary if your on the Horde side. But people have requested a cooking only guide, so let's try and stick to mob drops.

Levels 41 to 90

At level 50 train as Journeyman Cook.
Goto The Sepulcher in Silverpine Forest and buy the Smoked Bear Meat recipe from Andrew Hilbert.
Kill Grizzled Bears around Silverpine Forest for Bear Meat.
You'll need about 60.

Levels 91 to 125

Go find Grub in The Barrens. He's in a Tower by Grosh'gek Farm, just north off the road between Crossroads and Ratchet and pick up the quest for Dig Rat stew.
Kill Dig Rats until you have about 30 more than the quest needs. Complete quest and cook Dig Rat Stew till your level 125.

Levels 126 to 175

To Train as a Expert cook, goto Shadowprey Village and buy the Expert Cooking Book from Wulan.
Goto Razor Hill and buy Hot Lion Chops recipe from Zargh and about 60 Hot Spices.
Kill Mountain Lions around Hillsbrad Foothills for Lion Meat.
You'll need about 60.

Levels 176 to 200

Goto Grom'gol and buy Roast Raptor recipe from Nerrist and about 30 Hot Spices.
Kill Raptors around Grom'gol for Raptor Flesh.
You'll need about 30.

Levels 201 to 225

Goto trainer and train Spider Sausage.
Kill Darkfangs around Dustwallow Marsh for White Spider Meat.
You'll need about 30.

Level 225

Goto Gadgetzan and speak to Dirge Quikcleave to obtain Artisan cooking quest - Clamlette Surprize (he's in the tavern). Whilst your there, pick up the recipe for Tender Wolf Steaks.
You'll need 12 Giant Eggs, 10 zesty Clam Meat and 20 Alterac Swiss. The Alterac Swiss is the easiest to get, just goto the Inn in Thunderbluff and buy them from the Innkepper . Get the eggs from the Owlbeasts in The Hinterlands (the drop rate is way better than the Rocs in Tanaris). For the clam meat goto Steamwheedle Port in Tanaris and kill the Turtles. They will drop Big Mouth Clams at a good rate, which contain Zesty clam Meat.
Keep killing Owlbeasts in The Hinterlands and grab another 70-80 eggs. Also kill the Wolves round here for Tender Wolf Meat.
Goto Bloodvenom Post in Felwood and buy the Monster Omelet recipe from Bale and about 140-160 Soothing Spices (this is where it gets really expensive. Take up fishing already, it's cheaper).

Levels 226 to 285

Stay in Felwood and cook those eggs for Monster Omelets and any Tender Wolf Meat you got. If you didnt have enough to get you to 285, go kill the Wolves around Felwood for Tender Wolf Meat and make Tender Wolf Steaks.

Levels 286 to 300

Goto Cenarion Hold in Silithus and speak to Calandrath for the Desert Recipe chain of quests. When you get to the third quest you'll get the recipe for Smoked Desert Dumplings.
Kill Dredge Crushers and Strikers for the Sandworm Meat (low drop rate). You'll only need about 10 more than the quest needs plus the soothing spices (about 20 in total).
Cook till 300.

Congratulations, you're now a Master Cook :) BTW did I mention how much easier it would be if you actually used Fishing as well?

Alliance

As a member of the Alliance you'll have an easier time finding reagents for the lower level recipes.

Levels 1 to 40

Kill any of the following:
Crag Boars around Dun Morogh for Chunks of Boar Meat.
Boars around Elwynn Forest for Chunks of Boar Meat.
Crag and Mountain Boars around Loch Modan for Chunks of Boar Meat. 
Thistle Boars around Teldrassil for Chunks of Boar Meat.
Wolves around Elwynn Forest Stringy Wolf Meat.
Wolves around Dun Morogh Stringy Wolf Meat.

You'll need about 45 Wolf Meat or about 55 Boar Meat.
Cook the Boar Meat and Stringy Wolf Meat until 40 (you can train on Spiced Wolf Meat at level 10 and use this to get skill ups quicker, but you'll have to buy mild spices).

Levels 41 to 75

Goto Drac Roughcut in Thelsamar, Loch Modan and buy Smoked Bear Meat recipe.
Kill bears around Loch Modan for Bear Meat.

Levels 76 to 85

Train as Journeyman cook and get Crab Cake recipe.
Kill Crawlers around Darkshore and Westfall for Crawler meat.
You'll need about 10. N.B. Dont sell the Crawler Claws, you'll need them for the next stage.

Levels 86 to 100

Goto Stormwind City and buy Crooked Crab Claw recipe from Kendor Kabonka. Get about 20 mild spices.
Go back to Darkshore or Westfall and continue killing Crawlers.
You'll need about 20.

Levels 101 to 130

Goto Chef Grual (geddit?, grual - gruel?...oh nevermind) in Darkshire and get the Seasoned Wolf Kabobs quest.
Get the Stormwind Seasoning Herbs from Felcia Gump in Stormwind (Trade District).
Kill Ravagers and Wolves around Duskwood for Lean wolf Flank.
You'll need about 50-60 (including the ones you need for quest).N.B. you could get the Lean Wolf Steak recipe from Super Seller 680 in Desolace and continue killing until your cooking is upto 150+ and then skip the next step).


Levels 131 to 175

At level 125 train as Expert Cook.
To Train as a Expert cook, goto Shandrina by Mystral Lake in Ashenvale and buy the Expert cookbook.
Goto Kendor Kabonka in Stormwind City and buy the Curiously Tasty Omelet recipe.
Kill Raptors in Arathi Highlands for Raptor Eggs.
You'll need about 55 Eggs and 55 Hot Spices.

Levels 176 to 200

Goto Chef Jessen in Southshore and get the Soothing Turtle Bisque quest.
Kill the Turtles all along the river between Southshore and Tarren Mill for Turtle Meat.
Keep killing them till you have about 40 meat, then hand in quest and cook till level 200.

Levels 201 to 225

Goto trainer and train Spider Sausage.
Kill Darkfangs around Dustwallow Marsh for White Spider Meat.
You'll need about 30.

Level 225

Goto Gadgetzan and speak to Dirge Quikcleave to obtain Artisan cooking quest - Clamlette Surprize (he's in the tavern). Whilst your here, pick up the Tender Wolf Steaks recipe.
You'll need 12 Giant Eggs, 10 zesty Clam Meat and 20 Alterac Swiss. The Alterac Swiss is the easiest to get, just goto the Trade District in Stormwind City and buy it from Ben Trias. Get the eggs from the Owlbeasts in The Hinterlands (the drop rate is way better than the Rocs in Tanaris). For the clam meat goto Steamwheedle Port in Tanaris and kill the Turtles. They will drop Big Mouth Clams at a good rate, which contain Zesty clam Meat.
Keep killing Owlbeasts in The Hinterlands and grab another 70-80 eggs. Also kill the Wolves round here for Tender Wolf Meat.
Goto Talonbranch Glade in Felwood and buy the Monster Omelet recipe from Malygen and about 140-160 Soothing Spices (this is where it gets really expensive. Take up fishing already, it's cheaper).

Levels 226 to 285

Stay in Felwood and cook those eggs for Monster Omelets and any Tender Wolf Meat you got. If you dont have enough to get you to 285, go kill the Wolves around Felwood for Tender Wolf Meat and make Tender Wolf Steaks.

Levels 286 to 300

Goto Cenarion Hold in Silithus and speak to Calandrath for the Desert Recipe chain of quests. When you get to the third quest you'll get the recipe for Smoked Desert Dumplings.
Kill Dredge Crushers and Strikers for the Sandworm Meat (low drop rate). You'll need about 10 more than the quest needs plus the soothing spices (20 in total).
Cook till 300.

Congratulations, you're now a Master Cook. BTW did I mention how much easier it would be if you actually used Fishing as well?

As time goes on I may start adding db.vanillagaming.org/ links to items etc. Hope you enjoy being able to read this post.

I'm a vanilla veteran but I never did fishing in WoW...ever. Never even looked at it or cared. 

I just picked up fishing and would like to level it up as I go but I have a question: Is there an optimal fishing leveling guide out there somewhere for vanilla? Doing searches reveals some websites that I want to visit but the clicks seem risky. 

I don't know if fishing in different water during different level thresholds is important, etc. Thanks for any help.

I might not have gotten to 300 back in the day before TBC opened, but I thought everything else went grey at 285 - I have gone all the way to 300 on just the standard recipes (the Desert Dumplings quest being FUBAR notwithstanding).

I was in the last days often looking for this cookingrecipe, but the dealer never had it. Is the respawn broken or was it just unluck?

http://db.vanillagaming.org/?item=16767