Hearty Salmon Locations in Tears of the Kingdom – Finding This Restorative Fish

The vibrant Hearty Salmon is one of the many critters wandering the lands of Hyrule in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. True to its name, the Hearty Salmon restores a whopping 4 hearts when cooked into a dish, making it extremely useful for healing and surviving your epic adventure.

But Hearty Salmon can be tricky to track down if you don’t know where to look. They prefer cold, high altitude waters far from civilization. Read on for tips on the best fishing spots to reel in Hearty Salmon and keep Link’s health up.

An Overview of Hearty Salmon

Before we dive into specific locations let’s cover some quick facts about Hearty Salmon

• Restores 4 hearts when cooked

• Also grants bonus temporary extra hearts

• Found in cold bodies of water at higher elevations

• Has bright red and pink scales

• Slightly elongated nose

• Will stay still when you approach, unlike other fish

• Can be purchased at select shops

• Uncommon drop from Grizzlemaw Bears

Now that you know what to look for, here are the top fishing spots to catch yourself some Hearty Salmon.

Hearty Salmon Fishing Location #1: Tama Pond

Tama Pond is a tiny pool of water located just north of the Tabantha Frontier region’s Trilby Valley. Look for it at coordinates -3003, 1857, 0272.

This small circular pond sits at the top of a waterfall flowing from the Hebra Mountains down to the valley below. The high altitude, snowy climate, and remote location make it a prime spot to catch Hearty Salmon.

To reach Tama Pond, head to the Tabantha Frontier region and make your way northwest to Trilby Valley. Climb up the sloping path along the waterfall until you reach the pond at the top.

Equip your Fishing Rod and start casting into the pond. Hearty Salmon mixes with Chillfin Trout here, but you should catch a few Hearty after some patience.

The chilly, pristine waters of Tama Pond offer reliable Hearty Salmon fishing any time you’re exploring the northwest Tabantha Frontier area.

Hearty Salmon Location #2: Flight Range Waters

Another excellent fishing spot for Hearty Salmon is the river flowing just south of the Flight Range in the Hebra Mountains region.

Specifically, fish along the riverbank at coordinates -3853, 2290, -0010. This area is directly south of the Flight Range tower down the slope.

As with Tama Pond, the cold Hebra climate and high mountain elevation make this river a prime salmon habitat. The secluded nature of this area also means less competition from other fishermen.

To get to the Flight Range river, travel to the Hebra Tower in the Hebra Mountains then paraglide south towards the Flight Range building along the riverside path.

Once you reach the riverbank, equip your trusty Fishing Rod and start targeting those Hearty Salmon. They blend in with the Chillfin Trout, so you may catch a few of those too while fishing here.

Hearty Salmon Fishing Spot #3: Hyrule Castle Moat

An unexpected hotspot for Hearty Salmon is actually the Hyrule Castle Moat in Central Hyrule. However, not just any part of the moat will do.

Specifically, fish in the moat directly behind Hyrule Castle, at coordinates -0124, 1193, 0037. This area contains chunks of ice floating in the water, indicating the cold temperatures salmon prefer.

To reach this salmon haven, travel to Mabe Village Ruins west of the castle. From the ruins, paraglide behind Hyrule Castle into the moat containing floating ice shards. Equip your rod and start fishing near the ice.

While most of the moat is temperate, this frigid corner provides the chilly waters Hearty Salmon seek. Along with Tama Pond and the Flight Range, the Hyrule Castle Moat is one of the most reliable spots to hook Hearty Salmon.

Other Tips for Catching Hearty Salmon

Beyond the three top fishing holes highlighted, here are some other tips for locating Hearty Salmon:

• Search bodies of water at high elevations, especially with ice floes.

• Try casting at the sources of rivers and streams in snowy mountains.

• Use Fish Finder or Fish Eye food skills to highlight Hearty Salmon.

• Fish at night when salmon are more active.

• Purchase Hearty Salmon from shops like The Coral Reef.

• Defeat Grizzlemaw Bears for a chance at salmon drops.

• Upgrade rods and use bait for better fishing luck.

With some exploring across Hyrule’s mountains and cold waters, you’ll be reeling in Hearty Salmon in no time. Those bonus healing hearts will keep you fighting strong!

Cooking the Hearty Salmon

Once you’ve caught yourself some hearty salmon, here are a few top cooking recipes to try:

Simmered Fruit with Hearty Salmon

• Hearty Salmon
• Apple
• Goat Butter

Mixing Hearty Salmon with apple and goat butter creates a dish that restores 4 hearts and grants 10 extra temporary hearts.

Salmon Meunière

• Hearty Salmon
• Hearty Blueshell Snail
• Tabantha Wheat

Pan frying the salmon with snails and wheat makes a meal with 4 +20 extra hearts.

Curry Hearty Salmon Rice

• Hearty Salmon
• Goat Butter
• Hylian Rice

This curry salmon rice recipe grants 4 +10 bonus hearts. Tasty and nutritious!

Creamy Hearty Salmon Soup

• Hearty Salmon
• Fresh Milk
• Goron Spice

Whip up a creamy salmon soup that heals 4 hearts and gives 20 extra.

Salmon Risotto

• Hearty Salmon
• Goat Butter
• Mushroom

Sautéing salmon and mushrooms with rice makes a 4 heart +10 heart dish.

Any recipe with Hearty Salmon restores health and provides bonus hearts. Feel free to get creative with ingredients!

Why Choose Hearty Salmon?

So why go through the effort of tracking down Hearty Salmon? Here are some key benefits this fish provides:

• Restores 4 hearts, more than most ingredients

• Grants temporary bonus yellow hearts when cooked

• Found in abundant quantities once located

• Provides health along with extra hearts

• Doesn’t require hunting animals for meat

• Bright pink color helps spot it when fishing

• Fun to fish as a break from fighting monsters

For healing, Hearty Salmon can’t be beat! Use these tips to find Hearty Salmon across Hyrule’s waters and keep your health maxed out.