Hylian Loach

The Hylian Loach, also known as the Hyrule Loach, is a large, rare fish that appears in both Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess. The loach looks like a cross between the catfish and the pike, with an eel-like body and ornate swirl patterns down the length of its body. They generally weigh in at about 29-36 pounds and can only be found at the Fishing Holes in its respective game. Due to its rarity, the Hylian Loach is usually revered as a legendary fish.

It was initially thought that the Hylian Loach was not real.

Ocarina of Time
In Ocarina of Time, the Hylian Loach appears at the fishing pond in Lake Hylia. It can be found both as young Link and adult Link, though the size will vary: as a child, the loach will weigh between 15 and 18 pounds, and as an adult, its weight varies between 29 pounds and 35 pounds.

Finding the Loach
The Hylian Loach appears regardless of whether Link has obtained the Golden Scale or not. Upon entering, the loach will always be situated at the lily pads to the west of the pond. A second loach can be found on the east lilypads as well, but only as Young Link. The loach appears on the fourth time that Link consecutively enters the pond and pays the fishing fee of 20 Rupees; that is, Link must repeat the process of paying the 20 Rupees, quitting, and exiting the pond three times consecutively in order for the loach to appear in the lily pads during the fourth time that he goes back in to the pond. This is also kept track of even when the game is saved and restarted: if the fee was paid twice before saving and restarting the game, then Link only has to pay the 20 Rupees one more time to get the legendary fish to appear on his fourth visit. The loach will appear on the fourth visit to the pond whether Link has paid the fee or not if and only if the previous conditions have been met.

It is important to note that Link has to pay the first three times consecutively: if Link goes in and out of the pond for the first two times and only pays on the third time, the loach will not appear on the young hero's fourth visit to the fishing hole. Even then, the game still has kept track of how many times Link has paid the fee. In the previous example, Link will only have to pay the fee two more times to get the loach to appear. Once the Hylian Loach appears, it will remain there even if Link exits and reenters the pond, so long as he does not pay a fourth time. After paying, exiting the pond will cause the loach to disappear and for the count to reset back to zero.

Behavior
Like any other fish in the pond, if Link gets too close to the Hylian Loach while it is in the lily pads, it will swim away to the middle of the pond. While there, the loach stays at the bottom of the pond and only comes up to the surface for air approximately every 75 seconds, except for the first time. If Link disturbs the loach when it is in the lily pads and scares it to the middle, the loach will swim up for air for the first time after 4 or 5 minutes of not being disturbed, then reverting back to the usual 75-seconds of going up for air. Every time it is about to start swimming up to the surface, the loach will turn around and swim the opposite direction that it was facing when it was not moving. When the Hylian Loach reaches the surface, it will make a "thap" sound. This signals the moment that the loach can be targeted by Navi, and the fairy will continue to target it until the loach reaches the bottom of the pond again. The loach can also always be targeted when it is in the lilypads.

After the loach has gone up for air for the seventh time without being disturbed (approximately 15 minutes), it will eventually swim back to the west lilypads. The loach can once again be targeted as it is swimming back to its original position; however, if Link gets too close to it, the loach will stop swimming to the lilypads and return to the middle of the pond. As such, doing so is not recommended if the Hylian Loach wants to be caught as easily as possible.

Like the rest of the fish, the Hylian Loach will swim after the smaller fish in the pond during sunset or at dawn while it is in the lilypads; however, it does not do this when it is somewhere in the middle of the pond. Once the frenzy is over, the loach will return to its original position.

Catching the Loach
The Hylian Loach can either be caught with the Sinking Lure or the normal lure. There are only two ways to catch the loach: 1) while it is in the lilypads and 2) while it is swimming back to the lilypads. The loach always ignores the lure when it is in the middle of the pond and when it is swimming up for air.

The easiest and fastest way to catch the loach is while it is in the lilypads to the west of the pond, which is its starting position; while there, the loach will always follow the movement of the lure, unlike when it is in middle of the pond, making it easier to catch it. Although the lilypads make it hard to see exactly where the loach is, the legendary fish will make ripples in the water as it chases the lure. However, if the loach gets scared by Link, it will swim to the middle of the pond. While it is in this location, the loach will ignore the lure during the seven times that it goes up to the surface. Thus, it is advised that the lure be positioned in a way that the loach will see it as it turns around to swim back to the lilypads. Even if the loach was not attracted to the lure on its way back, the loach will return to the lily pads to the west, giving another chance to easily catch the legendary fish.

Once Link catches the Hylian Loach and takes it to the pond owner, he will tell Link that the fish population's number has decreased and release it instead of keeping it in the fish tank. He will also give the young hero a reward of 50 Rupees.

Twilight Princess
In Twilight Princess, Hylian Loaches can be found at Hena's Fishing Hole in the summer time around the lilypads. They can only be reeled in by using the Frog Lure or the Sinking Lure. "Baby" Hylian loaches can also be caught in various places, including Hena's fishing hole, by using Link's fishing rod while bobber fishing. Despite that Hylian Loaches are more common by now, they are apparently still legendary, and Hena is remarkably impressed when Link catches one.

A book called The Legend of the Hylian Loach: Twilight Fish can be found in Hena's fishing hut. It gives a description of the behavior and habitat of the loach, mentioning that they prefer the shallow waters and love frogs; moreover, the book explains that they are known to be "ansty" and prefer the summertime over wintertime. According to Hena, who has read the book many times to the point of memorization, the book is about a young Hylian Loach and its quest to save Hyrule.

As it is explained in the book, the loach can only be found when the season in the Fishing Hole is summer. At this seasons, lilypads will appear towards the north of the pond, which is where the Hylian Loach will be located. Their love for frogs makes it easy to catch the legendary fish with the Frog Lure. However, due to the nature of the frog lure and the sinking lure in this game, the loach must nibble on the lure for a bit before Link tries to hook it; otherwise, the fish will escape.

Phantom Hourglass
In Phantom Hourglass, a portrait of the Hylian Loach can be seen in the middle of the Old Wayfarer's house on Bannan Island.

Spirit Tracks
In Spirit Tracks, the Hylian Loach portrait from Phantom Hourglass also appears as a picture in a house in the north-eastern corner of Hyrule Castle Town.

Trivia

 * There is a reference to the Hylian Loach in Animal Crossing: when a loach is caught, a message appears saying, "You don't suppose it's Hylian, do you?"
 * If the Hylian Loach were to be classified according to real-world taxonomy, a possible scientific name would be Cobitis hyrulae.