When you press the Triangle button on your controller you will open up the main menu. From here you can equip new fishing poles, eat some food, or check your current level. Just move the cursor to the item you would like to choose and then press the X button on the controller. To exit the main menu press the Triangle button again.
Fish
Select the Fish option to take out your fishing pole and assume the
fishing position! You can do the same thing by pressing the R1 button
on your controller.
Equipment
You can switch to different rods, bait, lures, and flies from this
area. There are 13 kinds of rods, 4 bobbers, 9 types of bait, 4 fishing
flies, and 10 lures.
When you get the chance to purchase a larger Basket, remember to equip the new Basket through your Equipment menu! The game does not auto-upgrade your Basket when you purchase larger sized ones.
Items
Any food that you cook or purchase will be stored here. If you purchased
the extra examine items they will be listed at the top of the window.
Cooking
When you buy new recipes you can use the fish you catch to cook special
foods that will restore your Hit Points. You need to have all the
ingredients before the recipe will work.
Examine
To find free bait on the ground you just have to select this option. You
might find a piece of fishing bait or you might not. You can just stand in
one place and press Examine over and over until you find something, but it
is best to check in areas that may have bait. Dark patches of ground, along
the water shores, or bunches of flowers may have better chances of producing
bait. There are special items you can buy from the store that will increase
the sucess of finding some bait when you use the Examine command. The Shovel
tool helps you find worms, while the Insect Net makes it easier to find Insects
and Frogs. There are other tools as well for the other types of bait, and
the tool will automatically be used after you purchase it.
Basket
The fish you catch will be stored in the Basket until you sell or cook them.
Your beginning basket can only hold 10 fish, but you can purchase larger
Baskets.
Records
All the different fish species you catch are cataloged in your Records.
You can see the largest size you have captures, the top 10 sizes, and
the number of that species you have caught.
Diary
The "memories" that are stored in the Diary are references to the cut
scenes that you've come across throughout your journey. Sometimes you can
get errand hints if you forgotten what you need to do.