An Old School RuneScape player, known online as Bosby, has achieved the maximum fishing level of 99 by exclusively catching shrimp and anchovies, the least efficient fish in the game. This arduous undertaking required 4,304 hours of gameplay spread over two years and three months, during which Bosby caught 275,196 raw shrimp and 257,064 raw anchovies.
Bosby first shared his accomplishment on the /r/2007scape subreddit, detailing how the initial idea was to pursue a humorous, inefficient goal. The grind began on May 11, 2024, and culminated in reaching level 99 fishing for his account, OnlyShrimp99. At current market prices, the fish caught are worth approximately 9.5 million gold.
While the method offered no inherent in-game advantage beyond the personal satisfaction of completion, Bosby noted that the extended playtime coincided with significant life events, including starting a new job, getting married, and forming friendships with other players at the Al Kharid fishing spot.
Following the widespread attention his achievement garnered on social media, RuneScape developer Jagex acknowledged Bosby's dedication. The studio offered congratulations via X (formerly Twitter), confirming that their data team had verified the accomplishment. Jagex also marked the occasion with a stylized image of a shrimp on a computer screen.
Bosby himself expressed a degree of bemusement at the attention, stating that the situation was becoming "entirely too much attention." He has been recognized for his unique dedication to a famously time-consuming aspect of the game, highlighting an extreme example of player agency within the virtual world.