>is fishing a decent way to learn outdoorsmanship?

No. Not really at all. You can learn some, but it's not nearly as good as other methods like collecting, mining, or lumberjacking.

>does the bait need to be higher to learn more?

Nope. The different bait do appear to work better in different locations. But, from what I can tell, the bait has no impact at all on learning.

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The Kasto mimic abruptly solidifies, looking very much like Kasto.
>
You say, "What a handsome fellow you are!"