Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Switch 2) Guide: How to Get the Silver Scale and Golden Scale to Dive 9 Meters Deep
In The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on Nintendo Switch 2, mastering underwater exploration depends on two passive upgrades crafted by Hyrule's aquatic tribe: the Silver Scale and the Golden Scale. At the start of your journey, Link can only dive for 3 seconds, reaching a maximum depth of 3 meters. That initial limit blocks both the main quest for Zora's Sapphire as a child and one of Lake Hylia's best-hidden rewards seven years in the future.
While the first upgrade is mandatory as Young Link to enter Lord Jabu-Jabu's Belly, the second is earned as Adult Link at the end of a fishing rod. Here is the complete step-by-step walkthrough to unlocking both Zora scales, taking the underwater shortcut to Lake Hylia, and claiming the Lakeside Laboratory Piece of Heart without falling for the classic Iron Boots trap.
Silver Scale & Golden Scale Overview in Ocarina of Time
| Item | Required Era | Location | Cost & Requirement | Dive Time / Depth | Key Unlock |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base Dive | Young / Adult Link | Default ability (Kokiri Forest) | Free (starting capability) | 3 seconds (3 meters) | Shallow water shortcuts in Zora's River |
| Silver Scale | Young Link (Mandatory) | Zora's Domain (top of the waterfall) | 20 Rupees: collect 5 underwater Rupees within 50 seconds | 6 seconds (6 meters) | Underwater tunnel to Lake Hylia and Ruto's Letter Empty Bottle |
| Golden Scale | Adult Link (Optional / 100%) | Lake Hylia Fishing Pond | 20 Rupees: catch a fish weighing 13 to 15+ lbs (70 cm or longer) | 9 seconds (9 meters) | Lakeside Laboratory deep-dive Piece of Heart |
1. How to Get the Silver Scale in Zora's Domain (Young Link)
The Silver Scale is a mandatory story upgrade after clearing Dodongo's Cavern. Without it, Young Link floats back to the surface before reaching the submerged tunnel connecting Zora's Domain to Lake Hylia.
Follow these exact steps to enter Zora's Domain and beat the waterfall diving challenge on your first attempt:
- Part the waterfall at Zora's River: Follow Zora's River east from Hyrule Field, hopping across the stone ledges to the upper canyon. Stand on the stone crest engraved with the Triforce symbol right in front of the giant waterfall and play Zelda's Lullaby (Left, Up, Right, Left, Up, Right) to open the entrance to Zora's Domain.
- Climb to the top of the inner waterfall: Inside Zora's Domain, follow the upward spiral path all the way to King Zora's throne room. Instead of stopping at the throne, take the tunnel on your left that leads out onto the high ledge overlooking the main pool.
- Start the Diving Game (20 Rupees): Speak to the Zora standing near the edge of the waterfall. Pay the 20-Rupee entry fee to begin his diving minigame. He will toss 5 Rupees over the waterfall into the pool below and start a 50-second timer.
- Collect all 5 Rupees underwater in one loop: Swan-dive straight off the waterfall into the central basin. Hold the dive button to reach the floor, grab the first Rupee at the base of the falls, and swim in a clockwise circle to pick up the remaining four Rupees tucked beneath the stone arch and along the basin walls. Collecting all five also refunds your 20-Rupee fee.
- Claim the Silver Scale: Once the fifth Rupee is in your pouch, a chime will play. Climb back up the ramp to the top of the waterfall and speak to the Zora host again to receive the Silver Scale.
With your dive duration doubled to 6 seconds (6 meters), jump back into the main pool and dive through the underwater archway flanked by two submerged torches. Upon surfacing in Lake Hylia, dive straight down in front of the warp portal to grab the bottle containing Ruto's Letter, then show it to King Zora to unlock Jabu-Jabu's Belly.
2. How to Get the Golden Scale at the Lake Hylia Fishing Pond (Adult Link)
Unlike the Silver Scale, the Golden Scale can only be obtained as Adult Link, seven years after pulling the Master Sword from the Temple of Time. To get it, head to the Fishing Pond located on the eastern shore of Lake Hylia.
If you visit Lake Hylia before clearing the Water Temple, the lake will be drained. You can still reach the Fishing Pond doorway across the water by riding the floating leaf from a Magic Bean planted beside the Lakeside Laboratory as a child, or by summoning Pierre with the Scarecrow's Song and grappling across with the Hookshot. Here is how to catch the pond's trophy fish:
- Rent the fishing rod (20 Rupees): Talk to the pond owner at the counter and pay 20 Rupees. To win the Golden Scale, you must beat the pond record with a fish weighing at least 13 to 15 pounds (lbs), or measuring 70 cm or longer on regional metric displays.
- Target the submerged log in the center of the pond: Ignore the smaller fish swimming near the shore and reeds, which usually cap out around 8 to 10 pounds (50 cm). Wade into the shallow water on the left side or step onto the protruding branch, hold ZL to aim toward the middle of the pond, and cast your line right above the large submerged tree trunk. The largest lunker in the pond always patrols around this log.
- Hooking and reeling technique: Tap the left stick gently while pressing the action button to wiggle the lure on the water's surface. The moment the giant fish bites, pull the left stick straight down while holding the action button to set the hook. Hold the reel button steadily while the fish swims toward you or sideways, and release the button briefly whenever it leaps out of the water so the line does not snap under tension.
- Avoid the Sinking Lure penalty: While a hidden Sinking Lure can be found along the stream rocks, in the grass by the wall, or on the submerged log, the pond owner treats any fish caught with the Sinking Lure as an illegal catch until you have already earned the Golden Scale legitimately. Always use the standard floating lure when going for the Golden Scale.
Once you land the giant fish, walk back to the counter and ask the owner to weigh your catch. Recognizing the new pond record, he will reward you with the Golden Scale, extending Link's maximum underwater dive to 9 seconds (9 meters deep).
3. How to Get the Lakeside Laboratory Piece of Heart (Why Iron Boots Do Not Count)
The primary reward tied to the Golden Scale awaits inside the Lakeside Laboratory on the western cliff of Lake Hylia. Right in the middle of the professor's lab sits a deep, vertically marked water tank descending to 9 meters.
- Touch the bottom of the 9-meter tank: Jump into the laboratory pool wearing your standard tunic and boots, then hold the dive button all the way down. With the Golden Scale equipped, Link will touch the metal grate at the very bottom of the tank right before his 9-second breath timer expires.
- Claim the Piece of Heart: As soon as you resurface after touching the bottom grate, climb out and talk to the professor standing by his desk. Impressed that you reached the bottom of the pool, he will hand over a Piece of Heart. If you are tracking down every health upgrade in Hyrule, check out our guide to winning the Treasure Chest Shop Piece of Heart in Hyrule Castle Town Market.
- Why the Iron Boots trick fails: Many players try to skip the Fishing Pond entirely by equipping the Iron Boots from the Ice Cavern and sinking to the bottom of the lab pool. Nintendo anticipated that shortcut: sinking to the grate with the Iron Boots does not trigger the flag, and the scientist will refuse to hand over the Piece of Heart unless you reach the bottom using a true Golden Scale dive.
My Perspective
Whenever I plan a 100% route on Switch 2, I always make a quick stop at the Fishing Pond on my very first trip to Lake Hylia as Adult Link before even entering the Water Temple. Not only does the Joy-Con 2 HD rumble make it much easier to feel when the 70 cm lunker is about to thrash and snap the line, but knocking out the Fishing Pond and the Lakeside Laboratory dive in one visit saves a full backtracking trip later on. And twenty-eight years later, the professor calling out players who try to cheese his pool with the Iron Boots is still one of Nintendo's funniest anti-shortcut checks in the entire game.
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Based on the outskirts of New York City, Chaya 'Chayane' spent five years studying software engineering in Montreal before returning to her home state. A Full-Stack developer and Deep Learning AI architecture researcher, she explores neural networks and algorithmic optimization while engineering data pipelines for Retrocharting and Gamescharting alongside Grimtag. A gamer for over 20 years and an avid collector of Nintendo history and The Legend of Zelda, she explored World of Warcraft's Azeroth before bringing her deep technical background to video game analysis.
