Route 43 Gold & Silver · Johto route

Map of Route 43 in Pokémon Gold and Silver — Route 43 (in-game map)

Route 43 runs north from Mahogany Town to the Lake of Rage through long stretches of tall grass. When you first arrive, Team Rocket has taken over the gatehouse and charges ¥1000 to pass, cashing in on visitors coming to see the rampaging Gyarados at the lake. After you clear the Rocket hideout the thugs leave, and an officer back at his post hands you TM36 Sludge Bomb.

Wild Pokémon: 11
Items: 3
Trainers: 6

Connects to: Mahogany Town · Lake of Rage

Where Route 43 is on the Johto map Route 43 on the Johto map

Wild Pokémon

Tall grass encounter rate 10%
Pokémon	Type	Lv.	Morning	Day	Night
Flaaffy	Electric	15–17	30%	40%	30%
Girafarig	NormalPsychic	15	30%	30%	30%
Pidgeotto	NormalFlying	17	25%	20%	–
Noctowl	NormalFlying	17	–	–	20%
Venonat	BugPoison	16	5%	–	15%
Mareep	Electric	15	10%	10%	5%

Surfing encounter rate 2%
Pokémon	Type	Lv.	Chance
Magikarp	Water	10–20	100%

Fishing
Rod	Pokémon	Lv.	Morning & day	Night
Old Rod	Magikarp	10	85%	85%
Old Rod	Poliwag	10	15%	15%
Good Rod	Poliwag	20	65%	65%
Good Rod	Magikarp	20	35%	35%
Super Rod	Poliwag	40	80%	80%
Super Rod	Magikarp	40	20%	20%

Headbutt trees

Common trees
Pokémon	Type	Lv.	Chance
Spearow	NormalFlying	10	80%
Aipom	Normal	10	20%

Rare trees
Pokémon	Type	Lv.	Chance
Spearow	NormalFlying	10	50%
Heracross	BugFighting	10	30%
Aipom	Normal	10	20%

Teach a Pokémon Headbutt (TM02 from Ilex Forest) and use it on trees. Whether a tree is common, rare or empty depends on the tree and your Trainer ID.

Chances are the game’s encounter slots for each time of day: morning 4:00–9:59, day 10:00–17:59, night 18:00–3:59 (grass and caves 30/30/20/10/5/4/1, surfing 60/30/10, Old Rod 70/15/15, Good Rod 35/35/20/10, Super Rod 40/30/20/10). Where Gold and Silver differ, a cell shows both (G and S); a version tag means the Pokémon only appears in that version here. Version exclusives · Where to find every Pokémon.

Trainers

Trainer	Pokémon	Prize
PokéManiacBen	Slowbro 19	₽285
PokéManiacBrent	Lickitung 19 Phone rematches (2) Rematch 1 · ₽345Nidoran♀ 19 Nidoking 23 Rematch 2 · ₽480Nidoran♂ 28 Nidoran♀ 28 Nidorina 30 Nidoking 32	₽285
PokéManiacRon	Nidoking 19	₽285
FisherMarvin	Magikarp 10 Gyarados 10 Magikarp 15 Gyarados 15	₽150
PicnickerTiffany	Clefairy 20	₽100
CamperSpencer	Sandshrew 17 Sandslash 17 Zubat 19	₽95

Prize money is the trainer class’s base payout times the level of the trainer’s last Pokémon. Trainers with phone rematches call you when they want another battle; their teams grow as you progress.

Items

Item	How	Where
TM36 Sludge Bomb	Gift An officer gives it to you once Team Rocket stops charging tolls here.	gate
Max Ether	Item ball	Route 43
Bitter Berry	Berry tree Grows back every day	Route 43

Hidden items can be found with the Itemfinder from Ecruteak City.

Tips

You can avoid the Rocket toll by taking the longer path through the tall grass instead of the gatehouse.
Girafarig is common in the grass here (up to 30% at any time of day), so catch one while you pass through.
Noctowl appears at night (up to 20%), while Pidgeotto replaces it in the morning and during the day (up to 25%).
Come back after clearing Team Rocket's hideout to collect TM36 Sludge Bomb from the officer in the gate.
Pick the Bitter Berry tree each day; Bitter Berries cure confusion.
Poké Maniac Brent and Picnicker Tiffany both swap phone numbers for later rematches.

Walkthrough: Part 8: Lake of Rage, the Rocket Hideout and Pryce

FAQ

How do you avoid the toll on Route 43 in Gold and Silver?

Skip the gatehouse and walk the alternative path through the tall grass to the Lake of Rage. The Rocket Grunts in the gate charge ¥1000 until their hideout is cleared.

Where do you get TM36 Sludge Bomb in Pokémon Gold and Silver?

From the officer in the Route 43 gatehouse, once Team Rocket has been driven out of their Mahogany Town hideout.

Where do you catch Girafarig in Pokémon Gold and Silver?

In the tall grass on Route 43, where it appears at any time of day.

What Pokémon can you catch in Route 43 in Gold and Silver?

11 species: Flaaffy, Girafarig, Pidgeotto, Noctowl, Venonat, Mareep, Magikarp, Poliwag, Spearow, Aipom, Heracross. Silver only: Magikarp, Poliwag.

Sources & picture credits

Guide text is original retrogameindex writing, checked against Bulbapedia and the game data. Wild Pokémon and encounter chances for both versions and all three times of day, fishing, Headbutt and Rock Smash tables, items, trainers, gifts, trades and shops come from the pret/pokegold decompilation (pret/pokegold ef0201d8da). Maps and sprites © Nintendo / Creatures / GAME FREAK, archived from the Bulbagarden Archives; the Johto and Kanto maps are drawn from the game’s own Pokégear graphics (listed on the image gallery).