Gahz'ranka

Gahz'ranka is a hydra boss found in Zul'Gurub. He must be summoned by a fishing quest inside Zul'Gurub.

Summoning Gahz'ranka
In Zul'Gurub, south of by the riverbank, is an abandoned camp with a bunch of overturned jars and chairs. One of these contains. Take this tape and return it to at Nat's Landing in Dustwallow Marsh. After returning the tape you will be able to purchase a from Nat.

Enter Zul'Gurub with a Mudskunk Lure and look along the waters for a "Muddy Churning Water". Fish these pools and catch 5. Since a recent patch, no fishing skill higher than 1 is required to fish in pools.

Head just west of to Nat Pagle's fishing point by the water. Use the lure at this location and Gahz'ranka will be summoned. Note that the lure is loaded and cast at the same time, which summons Gahz'ranka.

Abilities

 * Frost Breath - Slow attack and movement speed, drains mana.
 * Massive Geyser - Tosses everyone into the air for 500 damage, then subsequent fall damage. Temporary aggro wipe.
 * Gahz'ranka Slam - Inflicts normal damage plus 250 to nearby enemies and knocks them back.

Strategy A
Clear all fish in the moat in the area you plan on fighting. It's best to fight in the water just below the camp, so there is enough room and people don't take fall damage when they're thrown. Tank him at the center of the moat because geyser does throw you out a bit and this will help you avoid hitting land and taking fall damage. All people must be within range of the Massive Geyser as it aggro reduces and he will kill your ranged DPS. No problem, just have the tank re-establish aggro each time. Hunters must melee as their minimum range is outside the geyser range, so he will end up killing them one by one. DPS until dead.

Strategy B
We do Gahz'ranka on land. There are a couple of small huts just above Gahz'ranka's spawn point. Clear them out and have all caster stay on the ladder to the entrance of a hut. There is what looks like a huge elephant horn that hangs above the entrance which will stop you from being tossed meters into the air and take fall damage, but only if you stand right under it. Don't go inside the hut (LoS issues). Have Gahz'ranka tanked with a second Tank (just like Drakkisath) - when MT 1 gets tossed into the air, aggro will change. At this point MT 2 picks up Gahz and starts to tank (when MT 1 lands, he waits for MT 2 being shot into the air).

This fight is not as easy as it sounds. As mentioned before, you should bring at least a full raid - even 2 missing people can be the key between victory and defeat. The aggro WILL change, so be prepared for cross healing. Also, it is a mana intensive fight, all casters should have mana potions, just in case.

Strategy C
Another take on the land strategy is to fight Gahz'ranka on Nat Pagle's Point; the small spot of land that lies across from Hakkar's temple where you summon the boss. The are no crocs on this section of land and the hill slopes from the upper path, allowing for access from above. Your raid may want to play it safe and clear out any pathing snakes or trolls in nearby huts.

The Main Tank should be positioned so that they are wedged into a corner of the Point, which is created by the hillside and a tree that borders one section of Nat Pagle's Point. Melee DPS and Off Tanks should position themselves either behind the boss or on the right side of the Main Tank, placing their backs to the hillside and keeping the Main Tank to their left. If melee stands too close to the water, they may aggro passing fish onto land. Also, when being thrown up into the air, the melee classes may be able to position themselves so that they land on the upper path, and minimize the fall damage.

Ranged DPS and healers should position themselves on the slope which leads down to the Point from the upper path. It's tempting to line the upper path and stand above the action below, however, if Gahz'ranka aggros on any of the ranged casters and cannot find a quick path to them, the monster may bug into Evade mode. Staying on the slope allows for a clear path to the raid targets for the boss, and reduces the chance of the boss evading, and therefore, healing back up to full health.

As long as the Tanks can maintain the positioning of the boss, keeping the aerial tosses limited to the melee classes, this becomes an easy fight.

Achievement
Fishing up Gahz'ranka completes the fishing achievement, which is required for the achievement and the title Salty. This is solo-able at level 70 because you do not need to kill Gahz'ranka for this achievement. But without stealth or invisibility, a level 70 will likely need help to get past some of the multiple mob groups.

Trivia
Gahz'ranka remains in the instance untargetable after you kill him.