🎣 Fishing Guide
Stardew Valley Fishing Overview
Fishing is one of the most profitable early-game activities and the only way to complete the Community Center Fish Tank bundles. This guide covers every fish, every rod, every tackle, and the best strategies for catching them all.
Fishing Rod Progression
| Rod | Cost | Unlock | Bait | Tackle | Cast Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bamboo Pole | 500g (Willy) | Day 1 | No | No | 3 tiles |
| Fiberglass Rod | 1,800g | Fishing Lv2 | Yes | No | 4 tiles |
| Iridium Rod | 7,500g | Fishing Lv6 | Yes | Yes | 5 tiles |
Progression path: Buy the Bamboo Pole immediately. Save for Fiberglass by Fishing Lv2 (it pays itself back in catfish and sturgeon). Rush the Iridium Rod by Lv6 — tackle is game-changing.
Complete Fish Reference
Spring Fish
| Fish | Location | Time | Weather | Difficulty | Sell Price | Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunfish | River | 6am-7pm | Any | Easy (30) | 30g | Community Center |
| Catfish | River | 6am-12am | Rain | Hard (75) | 200g | Best spring money |
| Sardine | Ocean | 6am-7pm | Any | Easy (30) | 40g | Dishes recipe |
| Anchovy | Ocean | Any | Any | Easy (30) | 30g | Bundle |
| Herring | Ocean | Any | Any | Easy (25) | 30g | Bundle |
| Legend | Mountain Lake | Any | Rain | Legendary (110) | 5,000g | Spring only, one per save |
| Smallmouth Bass | River | Any | Any | Medium (40) | 50g | Bullhead bundle |
| Shad | River | 9am-2pm | Rain | Medium (45) | 60g | Bundle |
| Chub | River | Any | Any | Easy (35) | 50g | Crafting |
| Eel | Ocean | 4pm-2am | Rain | Hard (70) | 85g | Fried Eel (+1 Luck) |
Summer Fish
| Fish | Location | Time | Weather | Difficulty | Sell Price | Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pufferfish | Ocean | 12pm-4pm | Sunny | Hard (80) | 200g | Bundle, loved by Abigail |
| Tuna | Ocean | 6am-7pm | Any | Medium (45) | 100g | Fish Taco recipe |
| Rainbow Trout | Mountain Lake | 6am-7pm | Sunny | Medium (45) | 65g | Bundle |
| Sturgeon | Mountain Lake | 6am-7pm | Any | Hard (78) | 200g | Roe → Caviar (500g) |
| Catfish | River | 6am-12am | Rain | Hard (75) | 200g | Repeat from spring |
| Pike | River | Any | Any | Medium (50) | 100g | Bundle |
| Red Snapper | Ocean | 6am-7pm | Rain | Medium (40) | 50g | Bundle |
| Tilapia | Ocean | 6am-2pm | Any | Medium (50) | 75g | Bundle |
| Dorado | River | 6am-7pm | Any | Medium (60) | 100g | Bundle |
Fall Fish
| Fish | Location | Time | Weather | Difficulty | Sell Price | Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salmon | River | 6am-7pm | Any | Medium (50) | 75g | Salmon Dinner |
| Walleye | River/CLLake | 12pm-2am | Rain | Medium (45) | 105g | Bundle, helpful |
| Tiger Trout | River | 6am-7pm | Any | Medium (45) | 150g | Bundle |
| Sardine | Ocean | 6am-7pm | Any | Easy (30) | 40g | Bundle |
| Shad | River | 9am-2pm | Rain | Medium (45) | 60g | Bundle |
| Eel | Ocean | 4pm-2am | Rain | Hard (70) | 85g | Fried Eel |
| Midnight Carp | Mountain/Forest | 10pm-2am | Any | Medium (55) | 150g | Seafoam Pudding |
Winter Fish
| Fish | Location | Time | Weather | Difficulty | Sell Price | Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perch | River/CLLake | Any | Any | Easy (35) | 55g | Bundle |
| Pike | River | Any | Any | Medium (50) | 100g | Bundle |
| Red Mullet | Ocean | 6am-7pm | Any | Medium (40) | 75g | Bundle |
| Herring | Ocean | Any | Any | Easy (25) | 30g | Bundle |
| Lingcod | River/Mountain | Any | Any | Hard (85) | 120g | Bundle |
| Glacierfish | Cindersap Forest | Any | Any | Legendary (105) | 2,500g | Winter only, one per save |
| Sturgeon | Mountain Lake | 6am-7pm | Any | Hard (78) | 200g | Caviar |
| Midnight Carp | Mountain/Forest | 10pm-2am | Any | Medium (55) | 150g | Seafoam Pudding |
Legendary Fish
Legendary fish are unique — you can only catch each one once per save file.
| Fish | Season | Location | Weather | Required Fishing Level | Sell Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legend | Spring | Mountain Lake | Rain | 10 | 5,000g |
| Glacierfish | Winter | Cindersap Forest (south) | Any | 6 | 2,500g |
| Crimsonfish | Summer | East Pier (ocean) | Any | 5 | 1,500g |
| Angler | Fall | JojaMart bridge (river) | Any | 3 | 900g |
| Mutant Carp | All | Sewers | Any | 8 | 1,000g |
Legend catch strategy: Use Trap Bobber + Dish O' The Sea (+3 fishing). Fish on the eastern side of the mountain lake (the log side) for the deepest water. Cast as far right as possible.
Best Tackle Options
| Tackle | Effect | Cost (Bait Maker) | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trap Bobber | Fish escape progress slows by 66% | 10 Bug Meat | Legendaries, hard fish |
| Cork Bobber | +1 to fishing bar size | 10 Wood + 5 Sap | Players below Lv10 fishing |
| Spinner | Fish bite faster (-50% wait time) | 2 Iron + 1 Sap | Farming XP/perfection |
| Lead Bobber | No max cast bonus | 2 Iron + 6 Stone | Weird flex, not useful |
| Curiosity Lure | Double XP per catch | 5 Gold + 40 Bug Meat | Leveling up fast |
Best tackle for beginners: Cork Bobber makes the fishing mini-game significantly easier by increasing the green bar size. Best for endgame: Trap Bobber for legendary fishing + Spinner for bulk fishing.
Crab Pots
Crab Pot Mechanics
| Item | Bait | Time to Catch | Best Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Crab Pot | 1 Bait (any) | ~10 hours in-game | Ocean = more trash, higher variety |
| Crab Pot (Mariner profession) | No bait needed | 1 day | Ocean = only crabs/fish |
Crab Pot Catch Table (Ocean)
| Catch | Sell Price | Chance | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lobster | 120g | 15% | Bundle, Lobster Bisque |
| Crab | 100g | 15% | Bundle |
| Shrimp | 60g | 20% | Bundle, Tom Kha Soup |
| Oyster | 40g | 15% | Bundle |
| Mussel | 30g | 15% | Bundle |
| Clam | 50g | 10% | Speed-Gro, Chowder |
| Trash | 0g | 10% | Recycling Machine → refined quartz |
Crab Pot profession choice: At Fishing Lv5, choose Fisher (+25% fish sell price). At Lv10, choose Mariner (crab pots no longer need bait) or Angler (fish sell for +50%). For crab pot farms, Mariner is mandatory.
Best Fishing Spots
| Location | Best Catch | Rating | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain Lake (east side log) | Legend, Sturgeon, Largemouth Bass | ★★★★★ | Deepest water = best quality |
| Ocean (far right pier) | Tuna, Crimsonfish, Pufferfish | ★★★★ | High-value ocean fish |
| Cindersap Forest (south) | Catfish, Glacierfish, Perch | ★★★★ | Legendary fish in winter |
| River (east side of town) | Walleye, Sunfish, Pike | ★★★ | Good variety |
| Secret Woods Pond | Woodskip, Carp | ★★ | Only location for Woodskip |
The "deep water" mechanic: Fish quality (silver/gold/iridium) depends on cast distance from shore. Cast as far as possible into dark blue water for max quality. The mountain lake's eastern log gives the deepest water in the game.
Pro Fishing Tips
- Leveling fast: Fish in the mountain lake lake year-round. The mix of easy and medium fish gives the best XP-per-hour ratio.
- Rain fishing: Catfish (river) and Eel (ocean) only appear in rain. Check the TV every morning and fish on rainy days.
- Trash recycling: Build a Recycling Machine (Fishing Lv4). Trash becomes: Driftwood → Wood, Newspaper → Cloth or Torches, CD/Glasses → Refined Quartz.
- Bait production: Craft a Bait Maker (Fishing Lv6) and feed it bug meat from the mines (Lv15-29 dust sprites). 1 bug meat = 3 bait.
- XP bonus: Catching treasure chests (green sparkle in the fishing mini-game) gives +50% XP. Open them for artifacts, diamonds, and geodes.
- Dish O' The Sea: Cooking recipe (+3 fishing, 3.5 min). Use it when attempting legendary fish. Ingredients: 2 Sardine + 1 Hashbrowns.
- Fishing on lucky days: Spirits' Eve fortune teller. High luck = more treasure chests and better fish quality. Wait for lucky or very lucky days for legendaries.
- Fishing XP table: Lv1→2 = 100 XP. Lv9→10 = 1,500 XP. An iridium-quality catfish gives ~70 XP vs 10 for a basic chub.