Fishing is one of the many fun activities in Stardew Valley, where you can collect a variety of fish and treasures! It’s not only a great way to relax but also helps you complete quests and provides unique loot. While mastering the fishing mini-game can be a bit tricky at first, don’t worry! This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about Stardew Valley fishing.
Stardew Valley Fishing Basics
Before you can start fishing, you’ll need a fishing pole and a body of water. In the early game, you’ll receive your first fishing pole from Willy, who runs the fish shop located at the Beach on the southern edge of Pelican Town. If you want to catch more types of fish, you can upgrade your fishing pole by visiting Willy’s shop.
You can fish in various locations, including the beach, rivers, lakes, and even small ponds. The type of fish you can catch depends on the water body you’re fishing in, so keep that in mind.
To cast your fishing rod, get close to the water and click or tap your main “Use Tool” button (the left mouse button on PC). A distance progress bar will show up. Hold the button until the bar is nearly full, then release to cast your line. The farther you cast, the better the fish you can catch!
After casting, you'll need to wait for a fish to bite. When this happens, the fishing bobber will wiggle, and an exclamation point will appear above your character's head. You'll also hear a sound cue. Click or tap the use tool button again to start the fishing mini-game. Make sure to act quickly—if you wait too long, the fish will swim away!
The Fishing Mini-Game
Once you’ve clicked after the fish bites, you'll enter the fishing mini-game. Your goal is to keep the sliding green bar behind the fish as it moves up and down, sometimes very quickly.
Clicking the button moves the green bar up, while releasing it makes the bar drop back down. Remember, quick clicks offer small movements, while holding the button creates faster upward movement.
On the right side of the screen, you’ll see a progress meter. Your aim is to fill this bar to the top by keeping the green bar behind the fish. If you manage to do that, you’ll catch the fish! But if the progress bar drops to the bottom, the fish escapes.
Once you catch the fish, you’ll see what type it is and its length. If it’s the longest fish of that type you’ve caught, a message will notify you that you've set a new record. You can track all your catches and their sizes in the Collections menu.
Getting a Perfect Catch
If you keep the green bar behind the fish without missing, you can achieve a “perfect catch.” This will earn you extra fishing XP and improve the quality of the fish. For instance, a Silver-level fish can become Gold, and a Gold fish can become Iridium. Do note that a normal fish won’t upgrade to Silver from a perfect catch—only higher tiers can benefit from this!
Types of Fish in Stardew Valley
There are countless fish to catch in Stardew Valley, and what you can find depends on several factors:
- Season (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter)
- Weather (sunny, rainy, etc.)
- Body of Water (ocean, river, pond)
- Time of Day (morning, afternoon, evening)
Treasure Chests
When you hook a fish, there’s a small chance that a treasure chest will appear. To grab the chest, you need to keep the green bar under it for a few seconds while also keeping it under the fish. If you lose the fish, you lose the treasure too!
If you successfully catch both, the chest will reward you with random loot. You might get items like Bait, Coal, Rice Shoots, and Gold Ore, or even rare items like boots and rings! The base chance of finding a treasure chest while fishing is 15%, but you can improve those odds using certain items.
Fishing with Bait and Tackle
Using Bait and Tackle can significantly improve your fishing in Stardew Valley. To use bait, you need either a Fiberglass or Iridium fishing rod, which you can buy from Willy’s shop. Tackle can only be used with an Iridium rod.
Bait
Bait helps reduce the waiting time for fish to bite or increases your chances of finding treasure. Here are the types of bait you can use:
- Bait: Reduces the waiting time by 50% and lowers the chance of catching trash. You can craft it using Bug Meat, available once you reach Fishing level 2.
- Magnet: Doubles your chance of finding treasure chests. You can craft it using an Iron Bar after reaching Fishing level 9.
- Wild Bait: Decreases the waiting time by 62.5% and gives you a chance to catch two fish at once. You can learn this recipe from Linus after reaching four hearts of friendship with him.
To attach bait, select the bait you want to use and right-click on your fishing rod.
Tackle
Tackle enhances your fishing experience when used with an Iridium rod. Here are some tackle types:
- Spinner: Reduces the maximum delay for fish bites by 3.75 seconds.
- Dressed Spinner: Reduces the maximum delay by 7.5 seconds.
- Trap Bobber: Slows the green bar’s movement by 66%, making it easier to catch fish.
- Cork Bobber: Slightly enlarges the green bar, improving your chances of catching fish and treasure chests.
- Treasure Hunter: Increases treasure chest chances by one-third.
You can use tackle and bait together for even better results!
Bobbers and Bubbles
Casting your line far from the shore increases your chances of catching higher-quality fish. When casting, try to stand as close to the water as possible, and release when the progress bar is nearly full for a "Max" cast.
If you spot bubbles in the water, aim to land your bobber in them. Bubbles speed up the rate at which fish bite and can enhance the types of fish you catch.
Fishing Areas
Different areas in Stardew Valley have distinct fish types, influenced by the season and time of day. Here’s a quick overview of the main fishing spots:
Pelican Town
This area features rivers running through the town.
- Spring Fish: Sunfish, Catfish (rainy), Shad (after 9 am), Bream (after 6 pm)
- Summer Fish: Rainbow Trout, Pike, Shad (after 9 am), Bream (after 6 pm)
- Fall Fish: Salmon, Tiger Trout, Catfish (rainy), Walleye (after 12 am)
- Winter Fish: Tiger Trout, Lingcod, Perch
The Beach
Located south of Pelican Town, this area offers ocean fishing.
- Spring Fish: Sardine, Flounder, Halibut (morning/evening), Eel (rainy after 4 pm)
- Summer Fish: Octopus, Tuna, Pufferfish (sunny), Super Cucumber (after 6 pm)
- Fall Fish: Tilapia, Red Snapper (rainy), Eel (rainy), Super Cucumber (after 6 pm)
- Winter Fish: Red Mullet, Tuna, Squid (after 6 pm)
Cindersap Forest
This wooded area has both a pond and a river for fishing.
- Spring Fish: Sunfish (sunny), Catfish (rainy), Chub
- Summer Fish: Dorado, Rainbow Trout, Pike
- Fall Fish: Salmon, Tiger Trout, Midnight Carp (pond after 10 pm)
- Winter Fish: Tiger Trout, Lingcod, Midnight Carp (pond after 10 pm)
With all these tips in hand, you’re now ready to dive into the world of Stardew Valley fishing! Explore the waters, enjoy the tranquility, and don’t forget to keep an eye out for that elusive treasure chest. Happy fishing!
If you’re playing on mobile, you can easily find Stardew Valley in the app store for your device. Enjoy fishing on the go!