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Stardew Valley Fishing Guide: How to Catch Every Fish, Catchable Item, and Legendary Fish

A deep dive into the world of fishing that covers how to fish in Stardew Valley, catch conditions for every Stardew Valley fish, and other helpful tips like how to put bait on fishing rods

With a soothing storyline and a slew of activities to enjoy, Stardew Valley can be a haven for gamers who crave a low stress gaming experience. For others, especially those who want to obsessively collect every item in the game, Stardew Valley fishing can be a source of endless frustration. With a total of 72 fishes and catchable items, it can be daunting to complete the collection and earn the Master Angler achievement. Luckily, we’ve got you covered. This guide will cover the locations, weather conditions, time, and equipment needed to successfully catch every fish in Stardew Valley, from albacore to woodskip.

How to Fish in Stardew Valley

Before we dive in and learn how to fish in Stardew Valley, we need to obtain a fishing rod. On the second day of any new game, Willy will ask you to visit the beach before 5:00 pm. After a cutscene, you will receive a bamboo pole from Willy. You can purchase the fiberglass rod after reaching fishing level 2 and the iridium rod at fishing level 6. There is also the training rod, which can make fishing easier but you’ll only be able to catch common fish.

Stardew Valley implements a fishing minigame that can be difficult to grasp at first. After casting your fishing rod in a body of water and getting a bite, the minigame will appear. To catch the fish, you will need to click your left mouse button (or the Use Tool button on consoles) to keep the green bar over the fish icon long enough to fill your progress bar. Holding the mouse button will raise the bar, while letting go of the button will lower the bar. Since the fish icon is somewhat unpredictable and the green bar can be tough to control, many players struggle with fishing. 

It may be helpful to rapidly tap and release the left mouse button instead of holding, as you’ll be able to control the upward motion in minor increments. Additionally, the size of the green bar will increase as you level up. At level 6, the iridium rod will allow you to use different bobbers which can make the fishing minigame easier. Finally, there’s no shame in using mods to make catching fish easier. 

How to Catch Every Fish in Stardew Valley

Now that you know how to fish in Stardew Valley, here’s how to catch every fish in the game. Stardew Valley fish have specific locations (see map below), time, seasons, weather conditions, and equipment requirements in order to be caught. Every fish and their respective catch condition can be found in the tables below.

NameLocationTimeSeasonWeatherEquipment
AlbacoreOcean6am – 11am, 6pm-2amFall, WinterAnyBamboo, Fiberglass, and Iridium Poles
AnchovyOceanAnytimeSpring, FallAnyAny Fishing Pole
BlobfishNight Market5pm – 2amWinter 15-17AnyBamboo, Fiberglass, and Iridium Poles
Blue DiscusGinger IslandAnytimeAll SeasonsAnyBamboo, Fiberglass, and Iridium Poles
BreamRiver (Town & Forest)6pm – 2amAll SeasonsAnyAny Fishing Pole
BullheadMountain LakeAnytimeAll SeasonsAnyAny Fishing Pole
CarpMountain Lake, Secret Woods Pond, The SewersAnytimeAll SeasonsAnyAny Fishing Pole
CatfishRiver (Town & Forest), Secret Woods Pond, Witch’s Swamp6am – 12amSpring, Fall, (Spring, Summer in Secret Woods Pond)RainBamboo, Fiberglass, and Iridium Poles
ChubRiver (Forest), Mountain LakeAnytimeAll SeasonsAnyBamboo, Fiberglass, and Iridium Poles
CockleOceanAnytimeAll SeasonsAnyCrab Pot
CrabOceanAnytimeAll SeasonsAnyCrab Pot
CrayfishFreshwaterAnytimeAll SeasonsAnyCrab Pot
DoradoRiver (Forest)AnytimeAll SeasonsAnyBamboo, Fiberglass, and Iridium Poles
EelOcean4pm – 2amSpring, FallRainBamboo, Fiberglass, and Iridium Poles
FlounderOcean, Ginger Island (Ocean)6am – 8pmSpring, Summer, (All Seasons on Ginger Island)AnyBamboo, Fiberglass, and Iridium Poles
GhostfishMines (20F, 60F), item drop from GhostAnytimeAll SeasonsAnyBamboo, Fiberglass, and Iridium Poles
Green AlgaeFreshwater, item drop from Green SlimeAnytimeAll SeasonsAnyAny Fishing Pole
HalibutOcean6am – 11am, 7pm – 2amSpring, Summer, WinterAnyBamboo, Fiberglass, and Iridium Poles
HerringOceanAnytimeSpring, WinterAnyAny Fishing Pole
Ice PipMines (60F)AnytimeAll SeasonsAnyBamboo, Fiberglass, and Iridium Poles
Largemouth BassMountain Lake6am – 7pmAll SeasonsAnyBamboo, Fiberglass, and Iridium Poles
Lava EelMines (100F), Ginger Island (Volcano Caldera)AnytimeAll SeasonsAnyBamboo, Fiberglass, and Iridium Poles
LingcodRiver (Town & Forest), Mountain LakeAnytimeWinterAnyBamboo, Fiberglass, and Iridium Poles
LionfishGinger IslandAnytimeAll SeasonsAnyBamboo, Fiberglass, and Iridium Poles
LobsterOceanAnytimeAll SeasonsAnyCrab Pot
Midnight CarpMountain Lake, Forest Pond, Ginger Island10pm – 2amFall, Winter, (All Seasons on Ginger Island)AnyBamboo, Fiberglass, and Iridium Poles
Midnight SquidNight Market5pm – 2amWinter 15-17AnyBamboo, Fiberglass, and Iridium Poles
MusselOceanAnytimeAll SeasonsAnyCrab Pot
OctopusOcean6am – 1pmSummerAnyBamboo, Fiberglass, and Iridium Poles
OysterOceanAnytimeAll SeasonsAnyCrab Pot
PerchRiver (Town & Forest), Forest Pond, Mountain LakeAnytimeWinterAnyAny Fishing Pole
PeriwinkleFreshwaterAnytimeAll SeasonsAnyCrab Pot
PikeRiver (Town & Forest), Forest PondAnytimeSummer, WinterAnyBamboo, Fiberglass, and Iridium Poles
PufferfishOcean, Ginger Island (Ocean)12pm – 4pmSummer, (All Seasons on Ginger Island)SunnyBamboo, Fiberglass, and Iridium Poles
Rainbow TroutRiver (Town & Forest), Mountain Lake6am – 7pmSummerSunnyAny Fishing Pole
Red MulletOcean6am – 7pmSummer, WinterAnyBamboo, Fiberglass, and Iridium Poles
Red SnapperOcean6am – 7pmSummer, Fall, Winter (Rain Totem)RainAny Fishing Pole
SalmonRiver (Town & Forest)6am – 7pmFallAnyBamboo, Fiberglass, and Iridium Poles
SandfishThe Desert6am – 8pmAll SeasonsAnyBamboo, Fiberglass, and Iridium Poles
SardineOcean6am – 7pmSpring, Fall, WinterAnyAny Fishing Pole
Scorpion CarpThe Desert6am – 8pmAll Seasons AnyBamboo, Fiberglass, and Iridium Poles
Sea CucumberOcean6am – 7pmFall, WinterAnyAny Fishing Pole
SeaweedOceanAnytimeAll SeasonsAnyAny Fishing Pole
ShadRiver (Town & Forest)9am – 2amSpring, Summer, FallRainAny Fishing Pole
ShrimpOceanAnytimeAll SeasonsAnyCrab Pot
SlimejackThe Sewers (Mutant Bug Lair)AnytimeAll SeasonsAnyBamboo, Fiberglass, and Iridium Poles
Smallmouth BassRiver (Town), Forest PondAnytimeSpring, FallAnyAny Fishing Pole
SnailFreshwaterAnytimeAll SeasonsAnyCrab Pot
Spook FishNight Market5pm – 2amWinter 15-17AnyBamboo, Fiberglass, and Iridium Poles
SquidOcean6pm – 2amWinterAnyBamboo, Fiberglass, and Iridium Poles
StingrayGinger Island (Pirate Cove)AnytimeAll SeasonsAnyBamboo, Fiberglass, and Iridium Poles
StonefishMines (20F)AnytimeAll SeasonsAnyBamboo, Fiberglass, and Iridium Poles
SturgeonMountain Lake6am – 7pmSummer, WinterAnyBamboo, Fiberglass, and Iridium Poles
SunfishRiver (Town & Forest)6am – 7pmSpring, SummerSunny, WindyAny Fishing Pole
Super CucumberOcean, Ginger Island (Ocean)6pm – 2amSummer, Fall, (All Seasons on Ginger Island)AnyBamboo, Fiberglass, and Iridium Poles
Tiger TroutRiver (Town & Forest)6am – 7pmFall, WinterAnyBamboo, Fiberglass, and Iridium Poles
TilapiaOcean, Ginger Island (Rivers)6am – 2pmSummer, Fall, (All Seasons on Ginger Island)AnyBamboo, Fiberglass, and Iridium Poles
TunaOcean, Ginger Island (Ocean)6am – 7pmSummer, Winter, (All Seasons on Ginger Island)AnyBamboo, Fiberglass, and Iridium Poles
Void SalmonWitch’s SwampAnytimeAll SeasonsAnyBamboo, Fiberglass, and Iridium Poles
WalleyeRiver (Town & Forest), Forest Pond, Mountain Lake12pm – 2amFall, Winter (Rain Totem)RainAny Fishing Pole
White AlgaeUnderground Locations, item drop from several monstersAnytimeAll SeasonsAnyAny Fishing Rod
WoodskipSecret Woods Pond, Forest FarmAnytimeAll SeasonsAnyBamboo, Fiberglass, and Iridium Poles

*Information retrieved from https://stardewvalleywiki.com/Fish*

How to catch legendary fish

To complete the fish collection and earn the Master Angler achievement, there are 5 legendary fish that need to be caught. These fish are rarer and harder to catch than the fish above. Additionally, they can only be found in specific locations and can only be caught once per save file. 

With the latest 1.5 update, Stardew Valley has added five more legendary fish, bringing the total to 73 catchable items. These fish can only be caught during Mr. Qi’s Extended Family Quest, but they are not required to earn the Master Angler achievement. These will be marked below with asterisks. 

NameLocationTimeSeasonWeatherEquipment
AnglerRiver (Town), above JojaMart on plank bridgeAnytimeFallAnyAny Fishing Rod, requires fishing level 3
Ms. Angler*River (Town), above JojaMart on plank bridgeAnytimeAll SeasonsAnyAny Fishing Rod, requires fishing level 3

NameLocationTimeSeasonWeatherEquipment
CrimsonfishEast Pier on BeachAnytimeSummerAnyAny Fishing Rod, require fishing level 5
Son of Crimsonfish*East Pier on BeachAnytimeAll SeasonsAnyAny Fishing Rod, require fishing level 5

NameLocationTimeSeasonWeatherEquipment
GlacierfishSouthernmost tip of Arrowhead Island in Cindersap ForestAnytimeWinterAnyAny Fishing Rod, requires fishing level 6
Glacierfish Jr.*Southernmost tip of Arrowhead Island in Cindersap ForestAnytimeAll SeasonsAnyAny Fishing Rod, requires fishing level 6

NameLocationTimeSeasonWeatherEquipment
LegendMountain Lake, near underwater logAnytimeSpringRainAny Fishing Rod, requires fishing level 10
Legend II*Mountain Lake, near underwater logAnytimeAll SeasonsAnyAny Fishing Rod, requires fishing level 10

NameLocationTimeSeasonWeatherEquipment
Mutant CarpThe SewersAnytimeAll SeasonsAnyAny Fishing Rod
Radioactive Carp*The SewersAnytimeAll SeasonsAnyAny Fishing Rod

*Information retrieved from https://stardewvalleywiki.com/Fish*

Other Helpful Fishing Tips

Now that we’ve gone over where and how to catch every fish in Stardew Valley, we can discuss some helpful tips to complete your collection. From constructing Stardew Valley fishing ponds to learning how to put bait on your fishing rod, we’ve got you covered.

How to Put Bait on Fishing Rods in Stardew Valley

Once you upgrade to the Fiberglass rod, you will have the option to use bait. Bait can be crafted with Bug Meat or bought at Willy’s Fish Shop. To equip the bait on your rod, open your inventory and pick up your bait using the left click. Then hover over your fishing rod and right click to equip the bait. Additionally, you can put bait in crab pots by right clicking the pot once it’s placed in the water. 

There are four types of bait. Regular bait will shorten the time it takes for a fish to bite. The magnet will increase your chances to fish up some treasure. Like regular bait, wild bait will shorten the time it takes for a fish to bite. And lastly, magic bait can be used to catch fish from any season, time, and location, from the water you casted in. 

Tackles

Once you have purchased the iridium rod, you will be able to use both bait and tackles. There are few different tackle options, starting with the Spinner and the Dressed Spinner, which both increase the bite rate of fish. The Trap Bobber lengthens the time it takes for a fish to escape. The Cork Bobber increases the size of your fishing bar and the Lead Bobber prevents the green bar from bouncing at the bottom. The Treasure Hunter bobber increases your chances to find treasure. The Barbed Hook makes it easier to catch fish by having the green bar follow the fish. Finally, the Curiosity Bobber increases your chances to catch a rare fish and the Quality Bobber increases the quality of caught fish. 

Stardew Valley Fish Ponds

Fish ponds can be built using Robin’s carpentry shop for the price of 5,000 gold, 200 stone, 5 seaweed, and 5 green algae. Once constructed, you can place a fish into the pond and it will begin reproducing. The fish produce various items depending on which fish are in the pond. Additionally, you can fish in the pond to remove the reproduced fish and sell them for a profit. 

Bubbles and Fishing Stat Buffs from Recipes

Occasionally, bubbles will appear in a body of water. If you cast your line into these bubbles, fish will bite much faster. These bubbles are rare and eventually dissipate, so it’s important to get the most out of it while it lasts.

Some recipes can temporarily increase your fishing level. With a higher fishing level, the green bar in the minigame will increase in size. Recipes for Dish O’ The Sea and Seafoam Pudding can be learned after reaching fishing level 3 and 9, respectively. Chowder, Escargot, Fish Stew, Lobster Bisque can be learned from Willy after reaching certain heart levels. Linus will share his Fish Taco recipe once you have 7 hearts with him. Finally, you can learn Maple Bar, Shrimp Cocktail, and Trout Soup from The Queen of Sauce on the television. 

And that’s that! Completing the fish collection is a tough task, but it’s one of the most rewarding experiences in Stardew Valley. Additionally, you’ll receive the Master Angler achievement, which you can proudly boast to all your friends. Now, go out and channel your inner Ash Ketchum to catch them all!

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