Stardew Valley Fishing Guide

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Seth Christmus

Seth is a writer for SDew HQ. As a kid, one of Seth’s favorite games was Harvest Moon 64. He’s always enjoyed playing indie games, too, so this led to a natural love of Stardew Valley and how it built upon games like Harvest Moon. He has written guides, reviews, and news articles for a number of gaming sites in the past.

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2016 indie video game hit Stardew Valley is, first and foremost, a game about farming. You inherit a farm from your grandfather after his passing with the ultimate goal of turning it into, well, whatever you want. You can focus on growing crops, raising animals, or a mix of the two.

But some of the best activities in this game don’t involve farming at all. Fishing in particular is a fun departure from the normal gameplay loop of farming. Stardew Valley features some of the best fishing mechanics in any game I’ve ever played.

It controls smoothly and turns every bite into a battle between you and the fish as you try to reel it in. You may even pull up a treasure chest or two to go along with your water-breathing prize.

Fishing in Stardew Valley is easy to learn, but difficult to master. The rod, tackle, and bait you use will affect how easy fishing is and the type of fish you catch. There’s a lot to learn about the subject, so grab that fishing pole and cast your lines as we go deep into the waters of fishing in Stardew Valley.

Bottom Line Up Front

• Fishing is an integral part of Stardew Valley’s gameplay and a great way to earn money early game.
• You can also obtain treasures and artifacts to donate to the museum by fishing.
• Different fishing poles allow you to attach bait and a tackle to make fishing easier or to increase the chances of finding treasure.
• Crab pots can be used to catch a different set of fish than normal rod fishing.

Overview

Fishing in Stardew Valley is essential to master as you’ll have to catch numerous kinds of fish to complete the Community Center, specifically its fish tank. You’ll be able to begin fishing after receiving your first rod from Willy on Spring 2 after receiving a letter in the mail from him.

To begin fishing, simply face any body of water, press and hold the “Tool” button – this is the left mouse button on PC, the square button on Playstation, the X button on Xbox, and the Y button on Nintendo Switch – then release the button at your desired power level. Your character will cast a line into the water. The distance your line travels depends on how much power you let build up before releasing the “Tool” button earlier.

When you finally have a bite, a sound will play, an exclamation mark will appear above your head, and the word “HIT!” will appear. Press the “Tool” button again to hook the fish. This is when the real battle to catch the fish begins. A meter will appear on the right side of the screen with a fish icon and a green bar.

The goal of this meter is to keep the fish icon, which moves differently depending on the type of fish you’re trying to catch, inside of the green bar until a separate progress meter on the right side of the entire fishing meter interface fills to the top.

You’ll have to alternate between tapping and holding the “Tool” button to move the green bar and keep it over the fish icon. Once the progress bar is filled, the fish is caught!

General Tips

There are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind as you fish in Stardew Valley, the main one being that the types of fish you can catch depend on four factors: the time of day, the weather, where you’re fishing, and the season.

Fishing is a skill that can be improved, like Farming or Foraging. Having a higher fishing skill affects many aspects of fishing, including the size of the green bar you have to keep the fish icon in, how far you can cast your line, and how long it takes for a fish to bite.

As you level up in Fishing, you’ll be presented with the opportunity to choose “Professions,” which are essentially upgrades that give you special quality-of-life improvements or change how much you’ll earn for selling fish. The Fishing professions and their effects are:

Level 5

• Fisher – fish are worth +25% more gold
• Trapper – fewer crafting items needed to make crab pots

Level 10

Level 5 Fisher options:

• Angler: Fish are worth +50% more gold (replaces Fisher buff)
• Pirate: 2x chance of finding treasure while fishing

Level 5 Trapper options:

• Mariner: Crab pots no longer catch junk (i.e. driftwood, broken glasses, etc.)
• Luremaster: Crab pots no longer require bait

If you manage to keep the fish icon inside of the green bar for the entire duration of the fishing mini-game, the game will display the word “Perfect!,” an indication that you’ve achieved a perfect catch. Perfect catches give you more experience and raise the rating by 1 level (i.e. a silver star to a gold star).

While fishing, be on the lookout for bubbles that appear in the water. Casting your line into the bubbles results in a bite rate that is 4 times higher than normal and a lower chance of catching trash.

Fishing on Ginger Island allows you to catch fish that would otherwise be considered out of season. For example, pufferfish are only able to be caught during Summer in Stardew Valley, but traveling to Ginger Island and fishing in the ocean will allow you to catch them year-round.

Lastly, all fish fall into a “Behavior” category. There are five types of behaviors: dart, sinker, smooth, floater, and mixed.

Types of Fish

Stardew Valley features a large roster of fish from common swimmers like the sardine to rare legendary (and fictional) fish like the glacierfish. Different fish can be caught in different seasons with some crossover, meaning that you’ll have to play Stardew Valley for at least a full in-game year to have the opportunity to catch every fish.

The following tables break down the fish you can catch, and how much they are worth at each quality level. It’s important to note that the base worth column shows how much each fish is worth at each quality level without the Fisher or Angler profession bonuses and that the seasons are indicative of when the fish can be caught in Stardew Valley, not on Ginger Island.

Three catchable items aren’t fish. Seaweed, green algae, and white algae may also turn up on your hook. These items will be immediately caught instead of bringing up the fishing meter on your screen.

Year-Round

Fish Name	Base Worth (g)	Behavior	Location & Time	Weather
Bream	Normal: 45   Silver: 56 Gold: 67 Iridium: 90	Smooth	River // 6 PM – 2 AM	All
Largemouth Bass	Normal: 100   Silver: 125 Gold: 150 Iridium: 200	Mixed	Mountain Lake // 6 AM – 7 PM	All
Carp	Normal: 30   Silver: 37 Gold: 45 Iridium: 60	Mixed	Mountain Lake, Secret Woods, Pond, The Sewers // anytime	All
Ghostfish	Normal: 45   Silver: 56 Gold: 67 Iridium: 90	Mixed	Mines (20th floor, 60th floor), dropped by Ghosts // anytime	All
Stonefish	Normal: 300   Silver: 375 Gold: 450 Iridium: 600	Sinker	Mines (20th floor) // anytime	All
Ice Pip	Normal: 500   Silver: 625 Gold: 750 Iridium: 1,000	Dart	Mines (60th floor) // anytime	All
Lava Eel	Normal: 700   Silver: 875 Gold: 1,050 Iridium: 1,400	Mixed	Mines (100th floor), Volcano, Caldera // anytime	All
Sandfish	Normal: 75   Silver: 93 Gold: 112 Iridium: 150	Mixed	Calico Desert // 6 AM – 8 PM	All
Scorpion Carp	Normal: 150   Silver: 187 Gold: 225 Iridium: 300	Dart	Calico Desert // 6 AM – 8 PM	All
Bullhead	Normal: 75   Silver: 93 Gold: 112 Iridium: 150	Smooth	Mountain Lake // anytime	All
Chub	Normal: 50   Silver: 62 Gold: 75 Iridium: 100	Dart	Forest River, Mountain Lake // anytime	All
Woodskip	Normal: 75   Silver: 93 Gold: 112 Iridium: 150	Mixed	Secret Woods, Forest Farm // anytime	All
Void Salmon	Normal: 150   Silver: 187 Gold: 225 Iridium: 300	Mixed	Witch’s Swamp // anytime	All
Slimejack	Normal: 100   Silver: 125 Gold: 150 Iridium: 200	Dart	Mutant Bug Lair // anytime	All
Stingray	Normal: 180   Silver: 225 Gold: 270 Iridium: 360	Sinker	Pirate Cove (Ginger Island) // anytime	All
Lionfish	Normal: 100   Silver: 125 Gold: 150 Iridium: 200	Smooth	Ginger Island (ocean) // anytime	All
Blue Discus	Normal: 120   Silver: 150 Gold: 180 Iridium: 240	Dart	Ginger Island (pond and rivers) // anytime	All

Spring

Fish Name	Base Worth (g)	Behavior	Location & Time	Weather
Herring	Normal: 30   Silver: 37 Gold: 45 Iridium: 60	Dart	Ocean // anytime	All
Flounder	Normal: 100   Silver: 125 Gold: 150 Iridium: 200	Sinker	Ocean, Ginger Island (ocean) // 6 AM – 8 PM	All
Halibut	Normal: 80   Silver: 100 Gold: 120 Iridium: 160	Sinker	Ocean // 6 AM – 11 AM, 7 PM – 2 AM	All
Shad	Normal: 60   Silver: 75 Gold: 90 Iridium: 120	Smooth	River // 9 AM – 2 AM	Rainy
Sunfish	Normal: 30   Silver: 37 Gold: 45 Iridium: 60	Mixed	River // 6 AM – 7 PM	Sunny, Windy
Catfish	Normal: 200   Silver: 250 Gold: 300 Iridium: 400	Mixed	River (Town and Forest), Witch’s Swamp // 6 AM – 12 AM	Rainy
Sardine	Normal: 40   Silver: 50 Gold: 60 Iridium: 80	Dart	Ocean // 6 AM – 7 PM	Any
Anchovy	Normal: 30   Silver: 37 Gold: 45 Iridium: 60	Dart	Ocean // anytime	Any
Smallmouth Bass	Normal: 50   Silver: 62 Gold: 75 Iridium: 100	Mixed	River (town), Forest Pond // anytime	Any
Eel	Normal: 85   Silver: 106 Gold: 127 Iridium: 170	Smooth	Ocean // 4 PM – 2 AM	Rainy

Summer

Fish Name	Base Worth (g)	Behavior	Location & Time	Weather
Pufferfish	Normal: 200   Silver: 250 Gold: 300 Iridium: 400	Floater	Ocean, Ginger Island (ocean) // 12 PM – 4 PM	Sunny
Tuna	Normal: 100   Silver: 125 Gold: 150 Iridium: 200	Smooth	Ocean, Ginger Island (ocean) // 6 AM – 7 PM	All
Pike	Normal: 100   Silver: 125 Gold: 150 Iridium: 200	Dart	River, Forest Pond // anytime	All
Red Mullet	Normal: 75   Silver: 93 Gold: 112 Iridium: 150	Smooth	Ocean // 6 AM – 7 PM	All
Sturgeon	Normal: 200   Silver: 250 Gold: 300 Iridium: 400	Mixed	Mountain Lake // 6 AM – 7PM	All
Super Cucumber	Normal: 250   Silver: 312 Gold: 375 Iridium: 500	Sinker	Ocean, Ginger Island (ocean) // 6 PM – 2 AM	All
Tilapia	Normal: 75   Silver: 93 Gold: 112 Iridium: 150	Mixed	Ocean, Ginger Island (rivers) // 6 AM – 2 PM	All
Red Snapper	Normal: 50   Silver: 62 Gold: 75 Iridium: 100	Mixed	Ocean	Rainy
Rainbow Trout	Normal: 65   Silver: 81 Gold: 97 Iridium: 130	Mixed	River, Mountain Lake // 6 AM – 7 PM	Sunny
Octopus	Normal: 150   Silver: 187 Gold: 225 Iridium: 300	Sinker	Ocean // 6 AM – 1 PM	All
Dorado	Normal: 100   Silver: 125 Gold: 150 Iridium: 200	Mixed	River (forest only) // 6 AM – 7 PM	All
Flounder	Normal: 100   Silver: 125 Gold: 150 Iridium: 200	Sinker	Ocean, Ginger Island (ocean) // 6 AM – 8 PM	All
Halibut	Normal: 80   Silver: 100 Gold: 120 Iridium: 160	Sinker	Ocean // 6 AM – 11 AM, 7 PM – 2 AM	All
Shad	Normal: 60   Silver: 75 Gold: 90 Iridium: 120	Smooth	River // 9 AM – 2 AM	Rainy
Sunfish	Normal: 30   Silver: 37 Gold: 45 Iridium: 60	Mixed	River // 6 AM – 7 PM	Sunny, Windy
Catfish	Normal: 200   Silver: 250 Gold: 300 Iridium: 400	Mixed	Secret Woods (for summer only) // 6 AM – 12 AM	Rainy

Fall

Fish Name	Base Worth (g)	Behavior	Location & Time	Weather
Super Cucumber	Normal: 250   Silver: 312 Gold: 375 Iridium: 500	Sinker	Ocean, Ginger Island (ocean) // 6 PM – 2 AM	All
Tilapia	Normal: 75   Silver: 93 Gold: 112 Iridium: 150	Mixed	Ocean, Ginger Island (rivers) // 6 AM – 2 PM	All
Red Snapper	Normal: 50   Silver: 62 Gold: 75 Iridium: 100	Mixed	Ocean	Rainy
Shad	Normal: 60   Silver: 75 Gold: 90 Iridium: 120	Smooth	River // 9 AM – 2 AM	Rainy
Catfish	Normal: 200   Silver: 250 Gold: 300 Iridium: 400	Mixed	River (Town and Forest), Witch’s Swamp // 6 AM – 12 AM	Rainy
Sardine	Normal: 40   Silver: 50 Gold: 60 Iridium: 80	Dart	Ocean // 6 AM – 7 PM	Any
Anchovy	Normal: 30   Silver: 37 Gold: 45 Iridium: 60	Dart	Ocean // anytime	Any
Smallmouth Bass	Normal: 50   Silver: 62 Gold: 75 Iridium: 100	Mixed	River (town), Forest Pond // anytime	Any
Eel	Normal: 85   Silver: 106 Gold: 127 Iridium: 170	Smooth	Ocean // 4 PM – 2 AM	Rainy
Midnight Carp	Normal: 150   Silver: 187 Gold: 225 Iridium: 300	Mixed	Mountain Lake, Cindersap Forest, Ginger Island (pond and river) // 10 PM – 2 AM	Any
Walleye	Normal: 105   Silver: 131 Gold: 157 Iridium: 210	Smooth	River (town and forest), Forest Pond, Mountain Lake // 12 PM – 2 AM	Rainy
Sea Cucumber	Normal: 75   Silver: 93 Gold: 112 Iridium: 150	Sinker	Ocean // 6 AM – 7 PM	Any
Tiger Trout	Normal: 150   Silver: 187 Gold: 225 Iridium: 300	Dart	River (town and forest) // 6 AM – 7 PM	Any
Albacore	Normal: 75   Silver: 93 Gold: 112 Iridium: 150	Mixed	Ocean // 6 AM – 11 AM, 6 PM – 2 AM	Any
Salmon	Normal: 75   Silver: 93 Gold: 112 Iridium: 150	Mixed	River (town and forest) // 6 AM – 7PM	Any

Winter

Fish Name	Base Worth (g)	Behavior	Location & Time	Weather
Perch	Normal: 55   Silver: 68 Gold: 82 Iridium: 110	Dart	River (town and forest), Forest Pond, Mountain Lake // anytime	Any
Squid	Normal: 80   Silver: 100 Gold: 120 Iridium: 160	Sinker	Ocean // 6 PM – 2 AM	Any
Lingcod	Normal: 120   Silver: 150 Gold: 180 Iridium: 240	Mixed	River (town and forest), Mountain Lake // anytime	Any
Tuna	Normal: 100   Silver: 125 Gold: 150 Iridium: 200	Smooth	Ocean, Ginger Island (ocean) // 6 AM – 7 PM	All
Pike	Normal: 100   Silver: 125 Gold: 150 Iridium: 200	Dart	River, Forest Pond // anytime	All
Red Mullet	Normal: 75   Silver: 93 Gold: 112 Iridium: 150	Smooth	Ocean // 6 AM – 7 PM	All
Sturgeon	Normal: 200   Silver: 250 Gold: 300 Iridium: 400	Mixed	Mountain Lake // 6 AM – 7PM	All
Red Snapper	Normal: 50   Silver: 62 Gold: 75 Iridium: 100	Mixed	Ocean	Rainy (must use a Rain Totem in Winter)
Herring	Normal: 30   Silver: 37 Gold: 45 Iridium: 60	Dart	Ocean // anytime	All
Halibut	Normal: 80   Silver: 100 Gold: 120 Iridium: 160	Sinker	Ocean // 6 AM – 11 AM, 7 PM – 2 AM	All
Sardine	Normal: 40   Silver: 50 Gold: 60 Iridium: 80	Dart	Ocean // 6 AM – 7 PM	Any
Midnight Carp	Normal: 150   Silver: 187 Gold: 225 Iridium: 300	Mixed	Mountain Lake, Cindersap Forest, Ginger Island (pond and river) // 10 PM – 2 AM	Any
Walleye	Normal: 105   Silver: 131 Gold: 157 Iridium: 210	Smooth	River (town and forest), Forest Pond, Mountain Lake // 12 PM – 2 AM	Rainy (must use a Rain Totem in Winter)
Sea Cucumber	Normal: 75   Silver: 93 Gold: 112 Iridium: 150	Sinker	Ocean // 6 AM – 7 PM	Any
Tiger Trout	Normal: 150   Silver: 187 Gold: 225 Iridium: 300	Dart	River (town and forest) // 6 AM – 7 PM	Any
Albacore	Normal: 75   Silver: 93 Gold: 112 Iridium: 150	Mixed	Ocean // 6 AM – 11 AM, 6 PM – 2 AM	Any

Night Market

Three fish can be caught at the Night Market that comes to the pier at the beach every Winter (or by fishing with Magic Bait from the southwest edge of the beach). The Night Market runs from Winter 15th to the 17th and features a submarine ride where you can catch these special fish.

Fish Name	Base Worth (g)	Behavior
Midnight Squid	Normal: 100   Silver: 125 Gold: 150 Iridium: 200	Sinker
Spook Fish	Normal: 220   Silver: 275 Gold: 330 Iridium: 440	Dart
Blobfish	Normal: 500   Silver: 625 Gold: 750 Iridium: 1000	Floater

Legendary Fish

Currently, in Stardew Valley, there are 10 legendary fish; 5 original fish, and 5 that were added in update 1.5. These fish can only be caught once and are extremely difficult to catch. I suggest using an item that temporarily raises your fishing skill, like Seafoam Pudding or Dish O’ The Sea, even if you’re at the required level to catch a legendary fish.

You can learn the seasons and locations to catch the original 5 legendary fish from the lost book called “Secrets of the Legendary Fish.” As for the newer 5, they are caught during the quest “Qi’s Extended Family” and are found in the same locations as the original 5 legendary fish.

Fish Name	Base Worth	Location & Time	Season & Weather	Behavior & Required Fishing Level
Crimsonfish	Normal: 1,500   Silver: 1,875 Gold: 2,250 Iridium: 3,000	Pier near tide pools // anytime	Summer // All	Mixed // Level 5
Angler	Normal: 900   Silver: 1,125 Gold: 1,350 Iridium: 1,800	Wooden bridge north of JojaMart // anytime	Fall // All	Smooth // Level 3
Legend	Normal: 5,000   Silver: 6,250 Gold: 7,500 Iridium: 10,000	Log close to Mountain Lake // anytime	Spring // Rainy	Mixed // Level 10
Glacierfish	Normal: 1,000   Silver: 1,250 Gold: 1,500 Iridium: 2,000	Arrowhead Island in Cindersap Forest (southern end of the arrow-shaped island found in the river) // anytime	Winter // All	Mixed // Level 6
Mutant Carp	Normal: 1,000   Silver: 1,250 Gold: 1,500 Iridium: 2,000	The Sewers // anytime	All // All	Dart // —
Son of Crimsonfish	Normal: 1,500   Silver: 1,875 Gold: 2,250 Iridium: 3,000	Pier near tide pools // anytime	All // All	Mixed // Level 5
Ms. Angler	Normal: 900   Silver: 1,125 Gold: 1,350 Iridium: 3,000	Wooden bridge north of JojaMart // anytime	All // All	Smooth // Level 3
Legend II	Normal: 5,000   Silver: 6,250 Gold: 7,500 Iridium: 10,000	Log close to Mountain Lake // anytime	All // All	Mixed // Level 10
Glacierfish Jr.	Normal: 1,000   Silver: 1,250 Gold: 1,500 Iridium: 2,000	Arrowhead Island in Cindersap Forest (southern end of the arrow-shaped island found in the river) // anytime	All // All	Mixed // Level 6
Radioactive Carp	Normal: 1,000   Silver: 1,250 Gold: 1,500 Iridium: 2,000	The Sewers // anytime	All // All	Dart // —

Crab Pot

The crab pot is an alternative way of fishing that comes with its own set of aquatic creatures you can catch. Some items, like clams and oysters, can also be found by foraging on the beach. All fish caught in crab pots will be of normal quality.

Fish Name	Base Worth (g)	Location
Lobster	120	Ocean
Clam	50	Ocean
Crayfish	75	Any freshwater
Crab	100	Ocean
Cockle	50	Ocean
Mussel	30	Ocean
Shrimp	60	Ocean
Snail	65	Any freshwater
Periwinkle	20	Any freshwater
Oyster	40	Ocean

The Fish Shop (Willy’s Shop)

Willy, the local fisherman in Stardew Valley, runs a store where you can fulfill all of your fishing needs. He sells fishing rods, bait, tackles, food, and even nautical-themed furniture.

Not all items that Willy sells are initially available; more items will appear as you level up your Fishing skill. You can find all items sold in the Fish Shop below along with the Fishing level they appear at and their price.

Types of Rods

There are four rods available for fishing in Stardew Valley: Training Rod, Bamboo Pole, Fiberglass Rod, and Iridium Rod.

You’ll receive your first rod, the Bamboo Pole, from Willy on or anytime after Spring 2. Traveling to the beach during the day will trigger a cutscene in which you meet Willy and he gives you the Bamboo Pole. All rods can be purchased from Willy’s shop, but two of them require you to reach a certain Fishing level before they become available.

The cheapest and least effective rod of the bunch is the training rod. This rod can be purchased for 25g and makes it easier to catch fish, but you’ll only be able to catch common fish.

The bamboo pole is second on this list and, as mentioned before, you’ll get this rod free from Willy near the beginning of the game. You can also buy one for 500g. There’s nothing special about this rod and you can’t attach bait or tackle to it.

The fiberglass rod represents a step up from the bamboo pole because you can attach bait to it. However, you must reach level 2 in the Fishing skill before it appears in Willy’s shop. You can buy it for 1,800g.

The best of the best as far as rods are concerned, the iridium rod allows you to attach both bait and tackle. It will be available in Willy’s shop once you reach level 6 in Fishing. This rod goes for 7,500g, a significant increase in price from the fiberglass rod.

Types of Tackles

Once you have the iridium rod in your possession, you’ll be able to attach a tackle to your rod to make fishing easier. As you level up your Fishing skill, you’ll gain access to new recipes that will allow you to create new types of tackles. You can also purchase them from Willy’s shop. It’s important to note that a tackle does wear out over time – you’ll usually have 20 catches before it’s no longer of use. There are 9 attachable tackles in Stardew Valley.

Types of Bait

There are four kinds of bait in Stardew Valley, each with a different effect: Bait, Magnet, Wild Bait, and Magic Bait.

Bait is the simplest and cheapest to obtain. It can be purchased for 5g each from Willy or crafted from 1 bug meat. It also reduces the time to a bite by 50%. You’ll receive the crafting recipe for bait when you reach Fishing level 2.

The next kind of bait is a magnet. Instead of attracting fish, the magnet attracts treasure. It increases the chance of finding treasure while fishing by 15%, with no effect on the rate of hooking a fish. A magnet costs 1,000g at Willy’s shop and you can learn to craft one at Fishing level 9.

Wild bait is a more effective form of regular bait. It decreases the time to a bite by 62.5%, a significant increase over its standard counterpart. In addition, wild bait also gives you the chance to catch two fish at once – legendary fish excluded. You can get the recipe for this bait by completing Linus’ 4 heart event.

Finally, we have magic bait. This bait really is magical, as it allows you to catch any fish in any season, in any weather, in any body of water. You can buy magic bait and its recipe from Qi’s Walnut Room on Ginger Island. Magic bait costs 5 Qi Gems while the recipe costs 20.

Fish Ponds

You can construct fish ponds on your farm by purchasing the construction project from Robin in her carpentry shop. You can place fish that you catch into a fish pond and it will reproduce until the fish pond is full. It’s important to note that only one type of fish can inhabit a fish pond at a time, so if you want to raise multiple types of fish, you’ll need more than one fish pond.

Fish ponds can produce roe and other items depending on the type of fish in the pond. All fish, other than legendary fish, Qi’s Extended Family fish, clams, algae (green or white), and seaweed, can be placed in a fish pond to reproduce.

Once the pond’s capacity is reached, an exclamation point will appear over the pond to show that you have a “fish quest” you can complete. Fish quests involve bringing specific items to the pond and throwing them in. The fish will thank you and you’ll receive Fishing experience as a reward.

There are a few special things you can do to make your fishing pond unique. If you place a sign on your pond, it will tell you how many fish are currently living in it. Additionally, placing a lava eel, a super cucumber, a slimejack, or a void salmon will change the color of the water of the pond to correspond with the color of that fish.

Food with Fishing Buffs

Fishing fanatics out there will be happy to know there are several cooked dishes in Stardew Valley that raise your Fishing skill level, making it easier to catch difficult and legendary fish. They can be prepared in your kitchen, by using a Cookout Kit, or by purchasing them. These food items are listed below along with the required ingredients and the effects they bestow when you eat them.

Item Name	Recipe Location & Ingredients	Effect	Fishing Buff Duration
Chowder	Mailbox (Willy 3 heart event) // 1 clam, 1 milk	Fishing +1, Energy +225, Health +101	16 minutes, 47 seconds
Dish o’ the Sea	Fishing level 3 reward // 2 sardines, 1 hashbrown	Fishing +3, Energy +125, Health +56	5 minutes, 35 seconds
Escargot	Mailbox (Willy 5 heart event) // 1 snail, 1 garlic	Fishing +2, Energy +225, Health +101	16 minutes, 47 seconds
Fish Stew	Mailbox (Willy 7 heart event) // 1 crayfish, 1 mussel, 1 periwinkle, 1 tomato	Fishing +3, Energy +225, Health +101	16 minutes, 47 seconds
Fish Taco	Mailbox (Linus 7 heart event) // 1 tuna, 1 tortilla, 1 red cabbage, 1 mayonnaise	Fishing +2, Energy +165, Health +74	7 minutes
Lobster Bisque	Mailbox (Willy 9 heart event), Queen of Sauce TV program (Year 2, Winter 14) // 1 lobster, 1 milk	Fishing +3, Max Energy +50, Energy +225, Health +101	16 minutes, 47 seconds
Maple Bar	Queen of Sauce TV program (Year 2, Summer 14) // 1 maple syrup, 1 sugar, 1 wheat flour	Fishing +1, Farming +1, Mining +1, Energy +225, Health +101	16 minutes, 47 seconds
Seafoam Pudding	Fishing level 9 reward, can also be purchased from Dance of the Moonlight Jellies festival or the Traveling Cart // 1 flounder, 1 midnight carp, 1 squid ink	Fishing +4, Energy +175, Health +78	3 minutes, 30 seconds
Shrimp Cocktail	Queen of Sauce TV program (Year 2, Winter 28) // 1 tomato, 1 shrimp, 1 wild horseradish	Fishing +1, Luck +1, Energy +225, Health +101	10 minutes, 2 seconds
Trout Soup	Queen of Sauce TV program (Year 1, Fall 14), can also be purchased from the Fish Shop, Krobus’ shop, the Stardrop Saloon, and the Traveling Cart // 1 rainbow trout, 1 green algae	Fishing +1, Energy +100, Health +45	4 minutes, 39 seconds

FAQs

Stardew Valley Fishing: Conclusion

Fishing is easily one of my favorite activities in Stardew Valley. It’s one of the deepest and mechanically interesting gameplay features of this indie hit. I can’t count how many hours I’ve spent fishing in what is, at its core, a farming simulation. It goes to show the level of depth and care that developer ConcernedApe put into Stardew Valley without regard to whether a particular feature is a main draw of the game or not.

I hope this guide gives new anglers out there a taste of what fishing is like in Stardew Valley and provides a nice headstart for those ready to cast their lines into the waters. Happy fishing!