Fishing Strategy: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 18:02, 8 July 2020

For a list of fish and their locations, see Fish.

For information about the Fishing Skill and Mechanics, see Fishing.

For an index to the completed fish collection, see Collections.

See also: Tackle, Bait

This page provides fishing strategy information for Stardew Valley.

Basics of Strategy

The availability of many types of fish can depend on various factors: the location of the fishing spot, the season, the time of day, and the weather. Match your fishing location to current conditions as necessary in order to give yourself the chance to catch the type(s) of fish you want.

Below Fishing skill level 4, casting left or right gives you an opportunity to get a higher quality catch than casting up or down, because the maximum casting distance is greater.

Depth

Water depth refers to distance from land (any walkable area), not to distance beneath the water surface. Since the quality of the fish you catch depends on depth, you ideally want to cast your bobber as far from land as you can. It is worth noting that the color of the water and the particular fishing spot have no effect on fish quality at all. Only the bobber's depth when you make a catch matters. (For more information, see Casting Distance.)

To cast into bubbles, you do not have many options about how far you cast, but bubbles increase your depth and may thus increase fish quality, or at least restore what is lost by a shorter cast, while still providing the quick bite feature of bubbles.

In addition to affecting the quality of the fish, depth also affects the chances of catching certain fish over other ones. While all fish can be caught in tiles that have a depth of 1, a lot of the "better" fish have a higher chance to be caught the further away from land you go.

For more specific information, see the modding section.

Fishing Seasons

Fish Infograph

Note that this graph is accurate as of v1.3, but not complete (it does not include the Mutant Bug Lair, Witch's Swamp, Night Market fish or the Cindersap Forest pond).

Prime Fishing Locations

Below are some suggested prime fishing locations, which have ample depth in which to catch the best quality fish. Some of these are also locations where you can catch legendary fish.

Pelican Town

Below the path at the west side of Jodi's house.

File:Optimal Fishing Location - Jodi's House 1.PNG

The Beach

Western pier. Cast near the rock.

File:Optimal Fishing Location - Beach West Pier.jpg

Where the river meets the ocean (in the middle of the river mouth triangle). Cast at an angle into the dark blue water from either side.

File:Optimal Fishing Location - Beach River Mouth.jpg

Eastern pier (across the repaired bridge). Cast down or left at the end of the dock.

File:Optimal Fishing Location - Beach East Pier 1.jpg File:Optimal Fishing Location - Beach East Pier 2.jpg

Cindersap Forest

Below and six tiles to the west of Leah's door.

File:Optimal Fishing Location - Leah's House.PNG

Island near the hat shop.

File:Optimal Fishing Location - Forest River.PNG File:Optimal Fishing Location - Forest River 2.jpg

The Mountains

Southeast edge of the fence past Robin's house.
Southern tip of the second island, also accessible from the area near the broken bridge to the east.

File:Optimal Fishing Location - Mountain Lake.jpg

Access to Standard Fish

According to the game file, a fishing spot is not divided by ocean, lake and river, but by the maps. For instance, the river south of Leah's house is not the same as the river in town.

Note that the 5 legendary fish are not included in the tables below.

The following tables are based on the Locations.xnb file:

Pelican Town

	Time
Spring	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1
Sunfish	Sunny day only
Catfish	Rainy day only
Green Algae
Smallmouth Bass
Shad				Rainy day only
Bream
Summer	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1
Rainbow Trout	Sunny day only
Sunfish	Sunny day only
Green Algae
Pike
Shad				Rainy day only
Bream
Fall	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1
Salmon
Tiger Trout
Catfish	Rainy day only
Green Algae
Smallmouth Bass
Shad				Rainy day only
Walleye							Rainy day only
Bream
Winter	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1
Tiger Trout
Green Algae
Lingcod
Perch
Pike
Bream

The Beach

	Time
Spring	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1
Sardine
Flounder
Anchovy
Herring
Seaweed
Halibut
Eel											Rainy day only
Summer	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1
Octopus
Tilapia
Red Mullet
Red Snapper	Rainy day only
Tuna
Flounder
Seaweed
Halibut
Pufferfish							Sunny day only
Super Cucumber
Fall	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1
Tilapia
Red Snapper	Rainy day only
Sardine
Sea Cucumber
Anchovy
Seaweed
Albacore
Eel											Rainy day only
Super Cucumber
Winter	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1
Red Mullet
Sardine
Sea Cucumber
Tuna
Herring
Red Snapper	Rainy day only
Seaweed
Albacore
Halibut
Squid

Cindersap Forest

Note that there are three fishing spots in the forest: the pond in the middle, and the river and waterfalls to the south.

		Time
Spring		6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1
Sunfish	River	Sunny day only
Catfish	River	Rainy day only
Chub	River
Green Algae	River/Pond
Smallmouth Bass	Pond
Shad	River				Rainy day only
Bream	River
Goby	Waterfall
Summer		6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1
Dorado	River
Rainbow Trout	River	Sunny day only
Sunfish	River	Sunny day only
Chub	River
Green Algae	River/Pond
Pike	River/Pond
Shad	River				Rainy day only
Bream	River
Goby	Waterfall
Fall		6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1
Salmon	River
Tiger Trout	River
Catfish	River	Rainy day only
Chub	River
Midnight Carp	Pond
Green Algae	River/Pond
Smallmouth Bass	Pond
Shad	River				Rainy day only
Walleye	River/Pond							Rainy day only
Bream	River
Salmon	River/Waterfall
Goby	Waterfall
Winter		6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1
Tiger Trout	River
Chub	River
Midnight Carp	Pond
Green Algae	River/Pond
Lingcod	River
Perch	River/Pond
Pike	River/Pond
Bream	River
Goby	Waterfall

The Mountain

Note that this refers to the lake outside of The Mines.

	Time
Spring	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1
Largemouth Bass
Bullhead
Carp
Chub
Green Algae
Summer	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1
Largemouth Bass
Rainbow Trout	Sunny day only
Sturgeon
Bullhead
Carp
Chub
Green Algae
Fall	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1
Largemouth Bass
Bullhead
Carp
Chub
Green Algae
Walleye							Rainy day only
Midnight Carp
Winter	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1
Largemouth Bass
Sturgeon
Bullhead
Chub
Green Algae
Lingcod
Perch
Midnight Carp

Access to Special Fish

The Mines

		Time
All		6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1
Ghostfish	Floors 20, 60
Stonefish	Floor 20
Green Algae	All
White Algae	All
Ice Pip	Floor 60
Lava Eel	Floor 100

Secret Woods

Northwest ofCindersap Forest.

Note: Catfish can not be found here in winter.

	Time
All	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1
Carp
Woodskip
Catfish	Rainy day only

The Desert

	Time
All	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1
Sandfish
Scorpion Carp
Green Algae

The Sewers

The Sewers are an easy and productive fishing location, especially to level up the fishing skill or farm treasure. Carp is the least difficult fish to catch in the game and it is the only fish in the sewers (except for a single Legendary Fish, the Mutant Carp). Therefore, every cast of the line results in either an immediate item reward or a quick Carp catch. This makes the Sewers an ideal place to fish for treasure since Carp are unlikely to escape. Since carp and algae are the only possible non-treasure catches, your inventory will not become clogged with other fish, unlike at locations with more diverse fish stocks.

	Time
All	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1
Carp
Green Algae
White Algae

Mutant Bug Lair

Through the sewers. Can only be accessed end-game, after picking up the quest Dark Talisman.

	Time
All	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1
Carp
Slimejack
Green Algae
White Algae

Witch's Swamp

Through the cave behind the train platform. Can only be accessed end-game, after completing the quest Dark Talisman.

	Time
All	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	1
Void Salmon
Catfish	Rainy day only
Green Algae
White Algae

@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 ===Depth===
-Water '''depth''' (or '''clearWaterDistance''' in modding) refers to distance from land (any walkable area), not to distance beneath the water surface. Since the quality of the fish you catch depends on depth, you ideally want to cast your bobber as far from land as you can. It is worth noting that the color of the water and the particular fishing spot have no effect on fish quality at all. Only the bobber's depth when you make a catch matters. (For more information, see [[Fishing#Casting Distance|Casting Distance]].)
+Water depth refers to distance from land (any walkable area), not to distance beneath the water surface. Since the quality of the fish you catch depends on depth, you ideally want to cast your bobber as far from land as you can. It is worth noting that the color of the water and the particular fishing spot have no effect on fish quality at all. Only the bobber's depth when you make a catch matters. (For more information, see [[Fishing#Casting Distance|Casting Distance]].)
 To cast into bubbles, you do not have many options about how far you cast, but bubbles increase your depth and may thus increase fish quality, or at least restore what is lost by a shorter cast, while still providing the quick bite feature of bubbles.