Stardew Valley Fishing Guide: Every Fish, Location & Season

Fishing in Stardew Valley is one of the most divisive mechanics in the entire game. Beginners find it nearly impossible — the green bar is tiny, the fish thrashes constantly, and it feels like pure luck. Veterans use it as their primary income source from Year 1. The skill gap is completely explained by two things: knowing which tackle to use and understanding that fish difficulty on paper is not the same as the challenge you face at low fishing levels. A bigger green bar changes everything.

This guide covers the whole system — how the mini-game actually works, every fish by season and location, the 5 legendary fish with exact requirements, the best tackle setup at each stage, and how to turn fishing into serious money. Whether you’re still fighting the bar or chasing the Legend in a rainstorm, there’s something here for you.

How Fishing Works

Fishing starts with your cast. Hold the Use Tool button to fill the casting bar — the longer you hold, the further your cast lands. Distance matters: casting into deeper water (further from the shore) increases your chances of catching better fish and reduces trash. The game caps effective distance at 5 tiles from land, so aim for open water wherever possible.

Once a fish bites, the mini-game begins. Your job is to keep the green rectangle (the bobber bar) touching the fish icon until the progress bar on the right fills completely. The fish moves unpredictably — darting up, dropping suddenly, hovering — and you tap or hold the left mouse button (or the action button on controller) to move the bar up. Release to let it fall. The bar size starts small at level 0 (96 pixels) and grows 8 pixels per level, reaching 176 pixels at level 10. Equipment and buffs can push it higher still.

A Perfect catch happens when the fish icon never leaves the green bar during the entire mini-game. The reward is significant: one quality tier upgrade on the fish (silver becomes gold, gold becomes iridium) and 2.4x the normal fishing XP. Chasing perfect catches is worth the effort, especially for high-difficulty fish where iridium quality jumps the sell price substantially.

Each cast costs energy — 8 energy at level 0, dropping by 0.1 per fishing level until it plateaus at 7 at level 10. Bring food on long fishing sessions, especially early on when your level is low and every cast drains more.^[1]

Fishing Skill and Tackle

Levelling fishing unlocks tools that transform the experience. Here’s what each milestone gives you:

Level 1 — Bait recipe, Crab Pot unlocked, +1 casting distance
Level 2 — Fiberglass Rod available (required for bait)
Level 4 — +1 casting distance
Level 5 — Profession choice: Fisher (+25% fish sell value) or Trapper (cheaper crab pots)
Level 6 — Iridium Rod unlocked (required for tackle), Cork Bobber, Trap Bobber, Spinner
Level 7 — Dressed Spinner recipe
Level 8 — +1 casting distance
Level 10 — Profession: Angler (+50% fish value, replaces Fisher) or Mariner (crab pots produce no junk) or Pirate (double treasure) or Luremaster (crab pots need no bait)

The Iridium Rod is the goal — it’s the only rod that accepts tackle. Tackle goes in the second equipment slot and significantly changes how the mini-game plays.

Tackle breakdown:

Bait — Not tackle, but the most important upgrade early. Goes in the Fiberglass Rod’s bait slot. Reduces time between bites by 50%, which doubles your catch rate per session. Get this as soon as you hit level 1 and buy the Fiberglass Rod (1,800g from Willy).
Trap Bobber — Slows how fast the fish escapes the bar when you’re not touching it. This is the best tackle for difficult fish — difficult fish drop faster when the bar slips, and the Trap Bobber effectively gives you more recovery time. Use this for any fish over difficulty 70.
Cork Bobber — Increases bar size by 25%. Best for beginners or when using a low-level character. Less impactful at level 10 when the bar is already large, but excellent in the early-to-mid game.
Dressed Spinner — Reduces maximum time before a fish bites by 10 seconds. Best for speed fishing — when you know the fish and want maximum catches per hour.
Spinner — Reduces bite time by 5 seconds. A weaker version of the Dressed Spinner; replace it when the recipe unlocks.
Treasure Chest Bobber — Increases the chance of a treasure chest appearing during the mini-game. Valuable for finding artifacts, rings, and gear, but doesn’t help with the fish itself.
Quality Bobber — Improves caught fish quality by one grade. Useful for maximising sell prices without relying on perfect catches.^[4]

Fish by Season and Location

Fish availability depends on season, location, time of day, and weather. Below is every catchable fish organised by season, with their specific conditions. Bundle items are marked with an asterisk (*).^[2]

Spring

Fish	Location	Time	Weather	Difficulty	Base Price
Catfish *	Town/Forest River	6am–12am	Rain	75	200g
Eel *	Ocean	4pm–2am	Rain	70	85g
Sunfish *	Town/Forest River	6am–7pm	Sunny/Windy	30	30g
Smallmouth Bass *	Town/Forest River	Anytime	Any	28	50g
Sardine *	Ocean	6am–7pm	Any	30	40g
Anchovy	Ocean	Anytime	Any	30	30g
Herring	Ocean	Anytime	Any	25	30g

Summer

Fish	Location	Time	Weather	Difficulty	Base Price
Pufferfish *	Ocean	12pm–4pm	Sunny	80	200g
Octopus *	Ocean	6am–1pm	Any	95	150g
Super Cucumber *	Ocean	6pm–2am	Any	80	250g
Sturgeon *	Mountain Lake	6am–7pm	Any	78	200g
Red Mullet	Ocean	6am–7pm	Any	55	75g
Rainbow Trout	River/Mountain Lake	6am–7pm	Sunny	45	65g
Tuna	Ocean	6am–7pm	Any	70	100g
Flounder	Ocean	6am–8pm	Any	50	100g

Fall

Fish	Location	Time	Weather	Difficulty	Base Price
Salmon *	Town/Forest River	6am–7pm	Any	50	75g
Catfish *	Town/Forest River	6am–12am	Rain	75	200g
Walleye *	River/Mountain Lake	12pm–2am	Rain	45	105g
Albacore	Ocean	6am–11am / 6pm–2am	Any	60	75g
Midnight Carp	Forest/Mountain Lake	10pm–2am	Any	55	150g
Sea Cucumber	Ocean	6am–7pm	Any	40	75g
Tiger Trout	Town/Forest River	6am–7pm	Any	95	150g

Winter

Fish	Location	Time	Weather	Difficulty	Base Price
Squid *	Ocean	6pm–2am	Any	75	80g
Midnight Carp	Forest/Mountain Lake	10pm–2am	Any	55	150g
Sturgeon *	Mountain Lake	6am–7pm	Any	78	200g
Perch	River/Mountain Lake	Anytime	Any	35	55g
Albacore	Ocean	6am–11am / 6pm–2am	Any	60	75g
Sea Cucumber	Ocean	6am–7pm	Any	40	75g
Tuna	Ocean	6am–7pm	Any	70	100g
Herring	Ocean	Anytime	Any	25	30g

Any Season (Special Locations)

Fish	Location	Time	Notes	Base Price
Lava Eel	Mines Floor 100 / Volcano	Anytime	Difficulty 90	700g
Ice Pip *	Mines Floor 60	Anytime	Difficulty 85	500g
Stonefish *	Mines Floor 20	Anytime	Difficulty 65	300g
Ghostfish *	Mines Floor 20 & 60	Anytime	Difficulty 50	45g
Sandfish *	Desert	6am–8pm	Difficulty 65	75g
Scorpion Carp	Desert	6am–8pm	Difficulty 90, level 4+ req.	150g
Largemouth Bass *	Mountain Lake	6am–7pm	Difficulty 50	100g
Carp	Mountain Lake / Sewers	Anytime	Difficulty 15	30g
Void Salmon *	Witch’s Swamp	Anytime	Difficulty 80	150g
Slimejack	Witch’s Swamp	Anytime	Difficulty 55	100g

* = Community Center bundle item

The 5 Legendary Fish

The legendary fish are the hardest catches in the game — each one requires specific conditions, a minimum fishing level, and enough bar control to handle difficulty ratings of 80–95. You can only catch each legendary fish once per save file (unless using Challenge Bait in version 1.6). Equip a Trap Bobber and aim for at least level 8 fishing before attempting any of them.^[3]

Legend

Location: Mountain Lake (bobber must be at least 4 tiles from any land)
Season: Spring
Weather: Rainy
Time: Any
Level required: 10
Sell price: 5,000g base (10,000g iridium quality)

The Legend is the rarest and most valuable fish in the game. You need fishing level 10 — there’s no getting around it — and it only bites on rainy Spring days at the Mountain Lake. Cast as far from the shore as possible. The Curiosity Lure doubles your hook chance to 20%. With the Angler profession, a gold-quality Legend sells for 7,500g+.

Mutant Carp

Location: The Sewers
Season: Any season
Weather: Any
Time: Any
Level required: None
Sell price: 1,000g base

The Mutant Carp is the most accessible legendary in terms of conditions — you can attempt it any time once you’ve unlocked the Sewers (donate 60 items to the Museum to get Rusty Key from Gunther). Every cast has a 10% chance of hooking it. Difficulty is 80, so bring the Trap Bobber and take your time.

Crimsonfish

Location: East Beach (east end of the beach map, beyond the rocks)
Season: Summer
Weather: Any
Time: Any
Level required: 5
Sell price: 1,500g base

Fish from the very east end of the beach — the small pier beyond the rock wall on the right side. Your bobber needs to be at least 3 tiles from any land. Difficulty 95 makes this one of the hardest catches in the game mechanically, so the Trap Bobber is essential. Catch rate is 18% per cast.

Angler

Location: North of JojaMart, in the river section north of Pelican Town
Season: Fall
Weather: Any
Time: Any
Level required: 3
Sell price: 900g base

The lowest requirements of any legendary, but the location is easy to miss — fish from the northernmost stretch of the river, just above Jodi and Sam’s house, within 15 tiles of the top map edge. Catch rate is 20% per cast, making it one of the more forgiving legendaries to hook. Difficulty is still high enough to warrant the Trap Bobber.

Glacierfish

Location: Arrowhead Island, Cindersap Forest — stand at the southernmost tip of the island
Season: Winter
Weather: Any
Time: Any
Level required: 6
Sell price: 1,000g base

The Glacierfish requires standing on a specific tile at Arrowhead Island’s southern tip, with your bobber 3 tiles from land. Unusually, the Curiosity Lure does not increase hook chance here — the base rate is already 50% when you’re in the right spot. Focus on finding the exact casting position before worrying about anything else.

Crab Pots

Crab pots are a passive income stream that runs alongside your main fishing. Craft them at fishing level 1 (or buy them from Willy for 1,500g each) and place them in any body of water — ocean, river, lake, or pond. Add bait each day, come back the next morning to collect.

Ocean crab pots catch Crabs, Mussels, Clams, Oysters, and Lobsters. Freshwater pots catch Crayfish, Snails, Periwinkles, Frogs, and Catfish. Most of these sell for modest amounts individually, but a row of 10–15 pots generates meaningful passive income with minimal time investment.

The main drawback early on is junk — boots, trash, and soggy newspapers. The Mariner profession (level 10 Fisher branch) eliminates all junk from crab pots, making them dramatically more efficient. The alternative level 10 profession, Luremaster, removes the bait requirement entirely — useful if you’re managing many pots and don’t want to spend bait daily.

Crab pots are the fastest path to completing the Crab Pot bundle in the Community Center’s Fish Tank room. You need Crab, Lobster, Crayfish, Snail, Periwinkle, and Mussel — all catchable from pots in ocean and river. Place at least a few in each water type from the start.^[5]

Best Fishing for Profit

Not all fish are equal for income. Here’s where to focus if selling fish is your priority:

Lava Eel — 700g base, available year-round in the Mines at floor 100 or the Volcano Dungeon on Ginger Island. With the Angler profession (+50% value) at iridium quality, a perfect-caught Lava Eel can exceed 2,100g. Difficulty 90 means this is a late-game farm, but it’s the most consistently profitable non-legendary fish.^[6]

Legend — 5,000g base. The highest single fish sell price in the game. One-time catch per save, but with the Angler profession it becomes an enormous one-time windfall.

Pufferfish — 200g base, difficulty 80. Sunny summer ocean between 12pm and 4pm. Tight conditions, but if you’re targeting high-value fish in Summer, Pufferfish delivers solid returns per catch alongside the Sturgeon and Super Cucumber.

Catfish — 200g base, difficulty 75. Available in Spring and Fall during rain in any river. Rainy days are prime catfish days — you’d otherwise be skipping the farm anyway, so fishing Catfish on rain days is an efficient use of downtime.

Profession impact: The Fisher profession at level 5 adds 25% to all fish sell prices. At level 10, Angler replaces it with 50%. On high-value fish, this compounds dramatically — a base 700g Lava Eel becomes 1,050g with Angler before quality bonuses. Iridium quality (possible with max skill and perfect catches, or via Quality Bobber) adds another 100% to base price. Iridium Lava Eel with Angler: 2,100g per fish.

For bundle completion rather than profit, the most time-sensitive fish are seasonal bundle items (Catfish, Eel, Sunfish in Spring; Pufferfish, Octopus, Sturgeon in Summer; Salmon, Walleye in Fall) — check the Community Center Fish Tank room and prioritise these before their seasons end.

Missed Fish and Bundle Workarounds

If you’ve missed a seasonal fish and need it for a bundle or collection, you have a few options. The Traveling Merchant (Cindersap Forest, Fridays and Sundays) occasionally sells fish — including legendaries, though that’s rare. Check her every week without exception. Krobus in the Sewers sells one fish per week on a rotating stock; his inventory can include seasonal fish out of season. In version 1.6, Challenge Bait lets you re-catch legendary fish. And if you simply missed the window, waiting for the next year is sometimes the only option — another good reason to get the Community Center bundles in your checklist early rather than leaving them to Year 2.

Conclusion

I’ve found fishing is the easiest income source to underestimate and the hardest to put down once it clicks. Getting the Fiberglass Rod and stocking bait as soon as possible makes an enormous difference to how much the mini-game fights you. From there, the Trap Bobber unlocks the legendary fish and the Angler profession turns a good fishing habit into serious money. Work through the seasonal fish lists systematically for the Community Center, and don’t sleep on the Lava Eel once you’re deep enough in the Mines — it’s worth the effort every time.

For more on the early game and managing your time across all activities, see the Stardew Valley beginner’s guide. And if the Mines are slowing you down before you can reach the Lava Eel, the Stardew Valley combat guide covers weapons, rings, and how to clear floors efficiently.

We cover this in more depth in stardew valley marriage guide.

For a season-by-season plan to make the most of Year 1, our Stardew Valley first year walkthrough covers the best crops, key milestones, and what to finish before Year 2.