Every Stardew Valley fish you can catch in the ocean, river, lake, and more

Willy greets a player at his fish shop in Stardew Valley
(Image credit: ConcernedApe)

Knowing how to catch Stardew Valley fish is important but, much like anything else in the game, there’s a knack to it. The type of fish you catch depends on different factors in the game, like the time of year you’re in, the weather, where you’re fishing, and what time of day it is in Stardew Valley

Luckily, we’ve put together the ultimate guide to all the fish in Stardew Valley, how to catch them, and when and where they appear. From red snapper to catfish, if you’re looking to catch all the fish in the game, here’s how you do it. When you're finished hunting for fish, why not try a bountiful mission to find the Stardew Valley Golden Walnuts or Stardew Valley Prismatic Shards

How to catch fish in Stardew Valley

The fishing mini-game in Stardew Valley

(Image credit: ConcernedApe)

When you're fishing, there's a mini-game you need to partake in before you can catch a fish. A small window will appear with a fish icon and a bar; you need to tap a button to move the bar up and down, while keeping the fish inside the bar. A meter to the side will start to fill when it's inside, but will decrease when the bar and the icon don't overlap. Completely fill the meter to catch the fish, but if it decreases completely, the fish will escape.

Stardew Valley fish: Fishing rod

A fiberglass rod in the inventory menu in Stardew Valley

(Image credit: ConcernedApe)

There's certain fish in Stardew Valley that can only be caught by using the Fishing Rod. To increase your chances of catching fish such as the Sturgeon, Lava Eel, Catfish, and Red Snapper, you'll also want to consider upgrading your Fishing Rod. There's the standard Bamboo Pole that you'll receive on your second day, the Fiberglass Rod that you can buy from Willy's Fish Shop once you've reached level 3 fishing, and the Iridium Rod that can also be bought once you obtain level 6 status.

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FishLocationTimeSeasonWeather
PufferfishOcean12pm-4pmSummerSun
AnchovyOceanAnySpring/FallAny
TunaOcean6am-7pmSummer/WinterAny
SardineOcean6am-7pmSpring/Fall/WinterAny
BreamRiver (Town/Forest)6pm-2amAnyAny
Largemouth BassLake (Mountain)6am-7pmAnyAny
Smallmouth BassRiver (Town)/Pond (Forest)AnySpring/FallAny
Rainbow TroutRiver (Town/Forest)/Lake (Mountain)6am-7pmSummerSun
SalmonRiver (Town/Forest)6am-7pmFallAny
WalleyeRiver (Town/Forest)/Lake (Mountain)/Pond (Forest)12pm-2amFall (Winter with Rain Totem)Rain
PerchRiver (Town/Forest)/Lake (Mountain)/Pond (Forest)AnyWinterAny
CarpLake (Mountain)/Pond (Secret Woods)/SewersAnyAnyAny
CatfishRiver (Town/Forest)/Pond (Secret Woods)/Swamp (Witch's)6am-12amSpring/Fall (Spring/Summer in Secret Woods Pond)Rain
PikeRiver (Town/Forest)/Pond (Forest)AnySummer/WinterAny
SunfishRiver (Town/Forest)6am-7pmSpring/SummerSun/Wind
Red MulletOcean6am-7pmSummer/WinterAny
HerringOceanAnySpring/WinterAny
EelOcean4pm-2amSpring/FallRain
OctopusOcean6am-1pmSummerAny
Red SnapperOcean6am-7pmSummer/Fall (Winter with Rain Totem)Rain
SquidOcean6pm-2amWinterAny
Sea CucumberOcean6am-7pmFall/WinterAny
Super CucumberOcean6pm-2amSummer/FallAny
GhostfishMines (20F/60F)/Ghost dropsAnyAnyAny
StonefishMines (20F - need fishing level three)AnyAnyAny
Ice PipMines (60F - need fishing level five)AnyAnyAny
Lava EelMines (100F - need fishing level seven)AnyAnyAny
SandfishDesert6am-8pmAnyAny
Scorpion CarpDesert (need fishing level four)6am-8pmAnyAny
FlounderOcean6am-8pmSpring/SummerAny
Midnight CarpLake (Mountain)/Pond (Forest)10pm-2amFall/WinterAny
SturgeonLake (Mountain)6am-7pmSummer/WinterAny
Tiger TroutRiver (Town/Forest)6am-7pmFall/WinterAny
BullheadLake (Mountain)AnyAnyAny
TilapiaOcean6am-2pmSummer/FallAny
ChubRiver (Town/Forest)/Lake (Mountain)AnyAnyAny
DoradoRiver (Forest)6am-7pmSummerAny
AlbacoreOcean6am-11am/6pm-2amFall/WinterAny
ShadRiver (Town/Forest)9am-2amSpring/Summer/FallRain
LingcodRiver (Town/Forest)/Lake (Mountain)AnyWinterAny
HalibutOcean6am-11am/7pm-2amSpring/Summer/WinterAny
WoodskipPond (Secret Woods)/Farm (Forest)AnyAnyAny
Void SalmonSwamp (Witch's)AnyAnyAny
SlimejackMutant Bug LairAnyAnyAny

Stardew Valley fish: Crab pot

Checking out a crab pot on the pier in Stardew Valley

(Image credit: ConcernedApe)

Like the Fishing Rod, there's certain fish that can only be caught by using a Crab Pot. To acquire a Crab Pot, you can either craft one using 40 Wood and 3 Iron Bar, or purchase one at the Fish Shop for 1,500g once you've reached level 3 fishing status. You also obtain three Crab Pots from completing the Crab Pot Bundle in the Fish Tank, by catching a lot of Crab Pot fish, or you can receive one as a prize during the Trout Derby mini festival on the 20th and 21st of Summer. 

Swipe to scroll horizontally
FishLocation
ClamOcean
CockleOcean
CrabOcean
CrayfishFreshwater
LobsterOcean
MusselOcean
OysterOcean
PeriwinkleFreshwater
ShrimpOcean
SnailFreshwater

Stardew Valley fish: Night market

Three types of fish can be caught exclusively on the submarine during the Night Market festival, which takes place between 5pm-2am, although the submarine closes at 11pm so jump on beforehand, during the 15th to 17th of Winter. You'll need to pay 1,000g for a tour that'll allow you to fish. You'll need to equip either the Fiberglass or Iridium Rod for a chance at catching them though.

  • Midnight Squid
  • Blobfish
  • Spook Fish

Stardew Valley fish: Legendary

Stardew Valley Legendary fish

(Image credit: ConcernedApe)

Stardew Valley legendary fish are much harder to catch than normal fish, but you can get them by using a Fishing Rod. There are five in total – one per season, plus one extra – and you may need to use items that give you a fishing buff in order to catch them. Each legendary fish can only be caught once per save file, unless you're playing co-op, in which case each player can catch it once. Where and when to catch them is outlined below.

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FishLocationTimeSeasonWeather
CrimsonfishEast pier on the beach (need level five fishing)AnySummerAny
AnglerNorth of JojaMart on the wooden bridge (need level three fishing)AnyFallAny
LegendMountain Lake near the log (need level 10 fishing)AnySpringRain
GlacierfishSouth end of Arrowhead Island in Cindersap Forest (need level six fishing)AnyWinterAny
Mutant CarpThe SewersAnyAnyAny

Aside from insta-catches like Seaweed, Green Algae, and White Algae, these are all the things you can catch when fishing in Stardew Valley (except for junk). Good luck catching them all!

Looking to get clued up in Stardew Valley? Try our guides to Stardew Valley tips, Stardew Valley cheats, and Stardew Valley mods.

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Ford James

Give me a game and I will write every "how to" I possibly can or die trying. When I'm not knee-deep in a game to write guides on, you'll find me hurtling round the track in F1, flinging balls on my phone in Pokemon Go, pretending to know what I'm doing in Football Manager, or clicking on heads in Valorant.

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