Of all the relaxing activities in Stardew Valley, fishing is the most challenging. Mastering the minigame can be more stressful than entering a monster-ridden cavern with just a rusty sword and a fist full of cave carrots, even. It takes time, patience, and a steady hand to become a master of fishing, and you can earn some of the best rewards in the game.
Fish are a valuable type of collectible and are vital ingredients for recipes. You’ll also want them to complete the community center, and what’s more, selling them is one of the best ways to make money in the game.
In this Stardew Valley Fishing Guide, I’ve put together everything you need to know about fishing, including different types of rods, the variety of tackle and baits you can use, earning XP for skill levels, finding treasure, and tips on how you can improve your way of fishing.
How to Get Every Fishing Rod in Stardew Valley
First, you will need the right tool, your trusty fishing pole. There are four types in stardew valley largemouth bass and they get better and better as you level up your fishing skills. The four types are the bamboo rod, the training rod, the fiberglass rod, and the iridium rod. These are its details and how to obtain them:
Bamboo pole: 500G
On your second day in the game, you can get a bamboo pole by accepting the invitation from Willy the fisherman. You cannot use bait or tackle on the bamboo pole.
Training rod: 25G
The training rod is what to use if you have trouble fishing. Sets the player’s fishing level to 5, making the green block substantially larger. It makes it easy to catch fish, but you can only catch basic fish with it. Practice with him to get familiar with the basics and move on. You can buy it at Willy’s fish shop on the pier.
Fiberglass rod: 1800G
The fiberglass rod can be purchased from Willy’s in his fishmonger for 1800G after reaching level three in fishing. You can use bait on the fiberglass rod to catch fish, but not fishing tackle.
Iridium rod: 7500G
The Iridium Rod can be purchased from Willy’s Shop for 7500G after reaching Level 6 in Fishing. This rod allows you to use both bait and tackle, which makes fishing easier.
How to fish in Stardew Valley
Start fishing by standing next to a body of water, such as a lake, pond or ocean, select your fishing rod from the toolbar. Press and hold the left mouse button to determine how far you want to throw your bobber and release it when the icon is in the perfect spot on the progress bar that appears.
After pulling the line, you will have to wait for a fish to bite. When you do, an exclamation point will appear next to your character, which means you’ve caught a fish. Clicking the mouse button starts the minigame. A vertical meter will appear with a fish icon and a green block, the goal is to align the green block with the fish.
As you press and hold the mouse button, the block moves up and down on the meter; The longer you hold it down, the higher the bar will go up. When you place the fish inside the green block, a catch meter will start to fill up. When it’s full, the fish will be caught.
Stardew Valley Bait and Tackle: The Elements to Make Fishing Easy
Still having trouble fishing? Using bait and tackle makes it so much easier. The bait reduces the delay before a fish bites and can increase the chances of finding a treasure. So it’s worth learning how to tackle. The tackle can only be attached to the iridium rod and can be purchased from Willy’s fishmonger. Here is the bait and tackle you can get with money and / or crafting supplies:
Bait: 5G / Insect Meat (1)
Makes fish bite faster and reduces bite delay by 50 percent. The recipe to create the default bait is unlocked after fishing level 2.
Magnetic Bait: 1000G / Iron Bar (1)
This recipe increases the chances of finding a sunken treasure. It is unlocked at Fishing Level 9.
Wild Bait: Fiber (10), Slime (5), Bug Meat (5)
This recipe is learned from Linus once you have earned four friendship hearts with him. It gives you the possibility to catch two fish at the same time.
Eat the right food
Certain foods that you can buy or cook at home will help you fish. Here are some useful grub and the improvements they provide:
- Clam chowder: +1
- Plate O ‘The Sea: +3
- Escargot: +2
- Fish stew: +3
- Fish Taco: +2
- Lobster Bisque: +3 and +50 Maximum Energy
- Trout soup: +1
Start at the beginner spots
Some fish are easier to catch than others and the two best places for beginners are the ocean at the bottom of the map, where you can find easy fish like sardines, and the secret forest lake where you can fish for carp. You can also earn XP from the crab pots that are unlocked at level 3 – these give you the experience of actually having to fish.
