The Best Fishing Spots and Fish by Season in Stardew Valley

Knowing the best fishing spots and fish by season in Stardew Valley turns a slow grind into a reliable income stream. Every body of water holds a different roster of fish, and most of them only appear in certain seasons, at certain times of day, or in specific weather. This guide breaks down where and when to cast, which catches are worth chasing, and the gear that makes tough fish landable.

Quick answer: where to fish

The fishing rods

All four rods are sold at Willy’s Fish Shop on the beach. Each upgrade adds a capability rather than just raw power.

• Bamboo Pole (500g) — Willy gives you one early; also buyable. Cannot use bait or tackle.
• Training Rod (25g) — Only catches the easiest fish, but the green catch bar is larger (it treats your fishing skill as level 5 if you’re below that). Any fish caught with it is forced to minimum size and normal quality. A learner’s tool, not a long-term rod.
• Fiberglass Rod (1,800g) — The first rod that can use bait. Bait is unlocked at the shop alongside it.
• Iridium Rod (7,500g) — Can use both bait and one tackle. This is the rod you want for serious fishing.
• Advanced Iridium Rod (25,000g) — A 1.6 addition unlocked via the Mastery Cave; uses bait plus two tackles at once.

Important: tackle requires the Iridium Rod (or Advanced Iridium Rod). The Fiberglass Rod can hold bait only, and the Bamboo Pole and Training Rod hold neither.

Fishing by location

Ocean (The Beach)

The richest variety. Big earners include the Pufferfish (Summer, sunny weather, 12pm–4pm — one of the most valuable common catches), Octopus (Summer, 6am–1pm, a tricky sinker), and Super Cucumber (Summer–Fall, 6pm–2am). Tuna runs Summer and Winter, while everyday fish like Sardine, Anchovy, Halibut, and Flounder fill out the seasons. The Crimsonfish (Legendary) lurks at the east pier in Summer.

Rivers (Town & Forest)

The two river stretches share most species but not all. The Catfish (Spring & Fall, only when it’s raining) is the standout value here. Tiger Trout appears in Fall and Winter, Lingcod only in Winter, and Pike in Summer and Winter. The Forest River also feeds the Forest Pond and waterfalls, where extras like Walleye and Midnight Carp show up.

Mountain Lake

Home to the Sturgeon (Summer & Winter, 6am–7pm), a high-value catch and a Willy-loved gift. Bullhead and Largemouth Bass are reliable year-round/seasonal staples, and the Legend — the game’s most valuable fish — appears here in Spring while it’s raining, at fishing level 10.

Cindersap Forest Pond & Secret Woods

The Forest Pond holds Midnight Carp (Fall/Winter, late night), Pike, Smallmouth Bass, and Walleye. In the Secret Woods pond you can land the otherwise rain-locked Catfish in Spring and Summer, plus the woods-exclusive Woodskip year-round.

The Sewers, Desert, and Mines

The Sewers (accessed with the Rusty Key) hold Carp and the Mutant Carp (Legendary, all seasons). The Desert’s Sandfish and the Scorpion Carp (needs fishing level 4) are both year-round. In the Mines’ underground lakes you’ll find Ghostfish, Stonefish, Ice Pip, and the Lava Eel on floor 100 — a top-tier earner.

Ginger Island

The tropical waters add the Stingray (Pirate Cove), Lionfish, and Blue Discus, all available any time and any season. A major perk: ocean fish like Pufferfish, Tuna, Octopus, and Super Cucumber become catchable all seasons on Ginger Island, removing their normal seasonal windows.

Best fish by season

• Spring — Catfish (rivers, rainy), Flounder (ocean), Shad, and the Legend in the Mountain Lake on rainy days.
• Summer — Pufferfish, Octopus, Super Cucumber, Tuna, and Sturgeon are all in season; the Crimsonfish appears at the beach.
• Fall — Catfish returns, Super Cucumber and Tiger Trout run, Midnight Carp starts, and the Angler (Legendary) appears by the waterfall north of JojaMart.
• Winter — Lingcod, Tuna, Sturgeon, and Tiger Trout are catchable; the Glacierfish (Legendary) sits at the south tip of Arrowhead Island in Cindersap Forest.

Year-round options independent of season include the Mines fish, Desert fish, Ginger Island species, Mutant Carp, and Bullhead.

Bait & tackle

Bait attaches to the Fiberglass Rod or better and makes fish bite faster. Standard Bait (unlocked at Fishing level 2) cuts the nibble delay and lowers your chance of pulling up trash. Upgrades include Deluxe Bait (bites even faster, slightly larger catch bar), Wild Bait (a chance at two fish per cast), Magnet (boosts treasure chance), and Magic Bait, which lets you catch any fish regardless of season, time, or weather from whatever water you cast into. Bait is single-use.

Tackle only works on the Iridium Rod (one slot) or Advanced Iridium Rod (two slots), and most recipes unlock as your fishing level rises. Tackle wears out after about 20 nibbles. Useful options:

• Spinner / Dressed Spinner — fish bite sooner (Dressed is the stronger version).
• Trap Bobber — the catch bar drops slower when the fish is outside it, so escapes are gentler.
• Cork Bobber — enlarges your catch bar by a fixed amount.
• Lead Bobber — stops the bar bouncing off the bottom.
• Treasure Hunter — fish don’t escape while you grab treasure, plus a small treasure-chance boost.
• Barbed Hook — the bar auto-clings to the fish; best on slow, weak fish.
• Quality Bobber — raises the quality of what you catch by one level.
• Curiosity Lure — improves your odds on rare fish like the Ice Pip, Mutant Carp, and Legend.
• Sonar Bobber — shows which fish is on the line before you start the minigame.

Tips to land tough fish

• Level up first. Each fishing level enlarges the green catch bar and shortens bite times, so the same fish gets easier over time. The Training Rod sets your effective skill to level 5 for the bar size, which helps beginners.
• Aim for “Perfect” catches. If the fish never leaves the green bar, you get a Perfect — bonus XP and a quality boost. Pair a Treasure Hunter with a treasure chest and you can keep a Perfect even while collecting loot.
• Tap, don’t hold. The bar accelerates upward while you hold the button and falls when you release; short taps keep it centered on darting fish.
• Match tackle to the fish. Barbed Hook tames slow fish; Trap Bobber and Cork Bobber give you more margin on fast, erratic ones.
• Chase treasure chests. They appear about 15% of the time during the minigame; the Magnet bait, Treasure Hunter tackle, and Pirate profession all raise that chance.
• Use Magic Bait for off-season targets. It bypasses season, time, and weather, letting you fill the catalogue or farm a high-value fish out of its normal window.

Fish together

Stardew Valley’s fishing is even better split across a few rods on a shared farm — one person works the ocean piers while another runs the rivers. If you want a persistent world your friends can hop into any time, a Stardew Valley server from XGamingServer keeps the farm running, and the documentation walks through getting everyone connected.

Frequently asked questions

Which rod do I need to use tackle?

The Iridium Rod or the Advanced Iridium Rod. The Iridium Rod holds bait plus one tackle; the Advanced Iridium Rod holds bait plus two. The Fiberglass Rod can use bait only, and the Bamboo Pole and Training Rod can’t use either.

What’s the most valuable fish?

Among the Legendary fish, the Legend from the Mountain Lake (Spring, rainy, level 10) has the highest sell price by a wide margin. For repeatable income, the Lava Eel (Mines floor 100), Sturgeon (Mountain Lake), and Pufferfish (ocean, Summer) are strong everyday earners.

How do I catch fish out of season?

Use Magic Bait. It lets you catch any fish for the water you’re casting into regardless of season, time, or weather. On Ginger Island, many ocean fish are also available year-round without it.

Where is the Catfish, and why can’t I find it?

Catfish appear in the Town and Forest rivers during Spring and Fall, but only when it’s raining. If you want one on a clear day, head to the Secret Woods pond, where Catfish bite in Spring and Summer regardless of weather.

What does a “Perfect” catch do?

Keeping the fish inside the green bar the entire minigame earns a Perfect catch, which grants extra fishing XP and increases the quality (and value) of the fish you reel in.