How to Fish Stardew Valley Switch

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: December 13, 2019

Fishing is one of the main skills you can develop in Stardew Valley, though mastering how to fish in Stardew Valley may be tricky at first. Cast your line into the water by pressing the Y button, then win the fishing mini-game by keeping the green box around the fish. Fill up your catching meter in order to reel in the fish and win points. You get a different number of points based on the fish you catch. After some exposure to the fishing mini-game, you can easily learn the ropes and score lots of points.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Finding a Rod and Fishing Location

1
Receive a fishing rod from Willy early in the game. Willy is one of the characters in Stardew Valley, and he is the head fishermen. Visit the Fish Shop, Willy's home, in order to get your first basic rod for free. The Fish Shop is located on the docks of the Beach, south of Pelican Town.^{[1]
X
Research source}
- Purchase a different fishing rod from Willy once you reach fishing level 2. Your score increases as you gain experience and capture more fish. Once you reach level 3, you can buy a crab pot and try to catch crabs too.
2
Find a fishing pole in the ocean, lake, river, or other location in the rain. In addition to getting a rod from Willy, you can also find a fishing rod at a random location. They may be in bodies of water or on the ground when it is raining outside. Look for the fishing rod icon as you move about Stardew Valley.^{[2]
X
Research source}
- To get the fishing rod, move your character over to it, and press the Y button.
Advertisement
3
Make your cast in any body of water. Once you have a fishing rod of your own, look for water as you move about the game. You can fish in bodies of water such as lakes, rivers, oceans.^{[3]
X
Research source}
- For example, you can fish at the beach in Pelican Town.
4
Watch for bubbling water to increase your chances of catching a fish. As you move about the game, look for bubbling water in rivers and oceans. When you see bubbling water, this means that there are fish in the area. You have a better chance of catching a fish if you cast near this spot.^{[4]
X
Research source}

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Casting Your Line and Catching the Fish

1
Press the Y button to make your cast. When you find some water, move your character over to the water edge, and push the Y button. When this happens, the meter will pop up. Hit the Y button a second time when the meter bar is full. This makes your cast. The fuller the meter bar, the further your cast will be. Aim to cast your line further out into the water to increase your chances of catching a fish.^{[5]
X
Research source}
- The fishing line has a bobber, which is used to attract different fish based on where it lands.
2
Wait for a fish to bite. Typically, you’ll get a fish on your line within 10 seconds or so. Wait for the alarm sound to go off, indicating you have a fish. When this happens, press the Y when you notice the yellow exclamation button. This starts the mini-game.^{[6]
X
Research source}
- Sometimes, you don’t actually have a fish on your line. You may have seaweed instead, for instance.
3
Press down on the Y button to keep the green border around the fish. Use the Y button to reel in your fish. When you start the mini-game, the fish moves up and down in the box. Push the Y button to keep the fish in the boundaries of the box. Hold Y to move up, let go of the Y button to move the box down, and rapidly tap the Y button to stay in the same place. When the fish is inside the green box, the catching meter fills up. If the fish leaves, the catching meter begins to drain.^{[7]
X
Research source}
- The fish moves away as you do this, making some species harder than others to catch.
4
Reel in the fish when the catch meter fills up all the way. In order to catch the fish, the catching meter must be completely full. Continue pressing the action button to adjust the box around the fish and fill up the meter. You win points and expertise based on the fish you catch.^{[8]
X
Research source}
- Each fish gives you between 12-25 points, and any non-fishing item you catch gives you 1 point.
- If you have a perfect catch, you win bonus points. This is when you do not lose any of your catching meter.
5
Lose the fish if the catch meter runs out. If you are unable to reposition the box around the fish and the catching meter runs out, you lose the mini-game. The fish swims away and you continue with the rest of the gameplay.^{[9]
X
Research source}
- Don’t get discouraged if the catching meter runs out with your first few tries. It takes time to maneuver the box around the fish.

Community Q&A

Question

Inventory only has 5 spaces. How can I get more spaces?

Community Answer

A few days from the start, Pierre will sell a large pack for 2,000 gold and a deluxe pack for 10,000 gold.
Question

How do you get a fishing pole in Stardew Valley?

Drew Hawkins1

Community Answer

You can get a fishing rod from Willy early in the game at the Fish Shop. The Fish Shop is located on the docks of the Beach, south of Pelican Town. You can also find fishing rods at random locations in the ocean, lake, river, or on the ground when it's raining. Look for the fishing rod icon as you walk around Stardew Valley.
Question

Where can I fish in Stardew Valley?

Drew Hawkins1

Community Answer

If you have a fishing rod, you can fish in any body of water in Stardew Valley. Look for lakes, rivers, and oceans that you can cast a line into. Keep an eye out for bubbling water for signs that fish are in the area so you'll have a better chance at catching fish.