Fishing is a reasonably profitable activity in Stardew Valley – especially if you need a quick buck while your crops are still growing. You can also head down to the Mines, but that’s a whole expedition you need to plan at least partially. On the other hand, fishing can be done right before bed just to exhaust your Energy in exchange for a few fish. To make fishing genuinely profitable, you need to know what you’re looking for and where to find it. Here are the fish you should catch to make bank in Stardew Valley.
10. Lobster
Selling price: 120g There are two main ways to fish in Stardew Valley: you either do it the old-fashioned way with a line or lay out Crab Pots with bait to catch what might be lurking near the water’s edge. The best thing you can hope to find when checking your Crab Pots in the morning is a Lobster – a red crustacean famous for its delicious white meat and being Jordan Peterson’s favorite animal. At 120g, it’s not the most valuable “fish” by a long shot. Still, for a creature that basically catches itself, it’s not bad at all. Make sure you’re putting your Crab Pots in salt water if you want to catch a Lobster.
9. Tuna
Selling price: 100g I know what you’re thinking. Why is the Tuna higher than the Lobster if it’s 20g less profitable? The answer lies in a delicious Mexican recipe you’ll get from Linus once your relationship is at seven hearts: the Fish Taco. All it takes to make a Fish Taco is a Tortilla, some Red Cabbage, a little bit of Mayo, and one freshly caught Tuna. The Fish Taco sells for a healthy 500g, making it one of the most valuable food items in the game. You’ll find plenty of Tuna at the Beach during Summer and Winter. You may even find one in a Garbage Can if you’re fond of rummaging through other people’s trash!
8. Stonefish
Selling price: 300g Most fish can be eaten fresh after catching them – but not the Stonefish. This odd-looking fish is shaped like a brick and has spikes and spines all over its body – hence why you need to cook it before eating it. Still, that’s just fine with me. At a price of 300g, it makes no sense to cook this into any dish! In real life, this fish is found in the waters of the Indo-Pacific Ocean. In Stardew Valley, you can catch them on the 20th floor of the Mines.
7. Ice Pip
Selling price: 500g Another incredible fish from the Mines is the elusive Ice Pip. The Ice Pip is a pre-frozen fish found in the chilly caves of the Mines’ 60th floor. In a way, it’s like fishing in the frozen seafood section at Costco. This living ice pop sells for a remarkable 500g. It can also be profitable to keep them in a Fish Pond to produce Roe, Frozen Geodes, and even a Diamond under the right circumstances. Don’t worry if Ghostfish is all you’re pulling out of the water. Just turn them into Sashimi for Energy to keep trying until you get your Ice Pip!
6. Blobfish
Selling price: 500g At a similar price, the Blobfish is a total catch. Not only is it valuable, but it’s one of the most unique-looking fish in the world. Its seemingly sad and tired appearance is a consequence of their native environment: the high-pressure waters of the deep sea. Without the pressure to hold it together, the Blobfish dissolves into the depressed puddle we know and love. You can only catch this deep sea creature during the submarine ride at the Night Market event held at the Beach between September 15th and 17th.
5. Lava Eel
Selling price: 700g How do you cook a fish that lives in magma? If lava didn’t cook it, I don’t think my oven will do the trick. Well, that’s not really our problem to solve. With a price like 700g, the Lava Eel is going straight into the Shipping Bin. You can find this fiery creature in Level 100 of the Mines or at the Volcano Caldera atop the Volcano Dungeon in Ginger Island.
4. Angler
Selling price: 900g Among the many schools of fish swimming around Pelican Town, there are some ideal specimens known to the locals as “Legendary Fish.” Say hello to the Angler. This absolutely hellish-looking creature is characterized by its luminescent “antenna,” which is actually a fin that evolved to look like an LED reading light. Like other Legendary Fish, the Angler can only be caught once. You’ll find it at the northernmost end of the river running through Pelican Town during the fall.
3. Glacierfish & Mutant Carp
Selling price: 1,000g Next up, we’re looking at a tie. The Glacierfish and Mutant Carp are two Legendary Fish that are equally hard to catch and sell for the same amount of money. During the Winter, you can catch the icy Glacierfish from the southernmost end of Arrowhead Island, which lies in the middle of the river running through Cindersap Forest. On the other hand, the Mutant Carp can be found in the Sewers during every season. How a magical fish from a pure river and a mutant abomination sell for the same price remains a mystery.
2. Crimsonfish
Selling price: 1,500g The Crimsonfish is one of the most beautiful sea creatures in Stardew Valley. It’s an oceanic fish you may find at the eastern end of the Beach, only accessible once you’ve repaired the small bridge in front of Elliot’s house. You’ll need to train your Fishing to level 5 before attempting the feat, but it should be easy to get there if you’re constant with your fishing practice as you work on fixing the bridge. This deep ocean fish only shows its face around the surface to lay its eggs. It feels a little mean fishing it out on such a joyous occasion, but someone has to keep the lights on at the farm.
1. Legend
Selling price: 5,000g The top spot on our ranking goes to a fish in a league of its own. The Legend is a one-of-a-kind swimmer found in a lake in the Mountain during rainy spring days. You must be Fishing level 10 to even have a chance to catch it, so it’s unlikely you’ll get it in the first year. That’s OK, though. At a ridiculously high selling price of 5,000g, it will be a massive boon to your finances whenever you get to it. If you get lucky with an Iridium-quality fish and have the Angler profession, that can go up to a whopping 15,000g. That’s the entire building cost of a Shed! It’s very challenging to catch. But the rewards are plentiful – so make sure you do it as soon as you get that Angler profession.
