5 Tips to Make Fishing Easier in Stardew Valley

Inside Willy's bait shop in Stardew Valley.

Stardew Valley offers a diverse array of activities for players to channel their energy into. These pursuits encompass farming, foraging, combat, and the somewhat intricate art of fishing. Fishing, in particular, can prove to be a surprisingly difficult gameplay system that many players struggle with. Below, I’ve compiled a list of my top 5 tips to make fishing easier in Stardew Valley.

1. Use the Training Rod To Practice the Fishing Mini-Game

If you find the fishing mini-game in Stardew Valley challenging, it’s highly recommended to make use of the Training Rod Fishing Pole. As its name implies, this fishing rod is specifically crafted to help you master the art of fishing within the game. When employed, this rod enlarges your catch area during the mini-game, significantly simplifying the process.

To acquire this rod, pay a visit to Willy’s shop located on Pelican Town Beach when it’s open for business. You can purchase the rod for a modest price of 25g, and it notably enhances your fishing capabilities, making it simpler to reel in your catches. It’s worth noting, however, that this rod is limited to catching common fish when in use.

2. Level Up Fishing Skill

The fishing mini-game in Stardew Valley.
Levelling up Fishing gets you a bigger catch bar.

Just like any skill in life, practice makes perfect, and this holds true in Stardew Valley. The more you engage in catching fishing, the more your Fishing skill improves. Leveling up your skill not only brings in gold but also offers a tangible benefit by slightly increasing the size of the green rectangle’s bar.

There are a total of 10 Fishing levels that players can unlock by fishing. When you reach level 10, your green bar will be much larger than when you started, making fishing a lot easier.

3. Purchase Better Fishing Poles from Willy

Advancing your Fishing skill also has the benefit of unlocking new Fishing Poles at Willy’s Shop. It’s highly advisable to invest in these superior poles as soon as they become accessible. These upgraded rods offer additional enhancements that outclass both the Training Rod and Bamboo Poles. The poles you can get are:

  • Fiberglass Rod: Unlocks at Fishing level 2. Able to use bait.
  • Iridium Rod: Unlocks at Fishing level 6. Able to use bait & tackle.

Incorporating bait into your fishing routine may not drastically alter the game dynamics, as it primarily speeds up the waiting time for fish. However, the true game-changing element is the ability to utilize Tackles during the fishing process. Tackles can provide significant advantages and make fishing easier.

4. Equip Tackles When Fishing

The Iridium Rod with a Barbed Hook tackle equipped on it.
You equip tackles from the inventory screen.

Tackles serve as valuable enhancements to your fishing rod, granting buffs that wouldn’t typically be available. These buffs have the potential to considerably simplify the fishing mini-game.

When fishing in Stardew Valley, you can equip one of nine possible Tackles currently available. The ones that specifically influence the difficulty of fishing include:

  • Trap Bobber: Unlocks at Fishing level 6. Causes fish to escape slower when you aren’t reeling them in.
  • Lead Bobber: Unlocks at Fishing level 6. Keeps the fishing bar from bouncing off the bottom.
  • Cork Bobber: Unlocks at Fishing level 7. Increases the size of the fishing bar.
  • Barbed Hook: Unlocks at Fishing level 8. Causes the fishing bar to cling to your catch.

The choice of which Tackle to use largely depends on your preferences and the specific challenges you face while fishing. If you find yourself struggling in particular areas or with specific aspects of fishing, it’s a good practice to equip the relevant Tackle on your rod to address those issues and make your fishing experience more manageable. Tailoring your Tackle selection to your needs can greatly enhance your fishing proficiency in Stardew Valley.

5. Eat Food to Boost Your Fishing Skill

One of the most significant strategies for simplifying fishing in Stardew Valley is to utilize food items that provide temporary Fishing level boosts. These boosts can substantially improve your fishing success. Certain dishes grant buffs that can increase your Fishing level by +1, +2, or even +3. Some of the dishes you should consider consuming are:

  • Chowder.
  • Dish O’ The Sea.
  • Escargot.
  • Fish Stew.
  • Fish Taco.
  • Lobster Bisque.
  • Maple Bar.
  • Seafoam Pudding.
  • Shrimp Cocktail.
  • Trout Soup.

Consuming food to gain a temporary Fishing level boost can yield immediate benefits by expanding the size of your fishing bar. This provides a significant advantage, especially if you are at a low level and find the fishing mini-game frustrating. The increased bar size greatly enhances your chances of success and can make the fishing experience much more enjoyable and manageable.

By incorporating these 5 tips to make fishing easier in Stardew Valley, the fishing mini-game should become considerably more forgiving. However, if you’re still finding it challenging and play on PC or Mobile, you might want to explore the option of downloading an easy fishing mod.

Explore more posts like this in our extensive Stardew Valley guide and walkthrough hub. On this page is other guides we’ve created to enrich your gaming experience in this charming title.

Thoughts on our 5 tips to make Fishing easier in Stardew Valley list? Drop them in the comments below.

 

enricofairme

Enricofairme, founder of Hold to Reset, has spent over six years creating in-depth gaming guides, reviews, and news for a global audience. Passionate about gaming trends and player experiences, he covers everything from AAA titles to indie gems. Follow him on X for real-time gaming updates and insights.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.