You cast your rod near an ocean, sea, lake, or pond, and then the fishing line shakes vigorously. While it is most likely an endemic underwater critter that took your bait, you still hope it is a Stardew Valley legendary fish. Lo and behold! You caught trash.
So, you have failed in luring the rare species even if you already know the Stardew Valley fishing basics. There is no need to get frustrated yet. This guide is here to teach you how to reel in legendary fish with ease.
Inside This Article
- How Many Legendary Fish are There in Stardew Valley?
- What Are Needed to Catch Legendary Fish?
- How to Reel in Stardew Valley Legendary Fish
How Many Legendary Fish Are in Stardew Valley?
Before diving into the specifics of catching each Stardew Valley legendary fish, you have to find out how many of them are in the game. In case you do not know yet, there are five. Those are the Angler, Mutant Carp, Crimsonfish, Glacierfish, and Legend.
The rare fishes are caught only once per playthrough, each coming from a different biome. Four of them are available during certain seasons, and not all-year-round.
As regards use, the critters are ingredients for creating supplies and the best Stardew Valley gifts. The former helps grow your farm easier, while the latter boosts your relationship with your favorite non-playable character (NPC). These are also why the fishes are in demand in the game.
Note that in Stardew Valley’s 1.5 Update, which is not yet out for mobile devices as of the time of writing, each of the five legendary fish has an alternate variant. They are Ms. Angler, Radioactive Carp, Son of Crimsonfish, Glacierfish Jr., and Legend II.
You can only catch the new legendary fishes during Mr. Qi’s Extended Family Quest. The way to bait and reel them in is the same as how you catch the original variants, although it might be more challenging. That is because the fish icon on the mini-game interface no longer has a crown that indicates that the fish is legendary.
What Do You Need to Catch Legendary Fish?
If you want to catch legendary fish, you should prepare yourself by getting reliable gear and gaining enough experience. Below are all the requirements you need to have before you start fishing:
1. Iridium Fishing Rod
Fishing rods are not made equal. Some variants are effective in catching rare fishes while others are not.
Among all types of fishing equipment, the Iridium Rod is the best for catching Stardew Valley legendary fish. That is because it is the only rod that lets you use bait and tackle for higher chances of fishing the rare underwater critters.
The Iridium Rod, sold at Willy’s shop, will set you back for 7500G. You should be a Level 6 angler to use it.
2. Bait or Tackle
A bait attracts Stardew Valley legendary fish easily like what the thing in real life does.
The best bait to use in the game is Wild Bait. It lures fish faster by 62.5 percent, although its dual-catch perk does not matter in fishing for legendary species. If you do not have 10 Fibers, five Slimes, and five Bug Meat to make Wild Bait, you can still do well with a Normal Bait that attracts fish 50 percent faster than usual.
If it is the fishing bar timing you want to make easier for you instead of the luring process, a tackle is better than bait. Tackles are usually fishing hooks that increase the actual chances of reeling in Stardew Valley legendary fish.
Among all tackles, Trap and Cork Bobbers are popular choices for many players when catching legendary underwater critters. The Trap Bobber makes the fish escape slower while you are not yet retracting your fishing line. The Cork Bobber lengthens the green fishing bar, so you can make it follow the fish icon easier, even if the latter is moving up and down fast.
3. Level 3 and Higher Fishing Skill
The higher the fishing skill level, the better your chances to reel in Stardew Valley legendary fish becomes. At the least, you should be Level 3 in fishing to get a rare catch.
4. Level-Raising Consumables
Your fishing skill level improves as you catch more fish, and that takes time. You are excited to reel in your first Stardew Valley legendary fish, though, so is there any other way to reach a certain level fast? There is one, and that is by consuming level-raising items.
Several consumables can boost your fishing level, but Trout Soup and Dish O’ The Sea are the ones often used by players. The Trout Soup is good if you are a beginner because it does not have a level requirement. It raises your fishing level by one and energy and health by 100 and 40 points for four minutes and 39 seconds, respectively. Moreover, it is affordable and easy to make. You can buy Trout Soup from Willy’s Fish Shop for 250G or cook yourself one from Green Algae and Rainbow Trout.
Meanwhile, the Dish O’ The Sea is the best item to consume if you are an experienced player. It adds three levels to your fishing skill, 150 energy, and 60 health points within five minutes and 35 seconds. You probably have the dish if you caught all species required for the Specialty Fish, Master Fisher’s, or Quality Fish Bundles, or have explored the Skull Cavern. If not yet, you can also cook it when you have two Sardines and a Hash Brown.
How to Reel in Stardew Valley Legendary Fish
Ready to try your luck in reeling in Stardew Valley legendary fish once more? It is now time to learn where, when, and how you can catch all five rare fishes and their variants in the game. You will also find out what you can do with the critters – aside from proudly showing them to your fishing virtuoso-gamer friends, of course.
Angler/Ms. Angler
Behavior: Smooth
Difficulty: 85
Location: River, North of Joja Mart
Spawn Conditions: Fall season (Angler), Extended Family Quest (Ms. Angler)
The Angler, characterized by a luminescent dangler on its forehead, is often the first Stardew Valley legendary fish players catch because of its low fishing skill requirement. At Level 3, you can already hook it. Ms. Angler, on the other hand, can only be found once you activate the Extended Family Quest.
To catch the Angler or its female counterpart, cast your fishing line as far as you can to the north of the wooden river bridge near Joja Mart. To elaborate, click or tap when the bar above your character’s head is green. If there are bubbles in the water, aim for that fishing spot.
When you are attempting to catch the Angler, see if the fish icon has a crown. If yes, the lured critter is indeed the Angler. If none, you can withdraw your Iridium Rod’s fishing line and cast it again. When looking for Ms. Angler, though, there is no hint whether the lured fish is her. Just repeat the fishing process in full until you get her.
Once the Angler or Ms. Angler is caught, you can either keep it as a prized possession in-game, eat it, use it for recipes, or sell it. When consumed, it gives energy and health boosts. If cooked, it makes Maki Rolls and Sashimi that some NPCs might like or a Quality Fertilizer that can improve the quality of your farm crops. If sold, note that the critter is not worth plenty of money because it is the easiest to catch among all legendary fishes. You can only get 1800G at most if of good quality.
Mutant Carp/Radioactive Carp
Behavior: Dart
Difficulty: 80
Location: Sewer
Spawn Conditions: Any season (Mutant Carp), Extended Family Quest (Radioactive Carp)
The Mutant Carp is the ferocious-looking Stardew Valley legendary fish lurking in the filthy waters of the sewer. Its variant, the Radioactive Carp is scarier because of its angrier eyes. Although both fish look hideous, they are still worth catching for the energy and health points or extra in-game money of up to 2000G.
You can find the Mutant Carp during any season and even if you have not yet leveled up your fishing skill. You need to donate 60 artifacts or minerals instead to the Museum to obtain the key to the sewer. The Radioactive Carp, meanwhile, will only show up during the Extended Family Quest.
You can catch both fishes just like how you caught the Angler. Note that the critters’ fish icon, which you have to align your green bar with, will go up and down unpredictably. That is because the movement is dart-style. It is best to equip your Iridium Rod with a Cork Bobber to make the bar behind the icon longer.
Crimsonfish/Son of Crimsonfish
Behavior: Mixed
Difficulty: 95
Location: Ocean, East of Pelican Beach
Spawn Conditions: Summer, 6 AM to 8 PM (Crimsonfish), Extended Family Quest (Son of Crimsonfish)
The Crimsonfish is an ocean critter that is red from the eyes to the fins. It has a son, only known as Son of Crimsonfish, that comes in the same color but has a curlier tail. The fishes will be elusive to you unless you are already Level 5 in fishing and activated the Extended Family Quest, respectively.
Additionally, you have to fix the wooden ocean dock to the east of Pelican Beach before you can attempt catching the two Stardew Valley legendary fish there. Once done, the Crimsonfish or its son might show up in the same way as the Angler when you baited it.
After being caught, the fishes can be kept as your fishing trophy, made into Maki Rolls, Sashimi, or Quality Fertilizer, or sold in the game. If you choose to do the last, you can get 3000G at maximum for each.
Glacierfish/Glacierfish Jr.
Behavior: Mixed
Difficulty: 100
Location: Southmost edge of Arrowhead Island
Spawn Conditions: Winter (Glacier Fish), Extended Family Quest (Glacierfish Jr.)
The Glacierfish is a quirky-looking polar water critter that resembles an axolotl without its beard. It also has a son named Glacierfish Jr. that looks even quirkier with black sunglasses and a red baseball cap.
To catch Glacierfish, reach fishing Level 5 and stand on the thinnest cliff south of Arrowhead Island. Cast your Iridium Rod’s fishing line with bait or tackle a few blocks away from the cliff or toward a bubbling spot. You can use the same luring and catching tactic for Glacierfish Jr when you are doing the Extended Family Quest.
Among all Stardew Valley legendary fishes, the Glacierfish and its son will appear before you the fastest. You have a 50-50 chance of catching it per attempt. Once caught, you can keep it, sell it for 2000G at most, cook it with other ingredients to get Maki Rolls, Sashimi, and Quality Fertilizer, or consume it for energy and health boosts.
Legend/Legend II
Behavior: Mixed
Difficulty: 110
Location: Lake, East of the Mountains
Spawn Conditions: Spring, 6 AM to 8 PM, Rainy weather (Legend), Extended Family Quest (Legend II)
The Legend and its successor, Legend II, live up to their names. The two are the hardest to bait and reel in among all Stardew Valley legendary fishes, even with an Iridium Rod and bait or tackle. You only have a 10 percent chance to lure one per attempt, so strive to achieve a perfect catch by practicing precise timing on when to tap on the fishing mini-game bar. Furthermore, you need to maximize your fishing skill level at 10, either by catching fish regularly or consuming items.
The Legend will only show up when it is raining between 6 AM to 8 PM in Spring. If the weather is sunny, use a Rain Totem so that it will rain the next day. You can make the item from one Hardwood, one Truffle Oil, and five Pine Tar. The Legend II, meanwhile, requires you to activate the Extended Family Quest.
With the weather requirements, the Legend and Legend II is as challenging to catch as the Coelacanth in Animal Crossing, one of the hottest games like Stardew Valley to date. The Legend and its successor are smaller than the gigantic coelacanth, though.
As for uses, the Legend and Legend II are the fishes best kept as trophies, giving you the bragging rights against players who have not caught them yet.
If you have to offload the fishes for any reason, you can consume them for a three- to four-digit energy and health boost. Both can also be made into Quality Fertilizer, Sashimi, and Maki Rolls or sold for 10000G if of the best quality.
Be a Pro Stardew Valley Angler Today
With the know-how on luring and reeling in Stardew Valley’s legendary fish, you can quickly become a pro angler instead of just a seasoned farmer. Consequently, you will enjoy Stardew Valley more and feel the achievement of maxing out what the game has to offer.
Have you just started the game and want to brush up on your other skills? Check out our Stardew Valley beginner’s guide for mobile now!
