Animal Crossing Fish Guide

One of the reasons why Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a massive hit is because there are tons of activities to do. Whether you enjoy collecting art, digging up fossils, or decorating your house, there’s plenty of entertainment to go around!

Fishing is one of my favorite ways to pass the time in New Horizons! Not only is it fun but it’s also lucrative. Fishing can be cumbersome since a lot of thought goes into the process.

That’s why we’ve created this guide to show you the ropes! You’ll learn a plethora of valuable information, such as where to find fish and how to use them. You’ll be an Animal Crossing fishing pro in no time!

Bottom Line Up Front

  • Total number of fish in Animal Crossing: New Horizons: 80
  • Where to locate them: Ponds, oceans, and rivers
  • What to do with them: Sell, cook, gift, display, or donate them to the museum
  • There’s a comprehensive chart that shows each fish’s shadow size, location, price, and availability below

Introduction to Fish 

In New Horizons, fish are creatures that are collected from bodies of water on different islands, including your own. The latest game has 80 fish, but there weren’t always this many. Dobutsu no Mori, the first Animal Crossing game, only has 32 fish. That number slowly increased over time with each game by increments of 8.

When you catch a fish, it will appear in your Crittepedia. This feature is an app that displays information about all organisms you’ve snagged. The details range from the creature’s active months to their location, which is perfect if you need to catch the same fish again. 

A few “fish” in New Horizons aren’t classified as fish in real life. Here’s a list of the organisms that belong to other species:

  • Crawfish
  • Soft-shelled turtle
  • Snapping turtle
  • Frog
  • Mitten crab
  • Sea butterfly
  • Squid

 Some may think seahorses aren’t classified as fish, but they are! Although we usually associate fish with scales and fins, seahorses are part of the Syngnathidae family, known for their tubular snouts and lack of fins.

Where to Get Fish

Where to Get Fish

Fish spawn in three aquatic habitats: ponds, oceans, and rivers. With each habitat comes wildlife that is exclusive to that body of water. For example, koi can only be found in ponds, not rivers or oceans. Luckily, every default map comes with all three bodies of water.

If the placements of your ponds or rivers are unpleasing, use the Island Designer app to adjust or move them! I don’t recommend removing all ponds and rivers because you’d be missing out on several fish.

If you get bored fishing on your island, set sail with Kapp’n to another one! It’ll cost 1,000 Nook Miles for him to take you to a random island where you can fish to your heart’s content.

Remember that you can also visit a friend’s island via Dodo Airlines so long as you all have a Nintendo Switch Online membership. Maybe you’ll discover a rare creature in a different environment! 

Knowing the locations where certain fish spawn is only part of the equation. You must also be aware of the hour, season, and daily weather conditions since some come out during specific circumstances.

For example, many fish are only available from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Furthermore, Ceolacanths spawn during rainy or snowy days, making them particularly hard to catch. More information is in the guide near the end of this article.

How to Fish

The first step to fishing is obtaining a rod. Players can get these types of rods in New Horizons: 

Rod Name Price Buy From
Flimsy Fishing Rod 400 Bells

 

100 Nook Miles

Resident Services Tent

 

Nook’s Cranny

Wilbur

Crafting

Fishing Rod 600 Bells Crafting
Fish Fishing Rod 2,500 Bells Nook’s Cranny (upgraded)
Colorful Fishing Rod 2,500 Bells Nook’s Cranny (upgraded)
Outdoorsy Fishing Rod 2,500 Bells Nook’s Cranny (upgraded)
Golden Fishing Rod Not for sale Crafting

I recommend crafting a flimsy fishing rod with 5 tree branches, and then crafting a fishing rod so that you can save your Bells.

Now that you have a rod, you’re ready to learn how to fish! It’ll be effortless once you’ve mastered the basics. First you need to find a shadow of a fish in any body of water. Press A to cast your line out.

Once the fish sees the lure, it’ll take the bait immediately or nibble at it first. When the fish bites the lure, the bobber sinks, and a loud splash occurs. At this point, you must smash the A button to reel the creature in or it’ll escape. Your character will celebrate the catch with a huge smile and cheesy pun!

Tips for Fishing

Tips for Fishing

Although fishing itself is fairly straightforward, it’ll be easier if you follow these tips:

  • You can make random fish spawn in any body of water by using fish bait. All you need are manilla clams, which are scattered across the beach. Keep your eyes peeled for dark spots that squirt out water, and start digging once you see them!
  • Each fish comes in a specific size that casts a shadow in the water. The sizes of most fish are: tiny, small, medium, large, very large, and huge. The longer, more snake-like shadows indicate eels, whereas the finned shadows indicate sharks and ocean sunfish.
  • Fish are easily startled. Don’t run up to them, push a snowball into a spot that’s near them, or use tools near them. There’s plenty of fish in the water, but you don’t want to miss out on a rare catch!
  • Fish can nibble on the line up to four times, then they have to bite.
  • Be sure to cast your line in front of the creature, or they won’t notice it.
  • You have to react quickly when a fish finally bites. I react faster when I listen for the splash rather than looking at the bobber. Everyone is different, but I recommend trying this if visual cues don’t work well for you.

What to Do With Fish

Donate to the Museum 

If you’ve caught a fish for the first time, I recommend donating the animal to the museum because it may take a while to capture another one. You’ll know you’ve caught a fish for the first time when your character shouts, ‘Yes!’

You have to talk to Blathers if you want to donate a fish to the aquarium. Simply press A to speak to the owl and then select ‘Make a donation.’ If you have a fish that’s never been donated to the museum before, you can select it from your pocket. Blathers will gladly take the creature and share an interesting fact about it!

Sell

You have three options for selling fish: the drop-off box, Nook’s Cranny, or C.J. I recommend waiting until C.J., the beaver, shows up on your island since he buys fish for 150% of the normal price.

Therefore, you’ll make the most money selling fish to this guy. C.J. will also provide you with a model fish if you give him three of the same critter.

If you can’t wait for C.J., you can sell your fish at Nook’s Cranny. Timmy and Tommy will buy your fish at the normal sell price, which is better than nothing.

If you’re extremely desperate for Bells and Nook’s Cranny is closed, you can sell your fish using the drop-off box located in front of the shop. The downside is you’ll only get 80% of the regular sell price since 20% of it goes to fees.

On top of that, you won’t get the money immediately. You’ll have to wait until the next day when it’s deposited into your bank account. 

Cook

Animal Crossing New Horizons Cook Fish

In the latest update of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, players can now cook! This means that you can create as many delicious fish recipes as you want! I’ve become quite the virtual chef since this update came out, so here’s an alphabetized list of all fish recipes below. Feel free to try them out! 

Name of Recipe Ingredients
Aji Fry 1 Horse Mackerel, 1 Flour
Anchoas al Alillo 2 Anchovies
Barred-Knifejaw Carpaccio 1 Barred-Knifejaw
Carpaccio Di Marlin Blu 1 Blue Marlin
Carpaccio Di Salmone 1 Salmon
Fish and Chips 1 Dab, 2 Potatoes
Grilled Sea Bass With Herbs 1 Sea Bass, 5 Clumps of Weeds
Karei no Nitsuke 1 Dab
Olive-Flounder Meuniere 1 Olive Flounder, 2 Flours
Pesce All’acqua Pazza 1 Red Snapper, 1 Tomato, 1 Manila Clam
Poke 1 Salmon, 1 Tomato
Salmon Bagel Sandwich 2 Flours, 1 Salmon
Salmon Sandwich 2 Whole-Wheat Flours, 1 Salmon
Sardines in Oil 1 Anchovy
Sautéed Olive Flounder 1 Olive Flounder
Sea-Bass Pie 3 Flours, 1 Sea Bass
Seafood Ajillo 1 Tiger Prawn, 1 Squid, 1 Scallop
Seafood Salad 1 Squid, 1 Sweet Shrimp
Squid-Ink Curry 3 Flours, 1 Squid
Squid-Ink Spaghetti 3 Flours, 1 Squid

Gift

You can give a fish to any villager, and it’s no different from gifting a resident any other present. You just have to talk to a resident, select ‘Here’s a gift’, and pick the fish you want to give away. Your character will hand over the fish and the resident will gleefully show their appreciation. 

Display

One of my favorite things to do with fish is using them as decoration in my home. You can place your fish on furniture, such as kitchen tables and side tables, to give your abode extra oomph! Some fish go best with a particular style compared to others. For example, adding a koi to a Japanese garden would definitely fit the Zen aesthetic! 

All Fish Details

Animal Crossing All Fish Details

Some of this information is displayed in the game, but you’ll only see a fish’s details once you’ve caught it. On top of that, it only shows a fish’s monthly availability, active hours, and location. 

Below is a complete chart that displays each creature’s shadow size, location, price, monthly availability, and active hours. The structure of this chart is based on the order of the in-game Critterpedia.

Creature Name Shadow Size Location Price (Nook’s Cranny’s Price = NC, C.J’s Price = CJ) Monthly Availability (Northern Hemisphere = N, Southern Hemisphere = S) Active Hours 
Bitterling Tiny River NC: 900 Bells

 

CJ: 1,350 Bells

N: November – March

 

S: May – September

All day
Pale Chub Tiny River NC: 160 Bells

 

CJ: 240 Bells

N: Year-round

 

S: Year-round

9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Crucian Carp Small River NC: 160 Bells

 

CJ: 240 Bells

N: Year-round

 

S: Year-round

All day
Dace Medium River NC: 240 Bells

 

CJ: 360 Bells

N: Year-round

 

S: Year-round

4 p.m. – 9 a.m.
Carp Large Pond NC: 300 Bells

 

CJ: 450 Bells

N: Year-round

 

S: Year-round

All day
Koi Large Pond NC: 4,000 Bells

 

CJ: 6,000 Bells

N: Year-round

 

S: Year-round

4 p.m. – 9 a.m.
Goldfish Tiny Pond NC: 1,300 Bells

 

CJ: 1,950 Bells

N: Year-round

 

S: Year-round

All day
Pop-eyed Goldfish Tiny Pond NC: 1,300 Bells

 

CJ: 1,950 Bells

N: Year-round

 

S: Year-round

9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Ranchu Goldfish Small Pond NC: 4,500 Bells

 

CJ: 6,750 Bells

N: Year-round

 

S: Year-round

9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Killifish Tiny Pond NC: 300 Bells

 

CJ: 450 Bells

N: April – August

 

S: October – February

All day
Crawfish Small Pond NC: 200 Bells

 

CJ: 300 Bells

N: April – September

 

S: October – March

All day
Soft-shelled Turtle Medium River NC: 3,750 Bells

 

CJ: 5,625 Bells

N: August and September

 

S: February and March

4 p.m. – 9 a.m.
Snapping Turtle Medium River NC: 5,000 Bells

 

CJ: 7,500 Bells

N: April – October

 

S: October – April

9 p.m. – 4 a.m.
Tadpole Tiny Pond NC: 100 Bells

 

CJ: 150 Bells

N: March – July

 

S: September – January

All day
Frog Small Pond NC: 120 Bells

 

CJ: 180 Bells

N: May – August

 

S: November – February

All day
Freshwater Goby Small River NC: 400 Bells

 

CJ: 600 Bells

N: Year-round

 

S: Year-round

4 p.m. – 9 a.m.
Loach Small River NC: 400 Bells

 

CJ: 600 Bells

N: March – May

 

S: September – November

All day
Catfish Large Pond NC: 800 Bells

 

CJ: 1,200 Bells

N: May – October

 

S: November – April

4 p.m. – 9 a.m.
Giant snakehead Large Pond NC: 5,500 Bells

 

CJ: 8,250 Bells

N: June – August

 

S: December – February

9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Bluegill Small River NC: 180 Bells

 

CJ: 270 Bells

N: Year-round

 

S: Year-round

9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Yellow Perch Medium River NC: 300 Bells

 

CJ: 450 Bells

N: October – March

 

S: April – September

All day
Black Bass Large River NC: 400 Bells

 

CJ: 600 Bells

N: Year-round

 

S: Year-round

All day
Tilapia Medium River NC: 800 Bells

 

CJ: 1,200 Bells

N: June – October

 

S: December – April

All day
Pike Very Large River NC: 1,800 Bells

 

CJ: 2,700 Bells

N: September – December

 

S: March – June

4 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Pond Smelt Small River NC: 300 Bells

 

CJ: 450 Bells

N: December – February

 

S: June – August

All day
Sweetfish Medium River NC: 900 Bells

 

CJ: 1,350 Bells

N: July – September

 

S: January – March

All day
Cherry Salmon Medium River (Clifftop) NC: 1,000 Bells

 

CJ: 1,500 Bells

N: March – June, September – November

 

S: March – May, September – December

4 p.m. – 9 a.m.
Char Medium River (Clifftop) NC: 3,800 Bells

 

CJ: 5,700 Bells

N: March – June, September – November

 

S: March – May, September – December

4 p.m. – 9 a.m
Golden Trout Medium River (Clifftop) NC: 15,000 Bells

 

CJ: 22,500 Bells

N: March – May, September – November

 

S: March – May, September – November

4 p.m. – 9 a.m.
Stringfish Huge River (Clifftop) NC: 15,000 Bells

 

CJ: 22,500 Bells

N: December – March

 

S: June – September

4 p.m. – 9 a.m.
Salmon Large River NC: 700 Bells

 

CJ: 1,150 Bells

N: September

 

S: March

All day
King Salmon Huge River (Mouth) NC: 1,800 Bells

 

CJ: 2,700 Bells

N: September

 

S: March

All day
Mitten Crab Small River NC: 2,000 Bells

 

CJ: 3,000 Bells

N: September – November

 

S: March – May

4 p.m. – 9 a.m.
Guppy Tiny River NC: 1,300 Bells

 

CJ: 1,950 Bells

N: April – November

 

S: October – April

9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Nibble Fish Tiny River NC: 1,500 Bells

 

CJ: 2,250 Bells

N: May – September

 

S: November – March

9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Angelfish Small River NC: 3,000 Bells

 

CJ: 4,500 Bells

N: May – October

 

S: November – April

4 p.m. – 9 a.m.
Betta Small River NC: 2,500 Bells

 

CJ: 3,750 Bells

N: May – October

 

S: November – April

9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Neon Tetra Tiny River NC: 500 Bells

 

CJ: 750 Bells

N: April – November

 

S: October – May

9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Rainbowfish Tiny River NC: 800 Bells

 

CJ: 1,200 Bells

N: May – October

 

S: November – April

9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Piranha Small River NC: 2,500 Bells

 

CJ: 3,750 Bells

N: June – September

 

S: December – March

9 a.m. – 4 p.m., 9 p.m. – 4 a.m.
Arowana Medium River NC: 10,000 Bells

 

CJ: 15,000 Bells

N: June – September

 

S: December – March

4 p.m. – 9 a.m.
Dorado Very Large River NC: 15,000 Bells

 

CJ: 22,500 Bells

N: June – September

 

S: December – March

4 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Gar Huge Pond NC: 6,000 Bells

 

CJ: 9,000 Bells

N: June – September

 

S: December – January

4 p.m. – 9 a.m.
Arapaima Huge River NC: 10,000 Bells

 

CJ: 15,000 Bells

N: June – September

 

S: December – March

4 p.m. – 9 a.m.
Saddled Bichir Large River NC: 4,000 Bells

 

CJ: 6,000 Bells

N: June – September

 

S: December – March

9 p.m. – 4 a.m.
Sturgeon Very Large River (Mouth) NC: 10,000 Bells

 

CJ: 15,000 Bells

N: September – March

 

S: March – September

All day
Sea Butterfly Tiny Ocean NC: 1,000 Bells

 

CJ: 1,500 Bells

N: December – March

 

S: June – September

All day
Seahorse Tiny Ocean NC: 1,100 Bells

 

CJ: 1,650 Bells

N: April – November

 

S: October – May

All day
Clownfish Tiny Ocean NC: 650 Bells

 

CJ: 975 Bells

N: April – September

 

S: October – March

All day
Surgeonfish Small Ocean NC: 1,000 Bells

 

CJ: 1,500 Bells

N: April – September

 

S: October – March

All day
Butterfly Fish Small Ocean NC: 1,000 Bells

 

CJ: 1,500 Bells

N: April – September

 

S: October – March

All day
Napoleonfish Huge Ocean NC: 10,000 Bells

 

CJ: 15,000 Bells

N: July and August

 

S: January and February

4 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Zebra Turkeyfish Medium Ocean NC: 500 Bells

 

CJ: 750 Bells

N: April – November

 

S: October – May

All day
Blowfish Medium Ocean NC: 5,000 Bells

 

CJ: 7,500 Bells

N: November – February

 

S: May – August

9 p.m. – 4 a.m.
Puffer Fish Medium Ocean NC: 250 Bells

 

CJ: 375 Bells

N: July – September

 

S: January – March

All day
Anchovy Small Ocean NC: 200 Bells

 

CJ: 300 Bells

N: Year-round

 

S: Year-round

4 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Horse Mackerel Small Ocean NC: 150 Bells

 

CJ: 225 Bells

N: Year-round

 

S: Year-round

All day
Barred Knifejaw Medium Ocean NC: 5,000 Bells

 

CJ: 7,500 Bells

N: March – November

 

S: September – May

All day
Sea Bass Very Large Ocean NC: 400 Bells

 

CJ: 600 Bells

N: Year-round

 

S: Year-round

All day
Red Snapper Large Ocean NC: 3,000 Bells

 

CJ: 4,500 Bells

N: Year-round

 

S: Year-round

All day
Dab Medium Ocean NC: 300 Bells

 

CJ: 450 Bells

N: October – April

 

S: April – October

All day
Olive Flounder Large Ocean NC: 800 Bells

 

CJ: 1,200 Bells

N: Year-round

 

S: Year-round

All day
Squid Medium Ocean NC: 500 Bells

 

CJ: 750 Bells

N: December – August

 

S: June – February

All day
Moray Eel Thin Ocean NC: 2,000 Bells

 

CJ: 3,000 Bells

N: August – October

 

S: February – April

All day
Ribbon Eel Thin Ocean NC: 600 Bells

 

CJ: 900 Bells

N: June – October

 

S: December – April

All day
Tuna Huge Ocean (pier) NC: 7,000 Bells

 

CJ: 10,500 Bells

N: November – April

 

S: May – October

All day
Blue Marlin Huge Ocean (pier) NC: 10,000 Bells

 

CJ: 15,000 Bells

N: November – April, July – September

 

S: January – March, May – October

All day
Giant Trevally Very Large Ocean (pier) NC: 4,500 Bells

 

CJ: 6,750 Bells

N: May – October

 

S: November – April

All day
Mahi-mahi Very Large Ocean (pier) NC: 6,000 Bells

 

CJ: 9,000 Bells

N: May – October

 

S: November – April

All day
Ocean Sunfish Huge (with fin) Ocean NC: 4,000 Bells

 

CJ: 6,000 Bells

N: July – September

 

S: January – March

4 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Ray Very Large Ocean NC: 3,000 Bells

 

CJ: 4,500 Bells

N: August – November

 

S: February – May

4 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Saw Shark Huge (with fin) Ocean NC: 12,000 Bells

 

CJ: 18,000 Bells

N: June – September

 

S: December – March

4 p.m. – 9 a.m.
Hammerhead Shark Huge (with fin) Ocean NC: 8,000 Bells

 

CJ:12,000 Bells

N: June – September

 

S: December – March

4 p.m. – 9 a.m.
Great White Shark Huge (with fin) Ocean NC: 15,000 Bells

 

CJ: 22,500 Bells

N: June – September

 

S: December – March

4 p.m. – 9 a.m.
Whale Shark Huge (with fin) Ocean NC: 13,000 Bells

 

CJ: 19,500 Bells

N: June – September

 

S: December – March

All day
Suckerfish Huge (with fin) Ocean NC: 1,500 Bells

 

CJ: 2,250 Bells

N: June – September

 

S: December – March

All day
Football Fish Large Ocean NC: 2,500 Bells

 

CJ: 3,750 Bells

N: November – March

 

S: May – September

4 p.m. – 9 a.m.
Oarfish Huge Ocean NC: 9,000 Bells

 

CJ: 13,500 Bells

N: December – May

 

S: June – November

All day
Barreleye Small Ocean NC: 15,000 Bells

 

CJ: 22,500 Bells

N: Year-round

 

S: Year-round

9 p.m. – 4 a.m.
Coelacanth Huge Ocean (raining) NC: 15,000 Bells

 

CJ: 22,500 Bells

N: Year-round

 

S: Year-round

All day

FAQs

Question: What are the Rarest Fish in Animal Crossing: New Horizons?

Answer: The rarest fish are the Football Fish, Coelacanth, Oarfish, Golden Trout, Blue Marlin, and the shark species. They tend to scare easily compared to other creatures, so be careful!

Question: What Happens when You Catch All Fish?

Answer: You’ll receive a Golden Rod recipe in the mail when you’ve caught all fish. The recipe entails a gold nugget and a fishing rod. Keep in mind that the rod is sturdy, but it can still break!

Question: Is There a Silver Rod in Animal Crossing: New Horizons?

Answer: No, there is no silver rod in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. It’s only in City Folk and New Leaf.

Conclusion

As you can see, acquiring fish in Animal Crossing: New Horizons isn’t always simple. When you take seasonality, active hours, weather, and location into account, catching every one of them can take months.

It’ll be difficult, but picture the look on Blathers’ face when you finally finish the aquatic section in the museum. He’ll be ecstatic!

Continue reading:

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