How to find and catch a Catfish in Stardew Valley

Fishing is an integral aspect of Stardew Valley’s gameplay, and there’s quite a collection of fish you need to find. One of the toughest fish to add to your collection is a Catfish.

Whether you’re after this fish to cook up a dish, give it away as a gift, need it for the River Fish Bundle, or just want to work on your fishing collection, here’s how to find and catch a Catfish in Stardew Valley.

Where to find Catfish in Stardew Valley

Catfish can be found in a few different spots, but they’re only available to catch when it’s raining between 6am and 12am on Stardew Valley’s clock, which does not sync up with your local timezone. It’s also specific to certain areas depending on the season. Here are all of the exact spots where you can catch Catfish and the time of year you can do so.

• In the river that runs through Pelican Town and Cindersap Forest in Spring and Fall.
• In the Secret Woods pond in Spring, Summer, and Fall.
• By the Witch’s Swamp in Spring, Summer, and Fall.
• At your farm when it’s a Forest Farm, Riverlands Farm, or Hill-Top Farm in Spring and Fall.
• At any of the previously mentioned locations in Winter if you use a Rain Totem.
• Sometimes hidden in garbage cans during Spring and Fall.
• Can randomly be found in stock at the Traveling Cart for 600 to 1,000 Gold.
• Can be randomly received in the mail as a gift from Linus.

How to catch Catfish in Stardew Valley

Catfish are pretty tough fish to catch in Stardew Valley, so if you are struggling to obtain one, there are a few different methods you can use to help the process along. Some of the best tips to help you catch a Catfish are as follows.

• Work on fishing for easier fish first to level your Fishing profession up. You unlock new abilities and become better at this skill over time, so if you just can’t get a Catfish, you might need to wait until you’re skilled enough to do so.
• Get a better fishing rod. The better the tool you’re working with is, the easier catching a Catfish will be.
• Consume a dish that has a fishing buff. Recipes like Seafoam Pudding, Dish O’ The Sea, and Lobster Bisque are an immense help for this task.
• Try using different types of tackles which can make fishing a lot easier by supplying different buffs and modifiers.

If you’re still struggling, you can also try getting or crafting some Magic Bait to help. This bait allows you to catch Catfish regardless of the weather and season, which makes obtaining them a lot easier if these are hindering your progress.

After finally obtaining a Catfish, you might consider working on catching other tough fish like Octopus. If you’re tired of fishing, though, you can pivot away from it entirely and get to work farming the most valuable crops for each season instead.