Catching Catfish in Stardew Valley requires the right season, the right weather, and a fishing spot in the river — miss any one of those three conditions and you will spend an entire rainy afternoon without a single bite. This guide breaks down every requirement and walks you through the best setup so you can land this elusive fish reliably.
What you need to know first
The Catfish is one of Stardew Valley's most condition-sensitive fish. It has a movement difficulty of 75, making it one of the harder catches in the game, and it spawns only under a narrow set of circumstances. Before heading to the water, keep these requirements in mind:
- Season: Spring or Fall only.
- Weather: Raining or Thunderstorm (Lightning) only. Sunny days produce no catfish.
- Location: The river in Pelican Town, the river in Cindersap Forest, or the Secret Woods pond.
- Time: 6:00 AM to 12:00 AM (midnight).
- Rod: Fiberglass Rod or Iridium Rod (Bamboo Rod cannot hold bait).
How to catch Catfish in Stardew Valley
-
Step 1: Wait for a rainy day in Spring or Fall
Check the television weather forecast each morning or watch the sky — if rain is coming the next day, that is your window. Catfish will not appear at all on sunny, snowy, or windy days, and they are completely absent from the Summer and Winter fishing tables. A Thunderstorm day counts exactly the same as a regular rainy day, so do not skip it. The fish are active from 6:00 AM through midnight, giving you almost the entire waking day to fish.
Catfish require both the correct season (Spring or Fall) and rain. Thunderstorms also count as valid weather. -
Step 2: Go to the right fishing location
There are three places where Catfish can appear:
- Town River — the river running through the center of Pelican Town. You can cast from the bridge, from the path near Pierre's shop, or anywhere along the bank.
- Cindersap Forest River — the stretch of river south of your farm, running through the forest map. It follows the same spawn table as the Town River, so either spot works equally well.
- Secret Woods pond — accessible through the large fallen log in the northwest corner of Cindersap Forest once you have a Copper Axe or better. Catfish appear here during the same rainy Spring and Fall windows.
The ocean, the mountain lake, and the farm pond do not produce Catfish, so avoid those spots entirely on your dedicated fishing days.
Both the Town River and the Cindersap Forest River (south of your farm) are valid spots. Secret Woods also works. -
Step 3: Equip the right rod and add bait or tackle
You need at least a Fiberglass Rod (500g from Willy's Fish Shop, available from Day 1 of Spring Year 1) to attach bait, because the Bamboo Rod has no bait slot. The Iridium Rod (7,500g, available once you reach Fishing level 6) is the best option since it accepts both bait and tackle simultaneously. For bait, regular Bait or Wild Bait (craftable after Linus's 4-heart event) reduces bite time significantly. For tackle, equip a Trap Bobber — this is the single most impactful item when fishing for Catfish, because it slows the rate at which the escape bar fills when the fish moves outside your green bar, giving you much more room to recover. A Cork Bobber is a solid second choice if you do not have a Trap Bobber yet, as it increases the height of your green catching bar.
Use a Fiberglass or Iridium Rod. Add bait to speed up bites, and a Trap Bobber tackle to handle catfish's erratic movement. -
Step 4: Win the fishing mini-game
The Catfish has a difficulty rating of 75 and uses a "dart" movement pattern — it shoots up and down the mini-game bar in sharp, fast bursts rather than moving smoothly. Keep your mouse button (or controller A/X button) held and released in short taps to track the orange fish icon and keep it inside your green bar. The key is to anticipate the fish's movement rather than just reacting to it — when it darts upward, start pressing before it leaves the bar. Having a higher Fishing skill level makes this dramatically easier because your green catching bar grows larger with each level. Eating food that grants a Fishing buff — such as Dish O' the Sea (+3) or Seafoam Pudding (+4) — before casting is highly recommended if you are still at a low skill level.
Click or tap rapidly to track the catfish's fast, darting movement. The Trap Bobber gives you extra recovery time when you miss. -
Step 5: Explore alternative sources if you cannot fish in rain
If a rainy day is not coming soon or you simply need Catfish for a bundle or Community Center without the fishing grind, there are easier alternatives. The Traveling Merchant Cart (appears Fridays and Sundays south of your farm) sometimes stocks Catfish for between 200g and 1,000g — check every visit. Krobus' Shop in the Sewers (requires the Sewers Key from Gunther after donating 60 items to the museum) sells Catfish in its Winter rotation on Saturdays for 200g each. Finally, once you have caught at least one Catfish, place it in a Fish Pond on your farm — the pond will produce additional Catfish over time, eventually at a capacity of up to 10 fish.
Can't wait for rain? Buy Catfish from the Traveling Cart or Krobus, or breed your own in a Fish Pond.
Tips for catching Catfish more easily
- Level up your Fishing skill first. Even getting to Fishing level 5 noticeably increases your green bar size. Fish other species on non-rainy days to build up skill before dedicating rainy days to Catfish.
- Use food buffs before casting. Dish O' the Sea and Seafoam Pudding give +3 and +4 Fishing respectively and stack with your base skill level. Cook these before a rainy day.
- Pick the Fisher profession at level 5 (rather than Trapper) to increase the value of fish you catch — useful if you are fishing Catfish for profit.
- Cast far into the river. Casting distance affects which fish can bite. A full cast into the middle of a river gives you access to all fish in that water body, including Catfish.
- The Catfish counts for the River Fish Bundle. If you are working on the Community Center, completing this bundle on a rainy Spring or Fall day lets you knock out Catfish alongside other river fish like Shad and Tiger Trout.
Frequently asked questions
What season do you catch Catfish in Stardew Valley?
Catfish are only catchable in Spring and Fall. They do not appear during Summer or Winter under any conditions when fishing in the river. However, you can obtain them from the Traveling Merchant Cart or Krobus' Shop in any season.
Can you catch Catfish without rain in Stardew Valley?
No — Catfish will not bite if the weather is sunny, windy, or snowy. You must wait for a rainy or thunderstorm day in Spring or Fall to catch them in the wild. Purchasing from the Traveling Merchant Cart or Krobus, or harvesting from a Fish Pond, are the only ways to get them without rain.
Where exactly should I fish for Catfish in Stardew Valley?
Cast your line into the river in Pelican Town (the one near the bridge and Willy's shop) or the river in Cindersap Forest, south of your farm. The Secret Woods pond is also a valid spot but requires unlocking the area with a Copper Axe or better. Avoid the ocean and mountain lake — Catfish do not spawn there.
What is the easiest way to catch Catfish in Stardew Valley?
Raise your Fishing skill to at least level 5 before trying, eat Dish O' the Sea or Seafoam Pudding for a Fishing buff, and equip a Trap Bobber on your Iridium Rod. This combination gives you the largest catch bar and the most forgiving escape mechanic, making the difficulty-75 Catfish much more manageable.
Does the Catfish count for the Community Center bundles?
Yes. The Catfish is one of the fish required for the River Fish Bundle in the Fish Tank section of the Community Center. You will need one Catfish, one Shad, one Tiger Trout, and one Sunfish to complete that bundle. Catching a Catfish on a rainy Spring or Fall day is the most direct way to obtain it for the bundle.
Wrapping up
Catching a Catfish in Stardew Valley is one of those rewarding milestones that requires patience and preparation. Pick your rainy Spring or Fall day, head to the Town River or Cindersap Forest, load up your Iridium Rod with bait and a Trap Bobber, and keep your Fishing skill as high as possible before the cast. If the weather is not cooperating, a quick visit to the Traveling Cart on Friday or Sunday might be all you need. For more details about what fish can appear in which biomes, check the official Stardew Valley website.
