Where to Catch Catfish in Stardew Valley (2026 Guide)

To catch a Catfish in Stardew Valley, fish in the rivers of Pelican Town or Cindersap Forest during rain in Spring or Fall, from 6:00 a.m. to midnight. In Summer, look in the Secret Woods pond or Witch’s Swamp instead. A Rain Totem can create a Winter fishing window at these locations. Catfish are a difficulty-75 fish with a mixed movement pattern, but you do not need a special rod or bait to make one spawn.

Catfish locations, seasons, and weather

The right spot depends on the season. The regular rivers and the two special locations do not share exactly the same season list. Use this table to choose a valid fishing area before you spend the day waiting for a bite.

Catfish are available from 6:00 a.m. until midnight. Stormy days count as rainy for fish that require rain. Check the TV’s Weather Report the night before, and use a Rain Totem on the previous day if you want to fish in Winter. For the exact spawn table and current item details, see the Stardew Valley Wiki’s Catfish entry and its weather guide.

If you have Magic Bait, you can ignore season, time, and weather restrictions in water where Catfish can appear. It is a late-game option from Qi’s Walnut Room. It does not make a river fish appear in an unrelated lake or ocean, so keep the location rule in mind.

Where to fish for Catfish

Pelican Town and Cindersap Forest rivers

For the simplest route, fish in the river that runs through Pelican Town or the river in Cindersap Forest south of the farm. Either is a valid Spring or Fall spot on a rainy day. You can cast from an accessible bank or bridge; focus on fishing in the river rather than walking to the ocean or mountain lake, where Catfish are not part of the normal fish pool.

Secret Woods pond and Witch’s Swamp

The Secret Woods pond is useful if Summer arrives before you have caught one. The entrance is in the northwest corner of Cindersap Forest and is normally blocked by a large log that requires a Steel Axe or better to remove. The Witch’s Swamp is another later-game option reached through the Wizard’s questline. Both waters can produce Catfish in rainy Spring, Summer, and Fall weather.

On Riverland, Forest, or Hill-Top Farm maps, you can also fish in the farm’s eligible river water. If your farm uses another layout, travel to one of the locations above instead. For access details, consult the Secret Woods and Witch’s Swamp pages.

Rod, bait, and tackle for an easier catch

You do not need a Fiberglass Rod to catch Catfish. A Bamboo Pole can catch fish, but it cannot use bait or tackle. Rod upgrades add equipment slots, not access to a different Catfish spawn table. Willy sells the Fiberglass Rod for 1,800g after you reach Fishing level 2; it accepts bait. The Iridium Rod costs 7,500g after Fishing level 6 and can use both bait and tackle.

• Bait: Regular bait reduces the wait between bites. It helps you get more attempts during a rainy day, but it does not make Catfish easier to control once hooked.
• Trap Bobber: This tackle slows the escape meter when the fish is outside your bar, giving you more time to recover.
• Cork Bobber: This tackle enlarges the green catch bar, which can make a mixed-movement fish easier to track.
• Fishing food: Dish O’ the Sea adds +3 Fishing and Seafoam Pudding adds +4 while the buff lasts. A higher Fishing level also increases the bar size.

For Catfish, an Iridium Rod with a Trap Bobber is a forgiving setup if you have unlocked it. A Cork Bobber is another good choice when a larger bar feels more useful. The Fiberglass Rod, Iridium Rod, and fishing strategy guide list their unlocks and effects.

How to handle the Catfish fishing minigame

Catfish have difficulty 75 and a mixed movement pattern. The fish icon can change direction, so use short, controlled adjustments to keep the green bar around it instead of holding the button continuously. If you miss a movement, return the bar toward the fish and rebuild catch progress. No single timing pattern works on every attempt.

Fishing levels make the minigame more forgiving by increasing the bar size. If Catfish keep escaping, practice on easier fish on a dry day, then return when rain arrives. A temporary Fishing buff can also increase your effective level. The Trap Bobber and Cork Bobber are optional aids, not requirements.

Other ways to get a Catfish

If the weather is not cooperating, the Traveling Cart may randomly sell a Catfish for 600–1,000g. The cart appears in Cindersap Forest on Fridays and Sundays. A pet cat at maximum friendship may also give one, Linus may send one by mail, and garbage cans can rarely contain a Catfish in Spring or Fall. These sources are random, so they are less dependable than fishing on a valid rainy day.

After catching your first Catfish, you can put it in a Fish Pond. Catfish reproduce every four days; a pond starts with room for three and can reach a capacity of ten after three population quests. That makes a pond a steady long-term source, but it cannot help you obtain the first fish. See the Traveling Cart and Fish Pond pages for the details.

Catfish and the Community Center

In the standard Community Center layout, Catfish is required for the River Fish Bundle in the Fish Tank. If you selected remixed bundles, check the bundle’s in-game list because its requirements can differ. A rainy Spring or Fall day at the Pelican Town or Cindersap Forest river is the most direct way to get the fish for the standard bundle. The bundle guide lists the standard requirements.

Quick Catfish checklist

• Choose Pelican Town or Cindersap Forest in rainy Spring or Fall; in Summer, use the Secret Woods pond or Witch’s Swamp.
• Fish between 6:00 a.m. and midnight. A storm counts as rain.
• Use a Rain Totem the day before a Winter fishing trip, or use Magic Bait to bypass season, weather, and time restrictions.
• Bring bait to reduce waiting and a Trap Bobber or Cork Bobber if you have a tackle-slot rod.
• For a standard Community Center run, keep one Catfish for the River Fish Bundle.