Learn what Fish Frenzies are and how to best use them in Stardew Valley.
ConcernedApe's 1.6 Stardew Valley update added in some hidden features for fans to play with. Specifically, a random fishing event has been added to the game, named Fishing Frenzies. These dynamic events add a layer of unexpected fun to everyone's favorite rainy day activity.
So how do Fishing Frenzies work? Keep your eyes peeled on the water's surface! During a Frenzy, bubbles will appear in a noticeably different pattern than usual. These special bubbles act as a beacon for specific fish types, making them much more likely to appear in that location. Want to know more? Keep reading!
What Are Fishing Frenzies?
A Fishing Frenzy is a random event added in the 1.6.4 update to Stardew Valley, that increases the spawn rate of one specific fish in a designated area of the map. While this Frenzy is active, a massive patch of bubbles will spawn in the body of water where the Frenzy is currently taking place, and the Frenzied Fish will continually jump out of the water.
None of the Legendary Fish or catchable items, such as trash, will spawn during a Fishing Frenzy.
Since these frenzies are classified as random events, they can spawn on any day that is not a festival, and at any time before 11 PM. When a Fishing Frenzy occurs, you will see a small notification detailing the type of fish that has caused a frenzy, and where it is occurring.
A Fishing Frenzy can only spawn in the following locations:
- The Beach
- Pelican Town River
- Cindersap Forest River or Lake
- The Mountain Lake
How To Best Use A Fishing Frenzy
Whenever you receive a notification that a Fishing Frenzy has started, we recommend rushing over to the area with the correct materials and tools to maximize your profit for the day. Once you arrive, you'll want to aim your fishing rod at bubbles that have formed in the water, as this will greatly increase the time it takes for fish to bite.
As always, bringing a large amount of bait and bobbers will allow you to catch fish even faster and easier, ensuring that you are not wasting time waiting for fish to bite. Furthermore, increasing your fishing skill and using an Iridium level fishing rod will make it easier to perfectly complete each fishing minigame, which makes the fish you catch Gold or Iridium quality.
Every fish in Stardew Valley sells for a different base price, which increases with their quality rating. If you want to make the most money out of a Fishing Frenzy, then waiting for an expensive fish to create a Frenzy will boost your profits greatly.
If you plan on selling the fish you catch in a Fishing Frenzy, we highly recommend creating many Fish Smokers, as these machines not only double the selling price of fish, but also turn them into artisan goods. You can purchase the Fish Smoker crafting recipe from Willy for 10,000 gold.