In Stardew Valley, there are tons of ways to make money. Early in the game, many turn to fishing to make a quick bit of cash, since it’s a reliable and fairly easy way to earn some money while other methods are not yet as accessible. But, not every fish is created equal it seems, as some are worth much more than others. So, we’ve ranked the most expensive fish Stardew Valley has to offer.
Note: We’ll detail the base prices for every fish, as there are twelve possible prices for every fish — four quality levels and two professions that can increase price on top of the standard prices. Silver quality gives a 25% boost, gold quality gives a 50% boost, and iridium quality doubles the base price.
The Fisher profession, which you can choose at Level 5 Fishing, adds 25% to the base price of a fish. If you chose Fisher at Level 5, you can choose Angler at Level 10, which increases the sell bonus to 50%. An iridium-quality fish with the Angler profession is worth triple the base price of a fish with no profession at standard quality. As a result, we’ve kept this list to the base price of each fish, so as to not complicate things.
10 Sturgeon, Pufferfish, and Catfish - 200g
In the first slot, we actually have a three-way tie. Sturgeons, Catfish, and Pufferfish will all net you 200g at their base price, all the way up to 600g with the Angler profession and iridium quality.
While these fish will net a bit of profit when sold, Sturgeon, in particular, can be much more profitable if you add them to a Fish Pond. Check out our full guide on Sturgeon and how to make Caviar with this guide.
9 Spook Fish - 220g
Looking for something a bit creepier? The Spook Fish is for you. This strange-looking creature sells for a very nice 220g at the base price.
They can only be caught three days out of the year: during the Night Market that takes place at the beach from Winter 15 to Winter 17. Take a ride on the submarine at the market, go fishing below the water, and you can find yourself a Spook Fish.
All of the submarine ride fish can also be caught with the use of Magic Bait when the Market is not around. Face west in the southwest corner of the west-most dock on the Beach and cast — basically just where the submarine is during the Night Market.
8 Super Cucumber - 250g
If the Sea Cucumber isn’t super enough for you, then perhaps you’ll like the Super Cucumber. This rarer variety of the regular cucumber can be caught in the Ocean during summer and fall between 6 p.m. and 2 a.m. It’s also possible to find them in the submarine ride or at the Pirate Cove on Ginger Island. If you sell a Super Cucumber, it’ll net you a nice 250g at base price.
7 Stonefish - 300g
If you feel like taking a relaxing break when descending The Mines, you can fish on some of the floors. If you fish on the 20th floor, you may find a Stonefish. This oddly-square fish can be caught during any season, any weather, at any time of day. At its base price, the Stonefish sells for a nice 300g. The only other fish that can be caught on floor 20 is the Ghostfish, which sells for 45g— you’ll probably catch more of those first.
6 Ice Pip and Blobfish - 500g
Further down in The Mines, on floor 60, you’ll find the conditions much icier. As a result, there are different fish there, as well. The Ice Pip spawns on this floor during any season, time of day, or weather as well. It’ll sell for a base price of 500g.
There’s another fish that sells for the same price — the Blobfish. This strange creature can be caught during the Night Market submarine ride from Winter 15 to Winter 17 as well. Additionally, you can use Magic Bait to catch the submarine fish out of season. Cast just under where the submarine would be — face west from the southwest corner of the western dock on the Beach.
5 Lava Eel - 700g
Head a bit further down into The Mines and you’ll find one more valuable fish. At level 100, there’s a lava pool that you can, strangely, cast your line into. Most of the time, you’ll fish up trash. But, get super lucky and then ace the mini-game and you’ll find a Lava Eel, which is the only fish that spawns here. You can also find them in the Volcano Caldera on Ginger Island.
Other than the Legendary Fish, this one is the second-hardest to catch in the whole game. Your hard work will pay off, though, because Lava Eels sell for a red-hot 700g.
The Lava Eel is the most profitable fish that isn’t a Legendary Fish.
4 Angler - 900g
Now, on to the big leagues. There are only five Legendary Fish in the game, and only one of each can be caught. It’s often recommended that you keep these fish, as you’ll never be able to catch them again on that file. However, should you decide to sell them, you can get quite a bit of cash. The least-profitable is the Angler. You can catch this fish north of JojaMart off the wooden plank bridge so long as your Fishing skill is Level 3 or higher. It’s only found here in the fall, though the time of day and weather don’t matter. If you sell it, it’ll go for 900g at its base price.
3 Glacierfish and Mutant Carp - 1,000g
The next entry on this list goes to another tie, this time between two of the Legendary Fish. The Glacierfish and Mutant Carp both sell for a base price of 1,000g.
To find the Glacierfish, head to the arrowhead-shaped island in the middle of the river in Cindersap Forest in the winter. Fish off the south end of this little patch of land, and as long as your Fishing skill is Level 6 or higher and you cast somewhere at least four tiles away from land in every direction (fewer if there are bubbles), you can find the Glacierfish.
Unlike the other Legendary Fish, there are no special requirements for finding the Mutant Carp. It can be found in the Sewers any time of day, in any season, during any weather.
2 Crimsonfish - 1,500g
The second-most profitable Legendary Fish in the game is the Crimsonfish. This Legendary Fish will sell for a cool 1,500g at the base price. It’ll be found on the east side of the Beach (past where you can repair the broken bridge) in the summer, during any weather at any time of day.
You’ll need Fishing Level 5 to find this one. You’ll also need to ensure your bobber lands at least four tiles from land in any direction, including the pier (less if there are bubbles).
1 Legend - 5,000g
The final Legendary Fish on this list and the most valuable fish in the game has a fitting name: Legend. This creature is called the “king of all fish” in its description, and rightfully so.
Once your Fishing Level is up to 10, head to the Mountain lake on a rainy spring day. If you can get your bobber at least five tiles from land in any direction (or in bubbles), you have a chance to catch the Legend.
At its base price, this fantastic fish will sell for a whopping 5,000g. This means that, if you’re lucky enough to catch one of iridium quality and sell it with the Angler profession, it’ll go for 15,000g, which is the most gold you can earn on any single item in the game.
NEXT: Stardew Valley: Complete Guide And Walkthrough
