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To catch a Sunfish in Stardew Valley, fish in the river in Pelican Town, Cindersap Forest, or a qualifying river farm during Spring or Summer, from 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM, when the weather is Sun or Wind. The Mountain Lake does not work under normal conditions.
Sunfish requirements at a glance
| Requirement | What you need |
|---|---|
| Location | River |
| Available seasons | Spring and Summer |
| Available time | 6:00 AM–7:00 PM |
| Weather | Sun or Wind |
| Fish difficulty | 30 |
| Movement pattern | Mixed |
For the easiest attempt, check the next day’s forecast on the farmhouse TV, then fish the Pelican Town or Cindersap Forest river during the listed hours. See the Sunfish data and location details for the full in-game rules.
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Where to fish for Sunfish
Sunfish can appear in these river locations:
- The river through Pelican Town
- The river in Cindersap Forest
- The river on the Riverland Farm
- The river on the Forest Farm
- The river on the Hill-top Farm
Pelican Town and Cindersap Forest are usually the most convenient choices because they are available from the beginning and offer several fishing spots. The precise river tile generally does not change whether Sunfish are eligible. Casting farther from shore can, however, improve average fish quality and size and reduce the chance of catching trash.
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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Do not use the Mountain Lake for a normal Sunfish attempt. Although it is freshwater, the game assigns separate fish pools to the river and lake.
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When Sunfish appear
Sunfish are available from 6:00 AM until 7:00 PM in Spring and Summer. Their valid weather conditions are Sun and Wind.
The “Wind” condition is easy to miss because many guides simplify the requirement to “sunny weather.” Spring Wind is described as partially cloudy with a light breeze and plenty of pollen, but it still qualifies mechanically. Rain and storms do not qualify; storms count as rainy weather for fishing purposes.
How to check the forecast
- Interact with the TV inside your farmhouse.
- Select Weather Report.
- Plan your river fishing for the following day if the forecast is Sun or the applicable Wind weather.
The forecast reports the next day’s weather, and weather affects which fish can appear. More details are available on the Weather page.
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How to catch a Sunfish
- Equip a fishing rod.
- Stand beside a qualifying river.
- Hold the Use Tool button to charge your cast.
- Release the button to cast.
- When the bobber gets a bite, press Use Tool again to start the fishing minigame.
- Keep the fish icon inside the green bar until the catch meter fills.
The green bar rises while you hold Use Tool and falls when you release it. Sunfish have Mixed behavior, so they follow the basic movement pattern rather than a more specialized pattern. Their difficulty of 30 makes them a reasonable early fishing target.
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- All the details on multiplayer mode, fish ponds, tailoring, and loads of other new and updated content.
- Likes and dislikes for a host of potential friends and more-than-friends.
- A look at all the crops, tools, animals, and facts of farm-life you'll need to become an agricultural expert.
- At least one section titled "A Guide to Wooing and Marriage"
- A handy database in the back filled with information you'll want to keep close at hand
Fishing controls
| Platform | Use Tool while fishing |
|---|---|
| PC keyboard and mouse | Left-click or C |
| Xbox | X |
| PlayStation | Square |
| Nintendo Switch | Y |
| Mobile | The on-screen Use Tool button, depending on the control scheme |
Controls can be changed in the in-game menu under Options. On PC, look for the Use Tool setting. The Controls reference lists the platform defaults.
Can the Training Rod catch Sunfish?
Yes. The Training Rod can catch Sunfish because it permits basic fish with a difficulty below 50, while Sunfish has a difficulty of 30. Training Rod catches are always normal quality, but they still count toward the Fish Collection and fishing achievements.
The Training Rod cannot use bait or tackle and cannot catch fish with difficulty 50 or higher. Those restrictions do not prevent you from catching Sunfish. See the Training Rod information for its limitations.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsDoes bait help?
Standard bait is optional. It reduces the time before a fish bites, but it does not change Sunfish’s river, season, time, or weather requirements. Use it if you want more bites per fishing session, not to make Sunfish eligible under different conditions.
Rank #3
- All the details on multiplayer mode, fish ponds, tailoring, and loads of other new and updated content.
- Likes and dislikes for a host of potential friends and more-than-friends.
- A look at all the crops, tools, animals, and facts of farm-life you'll need to become an agricultural expert.
- At least one section titled "A Guide to Wooing and Marriage"
- A handy database in the back filled with information you'll want to keep close at hand
Using Magic Bait
Magic Bait bypasses Sunfish’s normal season, time, and weather restrictions, as long as you cast into an eligible river. It does not add Sunfish to the Mountain Lake or Ocean.
Magic Bait requires a Fiberglass Rod, Iridium Rod, or Advanced Iridium Rod. It cannot be used with the Training Rod or Bamboo Pole. For a normal early-game catch, waiting for the right river conditions is simpler; Magic Bait is mainly useful when you need Sunfish outside its usual schedule. See the Magic Bait rules.
Why did I catch a Sunfish in the wrong place or weather?
The most likely explanation is the game’s first-fishing tutorial exception. During the tutorial catch, the game can replace an ineligible fish or non-fish result with a Sunfish regardless of the time, season, weather, or location. This can produce a Sunfish at night, in the rain, in the Ocean, or outside Spring and Summer.
Until the first fish is caught, each cast can count as a tutorial catch, and the replacement can also override trash, jelly, or another ineligible result. This exception does not change the normal Sunfish rules. Magic Bait is the other legitimate explanation for a catch outside the regular schedule.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where Sunfish are used
Community Center
Sunfish is one of the required fish for the River Fish Bundle in the Community Center Fish Tank.
In version 1.6 and later, repairing the Community Center also places one Sunfish in the Fish Tank. That makes the Community Center route easier, but it does not count as a caught fish for the Fish Collection or a fishing achievement.
Help Wanted requests
The Help Wanted board outside Pierre’s General Store can feature two types of Sunfish request during Spring or Summer:
- An Item Delivery request can ask for one Sunfish, paying 90g and 150 Friendship points.
- A Fishing request from Demetrius or Willy can ask for one to five Sunfish, paying 30g per fish while allowing you to keep the fish.
Aquatic Overpopulation
Demetrius can post the Aquatic Overpopulation Special Order on the board outside Mayor’s Manor. It asks for 10 Sunfish during Spring. The reward includes money equivalent to selling the fish and the recipe for the Farm Computer.
Other ways to obtain a Sunfish
You can sometimes get a Sunfish without ordinary river fishing:
- The Traveling Cart may sell one for 100–1,000g.
- Garbage cans may contain one during Spring or Summer.
- A cat at maximum friendship can sometimes gift one.
- In version 1.6 and later, a repaired Community Center Fish Tank contains one.
These sources provide the item, but a Sunfish obtained through foraging, purchase, a gift, a monster drop, or another non-catching method does not count as a caught fish in the Fish Collection.
How to verify that your catch counted
Open the Player Menu, select the Collections tab, and open the Fish section. A Sunfish caught with a fishing pole or Crab Pot is added to the collection immediately; it does not need to be shipped.
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If the fish came from the Traveling Cart, a garbage can, your pet, the repaired Fish Tank, or another non-catching source, it will not satisfy a Fish Collection catch requirement. The Player Menu reference explains where to check your collection.
Common Sunfish mistakes
- Fishing only on clear days: Wind also qualifies.
- Fishing in the Mountain Lake: Sunfish belong to the river fish pool, not the lake pool.
- Fishing after 7:00 PM: Normal Sunfish availability ends at 7:00 PM.
- Assuming rain is random eligibility: Rain and storms do not normally qualify.
- Rejecting the Training Rod: It can catch a difficulty-30 Sunfish.
- Shippng the fish to register it: Pole catches enter the Fish Collection immediately.
Version notes
The current content version documented by the Stardew Valley Wiki is PC version 1.6.15. Console and mobile releases are content-equivalent to 1.6.15, although individual platforms may use different build numbers and receive platform-specific patches.
Sunfish-related additions include the Aquatic Overpopulation Special Order in version 1.5, plus the repaired Fish Tank Sunfish and maximum-friendship cat gift in version 1.6. For the normal catch, the river, Spring/Summer, 6:00 AM–7:00 PM, and Sun/Wind requirements remain the key rules.
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