ACNH Fish Guide: Fishing Tips, Bait & Museum Progress (2026)
Fish guide
Animal Crossing New Horizons fish guide
Fishing is one of the most useful everyday activities in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. You can catch fish for the museum, sell valuable fish for Bells, and use fish bait to help spawn fish shadows when you are hunting for specific catches.
Fish can depend on location, season, time, weather, shadow size, and hemisphere. Because of that, it helps to plan before using a lot of bait.
Fishing session help
Preparing for fishing or museum progress?
Use this guide to learn fishing basics. If you need items for long fishing sessions, these shopping paths are the most helpful.
What you need to start fishing
- A fishing rod
- Open pocket space
- Patience for fish shadows
- Fish bait if you want to spawn fish in one spot
How to fish in ACNH
- Equip a fishing rod near water.
- Look for a fish shadow.
- Cast your line in front of the fish.
- Wait until the bobber fully dips under the water.
- Press A to reel in the fish.
Where fish appear
- River: common fish and many seasonal species.
- Pond: pond only fish such as tadpoles and crawfish.
- Ocean: sea fish and shark shadows during the right season.
- Pier: special fish such as tuna and blue marlin.
- Clifftop river: rare fish such as golden trout and stringfish during the right season.
- River mouth: some special fish appear where the river meets the ocean.
When fish bait is worth using
Fish bait is most helpful when you need fish from a specific spot, such as the pier, clifftop river, pond, or river mouth. One bait creates one fish shadow, so it is best to use bait only when you are standing in the correct location.
Fishing checklist before a long session
- Check the fish location before using bait.
- Check the season and time for the fish you want.
- Empty your pockets so you do not need to stop too often.
- Bring extra fishing rods if you are planning a long session.
- Save new fish for Blathers before selling duplicates.
Museum or Bells?
If you catch a new fish, donate it to Blathers first if your goal is museum completion. After that, duplicates can be sold for Bells. Valuable fish can be saved for C.J. if you want a better selling opportunity during his visit.
Common fishing mistakes to avoid
- Pressing A before the bobber fully goes underwater
- Using fish bait in the wrong location
- Fishing at the wrong time of day for the fish you want
- Forgetting that some fish are seasonal
- Selling a new museum fish before donating it
Recommended next steps
Helpful item
Need fish bait for a longer fishing session?
Fish bait is optional, but it can make longer fishing sessions easier. It helps you spawn fish shadows in one place, which is useful when you are hunting pier, pond, clifftop, or river mouth fish.
How item orders work
- Place your order on ACNHMALL.
- Make sure your Nintendo Switch Online membership is active.
- Open your airport gate and get your Dodo Code. Need help? Visit our FAQ page and choose “How do I get a Dodo Code?”
- Send your order number and Dodo Code in live chat.
- Keep live chat open until your order is complete.
You do not need to share your Nintendo account login or password. Order timing can vary depending on queue, customer readiness, and connection. Live chat support is available if you need help.
Independent store notice: ACNHMALL is an independent store and is not affiliated with Nintendo or Animal Crossing.