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Fishing in Stardew Valley might not take as long as fishing in real life does but whether you’re a beginner angler or an experienced fisherman, you’ll quickly run out of patience if no fish comes to bite. That’s exactly why utilizing bait in Stardew Valley is important for enhancing your fishing experience.
Take the bait, and let us reel you in as we discuss what Stardew Valley’s bait is. from its types to how to effectively use it—and how to make yourself the best angler in Pelican Town.
What Does Bait Do in Stardew Valley?
While Stardew Valley’s fishing minigame is undeniably enjoyable, it can be quite time-consuming. Bait serves as a crucial upgrade, enhancing the productivity and enjoyment of any angler’s fishing pursuits when attached to their fishing rod. When bait is used, it offers the following benefits:
- Increased Bite Rate Chances: Bait accelerates the fish’s biting process, making them bite faster and more consistently. This increased bite rate not only results in more fish catches for selling or cooking but also accelerates your fishing skill development, allowing you to level up more quickly than if you were using just the fishing rod alone.
- Reduced Trash Catches: Few things are more frustrating than casting your line and pulling up trash from the water. Bait significantly reduces the likelihood of encountering trash, ensuring that your time is spent more productively on catching actual fish.
- Expanded Fishing Opportunities: Bait unlocks a wide array of possibilities for anglers. Certain types of bait, such as the highly sought-after Magic Bait, enable you to target specific fish without being constrained by the season or time of day. Additionally, there are legendary fish that require not only exceptional fishing skills but also top-tier gear for fishermen to even have a chance of catching them.
How to Use Bait in Stardew Valley?
Not all fishing rods are created equal. While the Bamboo Fishing Rod is an excellent rod for newbie fishermen, you’ll need a better fishing rod in order to make use of bait. The first fishing rod that does have a slot for bait is the Fiberglass Rod which you can buy from Willy’s Fish Shop for 1,800g upon reaching Fishing Level 2. You can also use bait with the high-end Iridium Rod where you can use it in tandem with a lure for an easier time catching fish.
Now, adding bait to your fishing rod is pretty straightforward:
- PC: Right-click on your fishing rod to open the bait slot. Simply drag and drop your bait there.
- Nintendo Switch: Use the Y button (left-face input) to equip the bait.
- Xbox Consoles: Press the X button to attach the bait.
- PlayStation Consoles: Utilize the Square button to slot the bait onto your fishing rod.
Once equipped, you’re ready to start fishing. Just hover your cursor over your fishing rod to check on how much bait you’ve got left and when you’ve run out, repeat the same process to load more bait onto your rod.
Other Uses for Bait in Stardew Valley
Bait in Stardew Valley isn’t limited to just improving your fishing skills; it has a couple of other practical applications:
Crab Pots
Despite what their name implies, you can catch all kinds of fish using the crab pots. Simply place it down in a body of water and apply the necessary bait to practically start passively fishing. You can place any type of bait in your crab pots but be warned that using more advanced baits will be a waste since it will yield you the same results as regular bait would get.
Cosmetics
You wouldn’t think that bait could be used for clothing but Stardew Valley made it possible in the update that allowed players to customize the color of their clothes. Bait could be used as one of the ingredients to make red dye, which they could then dye their clothes with by using the sewing machine in Emily’s House or your own.
Types of Bait in Stardew Valley
Different types of bait offer unique advantages in Stardew Valley. Here’s a breakdown of each bait type and how it affects your fishing experience:
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Bait
This is the default bait and the first to be readily made available to players. Using bait decreases the time spent waiting for fish to bite as well as reducing the delay before a nibble by half. It also lowers the chances of fishing out any of the trash items. You can obtain bait from the Fish Shop for 5g, grow it in a Worm Bin, find it in Treasure Chests from Fishing, and craft it using Bug Meat after learning the recipe at Fishing Level 2.
Magnet Bait
If you want to maximize your chances of fishing for treasure, using the Magnet Bait is your best bet. It might not affect the bite rate for fish but what it does do is increase the chances of finding treasure by 15%. It can be purchased either from the Fish Shop or the Casino at 1,000g or Qi coins. You can eventually craft your own Magnet Bait using an Iron Bar once you’ve reached Fishing Level 9.
Wild Bait
Wild Bait is quite special since Linus teaches you its recipe upon befriending him and reaching his 4-heart cutscene. Crafted using Bug Meat, Slime, and Fiber, this bait has a unique modifier that enables you to catch two fish at once, excluding Legendary Fish. Once you know its recipe, it can be obtained through Fishing Treasure Chests as well.
Magic Bait
It’s called Magic Bait for good reason. Using Magic Bait allows you to catch any fish from whichever type of water you cast into, regardless of season, time, or weather. It’s also the hardest and most expensive to acquire though as it requires you to first unlock Qi’s Walnut Room before buying the item for 5 Qi Gems or its recipe for 20 Qi Gems. Crafting your own Magic Bait is still costly since, apart from the usual Bug Meat, you’ll need Radioactive Ore.