What is a Fish Frenzy in Stardew Valley?

On the clock.

fishing in Stardew Valley Derby Trout
Screenshot by Dot Esports

If you’re looking to reel in some catches in Stardew Valley, you’ll be pleased to hear that the 1.6.4 patch greatly boosts your catch rate with a specific event: Fish Frenzy.

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Fishing has always been a topic of controversy in Stardew Valley. Not because anything odd comes out of the water, but because many find the fishing minigame annoying. Though you can just decide to ignore fishing altogether and focus on farming, mining, and foraging instead, you’ll soon see that fishing is a must-have skill if you want to 100% all your masteries.

Plus, it goes without saying fishing is the most profitable early-game hobby. Thanks to 1.6.4, you now have a great way to double your fishing profits without doubling your effort. In this guide, I’ll show you how Fish Frenzy works in Stardew Valley.

What is a Fish Frenzy in Stardew Valley?

character catching goby for the first time SV
All the Gobies. Screenshot by Dot Esports

A Fish Frenzy is an event that offers a chance to snag a boatload of fish in a short period in Stardew Valley. Lasting for two hours, Fish Frenzies increase the rate of fish bites, which gives you a chance to haul in a bounty of fish before the time runs out.

When it starts, you get a message that says A [fish name] Fish Frenzy has begun at [location name]. If you head to that location within the next two hours, you can spot bubbles spawning for a specific fish, signaling the start of the frenzy. Cast your line into these bubbling spots to significantly increase your chances of catching the targeted fish. 

You can think of a Fish Frenzy as equipping the Targeted Bait for two hours. Much like this bait, Fish Frenzies increase the spawn rate of the targeted fish by 1.66.

While legendary fish aren’t part of the frenzy, all other fish varieties are fair game, offering a thrilling opportunity to boost your fishing prowess.

Can you trigger a Fish Frenzy in Stardew Valley?

Fish Frenzy is a random event and you can’t trigger it unless you’re OK with using mods in Stardew Valley. That being said, there are a few requirements for Fish Frenzies to occur:

  • You must have caught at least three fish.
  • You must have played for at least three days in-game.

Fish Frenzies typically take place before 11 pm anywhere in the freshwater or saltwater of Pelican Town. 

Keep in mind that Fish Frenzies are currently exclusive to PC players, but console players can look forward to experiencing these frenzied fishing sessions once the update rolls out for their platforms. 

Author
Image of Cande Maldonado
Cande Maldonado
Though Cande started her journey in the video game industry as a localization specialist six years ago, she soon realized that her true calling was to annoy NPCS and smash virtual pottery. Under Nintendo and Square Enix's chokehold, she will willingly pour hours upon hours into reaching 100% completion in the longest roleplaying games ever made. But hey, who needs fresh air and sunlight when you can just live in Ivalice?