ShneekeyTheLost
Rancher
I found it mildly surprising that the Fish Tank was considered by many newer players to be the most difficult bundle to complete, according to the poll recently posted. Then I realized that not everyone has memorized what fish show up when, or are willing to play the game with the Wiki running alongside it. With this in mind, I thought I'd write up a relatively simple guide on how to complete this bundle as easily and economically as possible.
At first, I was going to go over each bundle completion, but I realized about half-way through writing up that version that it would be a more coherent format to list the bundle fish by season then by bundle. With that in mind, I present to you the results of my findings.
There are three main areas to catch fish: River, Lake, and Ocean. The Lake refers specifically to the large lake in the mountains near the mine. The Ocean refers to anywhere on the Beach or Tidal Pool area you can cast into. The River refers to any body of water in town or in Cindersnap Forest, excluding the little pond in the forest with the pier and the secret forest pond which are each different and separate areas. There is also the Oasis in the desert over by the entrance to the Skull Cave.
The Crab Pot Bundle can be done at nearly any time. Oysters, Clams, Cockles and Mussels (alive, alive-oh) can be foraged from the beach, and Crabs can be had by killing Rock Crabs in the mines as you descend, rendering this bundle absolutely trivial for most players, and not even requiring any crab pots to complete!
Specialty Fish
Three of the four fish can be caught in any season, so long as you have access to their remote location
Lake Fish
Three of the four are available in all four seasons, and all relatively easy catches. Fishing in the Lake can be quite profitable as well as a good way to grind your Fishing skill.
Night Fish
River Fish
That's three out of four fish for the bundle technically available in the Spring, although the Catfish might be a challenge for newer anglers.
Ocean Fish
Night Fish
Don't forget that Bream are available in all seasons.
River Fish
Catfish move from the river to the secret woods in the Summer, otherwise same as Spring.
Lake Fish
As a reminder, the other three are also available in Summer, making it the ideal time to complete this bundle and check it off your list.
Ocean Fish
If you caught your Sardine in Spring, you can now complete the Ocean Fish bundle in Summer.
Specialty Fish
If you don't catch it in Summer, you'll have to wait for next year to complete the bundle, barring luck with the Cart Vendor. The other Specialty Fish can be had in any season, so long as you find their remote locations.
River Fish
Bundle Completion available in Fall.
Ocean Fish
In case you need to pick up any stragglers
Night Fishing
Walleye. Noon-2AM, River, Lake, Forest Pond (not secret forest, the one with the pier), Raining only. CAN be caught with a Training Rod This is your one and only season to catch this fish.
Eel. 4PM-2AM, Ocean, Raining Only. Can NOT be caught with Training Rod. If you didn't have the skill to land it in the Spring, this is your last chance this year.
Bundle Completion possible this season.
If you are catching everything as early as possible, you can complete the Fish Tank as soon as you catch a Tiger Trout and a Walleye this month.
River Fish
Lake Fish
Ocean Fish
This bundle isn't particularly difficult, it just requires some forethought as to when and where you fish. Many are able to be caught on the Training Rod, which can help new anglers, but some may require you to have a higher degree of skill with a better rod to catch them.
I hope this guide has been useful to you, and happy fishing!
At first, I was going to go over each bundle completion, but I realized about half-way through writing up that version that it would be a more coherent format to list the bundle fish by season then by bundle. With that in mind, I present to you the results of my findings.
There are three main areas to catch fish: River, Lake, and Ocean. The Lake refers specifically to the large lake in the mountains near the mine. The Ocean refers to anywhere on the Beach or Tidal Pool area you can cast into. The River refers to any body of water in town or in Cindersnap Forest, excluding the little pond in the forest with the pier and the secret forest pond which are each different and separate areas. There is also the Oasis in the desert over by the entrance to the Skull Cave.
Any Season
The Crab Pot Bundle can be done at nearly any time. Oysters, Clams, Cockles and Mussels (alive, alive-oh) can be foraged from the beach, and Crabs can be had by killing Rock Crabs in the mines as you descend, rendering this bundle absolutely trivial for most players, and not even requiring any crab pots to complete!
Specialty Fish
- Ghostfish. Caught either in the pool in the mines at level 20 or 60, but can also be dropped from Ghosts level 41-79. Can NOT be caught with a Training Rod.
- Woodskip. Caught in the Secret Forest pond and (allegedly) even on the Forest Farm. Can NOT be caught with a Training Rod
- Sandfish. Caught in the Oasis pond in the Desert near the entrance to the Skull Cave. Can NOT be caught with a Training Rod
Three of the four fish can be caught in any season, so long as you have access to their remote location
Lake Fish
- Largemouth Bass. 6 AM-7PM in the Lake. Staple of sport fishing, sells quite well. Can NOT catch this fish with a Training Rod, however.
- Carp. Any Time, in the lake, Secret Forest, and Sewer. You probably won't be able to avoid catching these low-value fish. CAN be caught with a Training Rod, making them easy to skill-up with. As a caveat, can only be had in Winter in the Secret Forest and Sewer.
- Bullhead. Any time, in the lake. CAN be caught with a Training Rod. Sell decently.
Three of the four are available in all four seasons, and all relatively easy catches. Fishing in the Lake can be quite profitable as well as a good way to grind your Fishing skill.
Night Fish
- Bream. 6PM-2AM, in the River, any weather. CAN be caught with a Training Rod. If you're spending the day fishing for Shad in the River on Spring 3 (guaranteed rain), you may as well stick around long enough to catch a Bream as well.
Spring
River Fish
- Sunfish. 6AM-7PM during sunny day, in the River. In addition, your first cast (the one that brings up the tutorial) will replace anything that doesn't have a fishing minigame (trash, seaweed, etc...) or anything difficult to catch, with a Sunfish.
- Catfish. 6AM-Midnight, must be raining, in the River or the Secret Woods. Great for cash if you can land them, but difficult for the new angler. Cannot be caught with a Training Rod, so you may have to hold off until you get better skill at Fishing before you try your hand at this fish.
- Shad. 9 AM - 2 AM, must be raining, in the River. It CAN be caught with a Training Rod, so if you don't want to risk hooking a Catfish and wasting your time.
That's three out of four fish for the bundle technically available in the Spring, although the Catfish might be a challenge for newer anglers.
Ocean Fish
- Sardine. 6AM-7PM. Beach. CAN be caught with the Training Rod. The only one of this bundle able to be caught in the Spring, but a very easy catch. Quite possible it is your very first catch if your first cast is off of Willy's Pier.
Night Fish
- Eel. 4PM-2AM, in the Ocean, only while it is raining. Can NOT be caught with a Training Rod. Quite a difficult 'fish' to land. If you're an expert angler, you can try for it on Spring 3, but for most new players, you'll have to hold off until you have more levels in Fishing.
Don't forget that Bream are available in all seasons.
Summer
River Fish
- Sunfish. If you missed it in Spring, you can try again in Summer. During the day, sunny weather only. CAN be caught with a Training Rod.
- Catfish. Only available in the Secret Woods when raining in the Summer. There's another area as well, but as it is post-CC content, it isn't relevant to this discussion. Can NOT be caught with a Training Rod.
- Shad. As above, when it is raining, during the day, in the River. CAN be caught with a Training Rod.
Catfish move from the river to the secret woods in the Summer, otherwise same as Spring.
Lake Fish
- Sturgeon. 6AM-7PM in the Lake. The final fish for the Lake Fish Bundle. Also the most difficult catch for the Lake Fish bundle. Can NOT be caught with a Training Rod.
As a reminder, the other three are also available in Summer, making it the ideal time to complete this bundle and check it off your list.
Ocean Fish
- Tuna. 6AM-7PM, on the Beach. Can NOT be caught with a Training Rod. Chicken of the sea!
- Red Snapper. 6AM-7PM, on the Beach, only when Raining. CAN be caught with a Training Rod. Insert Oxhorn Short Shorts joke here (which became popular enough they actually included it into WoW)
- Tilapia. 6AM-2PM, on the Beach. Can NOT be caught with a Training Rod. Do note they retire early, so come early in the day if you want one.
If you caught your Sardine in Spring, you can now complete the Ocean Fish bundle in Summer.
Specialty Fish
- Pufferfish. Noon-4PM, on the Beach, in sunny weather only. Can NOT be caught with a Fishing Rod. Tricky because it must be a) summer, b) sunny, and c) only available Noon-4PM. Quite difficult to land as well.
If you don't catch it in Summer, you'll have to wait for next year to complete the bundle, barring luck with the Cart Vendor. The other Specialty Fish can be had in any season, so long as you find their remote locations.
Fall
River Fish
- Catfish. 6AM-Midnight, Raining only, River or Secret Woods. Can NOT be caught with a Training Rod. If you missed it in Spring due to low skill, now's your chance to grab it before next year.
- Shad. 9AM-2AM, Raining Only, River. CAN be caught with a Training Rod. As with before, if you haven't caught it yet, now's your last chance before next year.
- Tiger Trout. 6AM-7PM, River. Can NOT be caught with a Training Rod. Fall is the earliest completion for River Fish due to this fellow, barring luck with Cart Vendor.
Bundle Completion available in Fall.
Ocean Fish
- Red Snappah. 6AM-7PM, Beach, Raining only. CAN be caught with a Training Rod. If you didn't catch one in Summer, this is your last chance this year.
- Tilapia. 6AM-2PM, Beach. Can NOT be caught with a Training Rod. This is your last opportunity this year to catch one if you didn't catch one in Summer. Note that they clock out early.
In case you need to pick up any stragglers
Night Fishing
Walleye. Noon-2AM, River, Lake, Forest Pond (not secret forest, the one with the pier), Raining only. CAN be caught with a Training Rod This is your one and only season to catch this fish.
Eel. 4PM-2AM, Ocean, Raining Only. Can NOT be caught with Training Rod. If you didn't have the skill to land it in the Spring, this is your last chance this year.
Bundle Completion possible this season.
If you are catching everything as early as possible, you can complete the Fish Tank as soon as you catch a Tiger Trout and a Walleye this month.
Winter
River Fish
- Tiger Trout. 9AM-6PM, River. Can NOT be caught with a Training Rod. If you didn't catch it last month, this is your opportunity to do so when fewer fish are competing for your hook.
Lake Fish
- Sturgeon. 6AM-7PM, Lake. Can NOT be caught with a Training Rod. If you missed it in Summer, here's your final opportunity this year.
Ocean Fish
- Sardine. 6AM-7PM, Beach. CAN be caught with a Training Rod. I don't see how you couldn't have one by now, but if for some reason you missed it earlier, you can catch it now.
- Tuna. 6AM-7PM, Beach. Can NOT be caught with a Training Rod. If you missed it in Summer, here's your chance to catch it before the year closes out.
Conclusion
This bundle isn't particularly difficult, it just requires some forethought as to when and where you fish. Many are able to be caught on the Training Rod, which can help new anglers, but some may require you to have a higher degree of skill with a better rod to catch them.
I hope this guide has been useful to you, and happy fishing!
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