Editor’s note: This article contains gameplay information up-to-date with Stardew Valley 1.6 on PC. This article contains spoilers.
With the massive 1.6 update for Stardew Valley coming to consoles and mobile on November 4, I wanted to share some of the ways I decide what fish I keep for crafting or cooking recipes, donate, refine into artisan goods, add to fish ponds, or sell. Especially in the pursuit of Perfection since you need to cook every recipe, craft all items, and catch every fish.
I’m including what is possible to get from fish ponds and I’m only including recipes other than (any) which use any fish: Maki Roll, Sashimi, and Quality Fertilizer.
Fish used in cooking recipes.
Fishing pole fish
Bream
All seasons from 6pm to 2am
- Bundle
- Fish Tank
- Night Fishing Bundle
- Fish Tank
- Cooking
- Baked Fish
- Fish Pond
- Roe
Carp
Spring, Winter, Fall. Also Winter in Secret Woods, Sewers, or Mutant Bug Lair
- Bundle
- Fish Tank
- Lake Fish Bundle
- Cooking
- Carp surprise
- Fish Tank
- Fish Pond
- Roe
Eel
Spring and Fall when raining from 4pm to 2am
- Bundle
- Fish Tank
- Night Fishing Bundle
- Fish Tank
- Cooking
- Fried Eel
- Spicy eel
- Fish Pond
- Roe
Flounder
Spring and Summer
- Cooking
- Seafoam pudding
- Fish Pond
- Roe
- Sea Jelly
Largemouth Bass
All seasons
- Bundle
- Fish Tank
- Lake Fish Bundle
- Quality Fish Bundle (Remixed) – needs to be gold or iridium quality
- Fish Tank
- Cooking
- Crispy bass
- Fish Pond
- Roe
Midnight Carp
Fall and Winter from 10pm to 2am
- Cooking
- Seafoam pudding
- Fish Pond
- Roe
- River Jelly
Rainbow Trout
Summer when its sunny, Trout Derby on Summer 20 and 21
- Cooking
- Trout soup
- Fish Pond
- Roe
- Rainbow Shell, needs 9-10 population (2%)
- Prismatic Shard, needs 9-10 population (0.1%)
Salmon
Fall
- Cooking
- Salmon Dinner
- Fish Pond
- Roe
Sardine
Spring, Fall, Winter
- Bundle
- Fish Tank
- Ocean Fish Bundle
- Fish Tank
- Cooking
- Dish o’ The Sea
- Fish Pond
- Roe
Sea Cucumber
Fall and Winter
- Willy loves
- Cooking
- Lucky Lunch
- Fish Pond
- Roe
Squid
Winter from 6pm to 2am or anytime during Squidfest on Winter 12 and 13
- Cooking
- Fried calamari
- Fish Pond
- Squid Ink
Sunfish
Spring and Summer when its sunny or windy
- Bundle
- Fish Tank
- River Fish Bundle
- Fish Tank
- Cooking
- Baked fish
- Fish Pond
- Roe
- Solar Essence, needs population of 10
Tuna
Summer and Winter, Ginger Island except North
- Bundle
- Fish Tank
- Ocean Fish Bundle
- Quality Fish Bundle (Remixed), needs to be gold or iridium quality
- Fish Tank
- Cooking
- Fish taco
No special recipes
Base sell prices will be represented as base/Fisher profession/Angler profession. Fish smokers will double the sell price of all fish and keep quality, as well as multiply health and energy by 1.5.
Albacore
Fall and Winter
Base 75g/93g/112g to iridium 150g/187g/225g
- Fish Pond
- Roe
Anchovy
Spring and Fall
- 30g/37g/45g to iridium 60g/75g/90g
- Fish Pond
- Roe
Blue Discus
Ginger Island
- 120g/150g/180g to iridium 240g/300g/360g
- Fish Pond
- Roe
- Banana, requires minimum population of 4, increases chances up to 16% at 9 population
- Golden Coconut, requires population of 9
Bullhead
Any season
- 75g/93g/112g to iridium 150g/187g/225g
- Fish Pond
- Roe
Catfish
Spring and Fall when raining in rivers/Spring, Summer and Fall in Witch’s Swamp and Secret Woods when Raining or in Winter with a Rain Totem
- Willy loves
- Bundle
- Fish Tank
- River Fish Bundle
- Fish Tank
- 200g/250g/300g to iridium 400g/500g/600g
- Fish Pond
- Roe
Chub
Any Season
- Bundle
- Fish Tank
- Field Research Bundle
- Fish Tank
- 50g/62g/75g to iridium 100g/125g/150g
- Fish Pond
- Roe
Dorado
Summer
- 100g5/125g/150g to iridium 200g/250g/300g
- Fish Pond
- Roe
- Bug Meat x20, requires population of 9
Ghostfish
The Mines
- Bundle
- Fish Tank
- 45g/56g/57g to iridium 90g/112g/135g
- Fish Pond
- Roe
- Quartz x1 or x3
- White Algae x5
- Refined Quartz
- Pale Broth x3
Halibut
Ocean
- 80g/100g/120g to iridium 160g/200g/240g
- Fish Pond
- Roe
Herring
Spring and Winter
- 30g/37g/45g to iridium 60g/75g/90g
- Fish Pond
- Roe
Ice Pip
The Mines Floor 60
- 500g/625g/750g/ to iridium 1,000g/1,250g/1,500g
- Fish Pond
- Roe
- Iron Ore x5
- Frozen Geode x1 or x5
- Frozen Tear x5
- Diamond (0.8%), needs minimum population of 9
Lava Eel
Floor 100 of The Mines, Volcano Caldera
- 700g/875g/1,050g to iridium 1,400g/1,750g/2,100g
- Fish Pond
- Roe
- Gold Ore x5
- Cave Jelly x1 or x3
- Spicy Eel x5
- Magma Geode x5 or x10
Lingcod
Winter
- 150g/150g/180g to iridium 240g/300g/360g
- Fish Pond
- Roe
- Bug Meat x20
Lionfish
Ginger Island
- 100g/125g/150g to iridium 200g/250g/300g
- Fish Pond
- Roe
- Tarotuber x2-5
- Tiger Slime Egg
Octopus
Summer from 6am to 1pm, Winter Night Market on the Submarine
- Willy loves
- 150g/187g/225g to iridium 300g/375g/450g
- Fish Pond
- Roe
- Omni Geode x1, x3, or x10
Perch
Winter
- 55g/68g/82g to iridium 110g/137g/165g
- Fish Pond
- Roe
Pike
Summer and Winter
- 100g/125g/150g to iridium 200g/250g/300g
- Fish Pond
- Roe
- Bug Meat x20
Pufferfish
Summer from 12pm to 4pm in Ocean
- Abigail Loves
- Bundle
- Fish Tank
- Specialty Fish Bundle
- Fish Tank
- 200g/250g/300g to iridium 400g/500g/600g
- Fish Pond
- Roe
Red Mullet
Summer and Winter
- 75g/93g/112g to iridium 150g/187g/225g
- Fish Pond
- Roe
Red Snapper
Summer, Fall, Winter when its raining
- Bundle
- Fish Tank
- Ocean Fish Bundle
- Fish Tank
- 50g/62g/75g to iridium 100g/125g/150g
- Fish Pond
- Roe
Sandfish
- Penny Loves
- Bundle
- Fish Tank
- Specialty Fish Bundle
- Fish Tank
- 75g/93g/112g to iridium 150g/187g/225g
- Fish Pond
- Roe
- Cactus Seeds x2-5
Scorpion Carp
The Desert, all seasons
- 150g/187g/225g to iridium 300g/375g/450g
- Fish Pond
- Roe
- Cactus Seeds x2-5
Shad
Spring, Summer, Fall during rain
- Bundle
- Fish Tank
- River Fish Bundle
- Quality Fish Bundle
- Fish Tank
- 60g/75g/90g to iridium 120g/150g/180g
Slimejack
Mutant Bug Lair, all seasons
- 100g/125g/150g to iridium 200g/250g/300g
- Fish Pond
- Roe
- Green Algae
- Slime x10, x20, x30
- Green Slime Egg
Smallmouth bass
Spring and Fall
- 50g/62g/75g to iridium 100g/125g/150g
- Fish Pond
- Roe
Stingray
Pirate Cove, all seasons
- 180g/225g/270g to iridium 360g/450g/540g
- Fish Pond
- Roe
- Magma Cap
- Cinder Shard x2-5
- Dragon Tooth, needs minimum population of 9
- Battery Pack
Stonefish
Floor 20 of the mines
- 300g/375g/450g to iridium 600g/750g/900g
- Fish Pond
- Roe
- Copper Ore x5
- Geode x1 or x5
- Stone x30
- Diamond
Sturgeon
Summer and Winter
- Willy loves
- Bundle
- Fish Tank
- 200g/250g/300g to iridium 400g/500g/600g
- Fish Pond
- Sturgeon Roe, the only roe that ages into Caviar via Preserving Jars
Super Cucumber
Summer, Fall at Ocean, Winter Night Market in Submarine, every season on Ginger Island
- Wizard loves
- 250g/312g/375g to iridium 500g/625g/750g
- Fish Pond
- Roe
- Iridium Ore x1-3 (4-5%), needs minimum population of 9
Tiger Trout
Fall and Winter
- Bundle
- Fish Tank
- River Fish Bundle
- Fish Tank
- 150g/187g/225g to iridium 300g/375g/450g
- Fish Pond
- Roe
Tilapia
Summer and Fall
- Bundle
- Fish Tank
- Ocean Fish Bundle
- Fish Tank
- 75g/93g/112g to iridium 150g/187g/225g
- Fish Pond
- Roe
Void Salmon
Witch’s Swamp
- Missing bundle, needs to be gold or iridium quality
- 150g/187g/225g to iridium 300g/375g/450g
- Fish Pond
- Roe
- Void Essence (x5-10)
- Void Egg
Walleye
- Bundle
- Fish Tank
- Night Fishing Bundle
- Quality Fish Bundle (Remixed), needs to be gold or iridium quality
- Fish Tank
- 105g/131g/157g to iridium 210g/262g/315g
- Fish Pond
- Roe
Woodskip
- Bundle
- Fish Tank
- Specialty Fish Bundle
- Fish Tank
- 75g/93g/112g to iridium 150g/187g/225g
- Fish Pond
- Roe
- Wood x1-5 or x5-10
- Hardwood x5
- Acorn x1-5
- Maple Seed x1-5
- Pine Cone x1-5
Midnight Squid
- 100g/125g/150g to iridium 200g/250g/300g
- Fish Pond
- Squid Ink
Spook Fish
- 220g/275g/330g to iridium 440g/550g/660g
- Fish Pond
- Roe
- Treasure Chest
Blobfish
- 500g/625g/750g to iridium 1,000g/1,250g/1,500g
- Fish Pond
- Roe
- Pearl
- Warp Totem: Farm, needs population of 9
Crab pot fish
Lobster
- Elliott loves
- Bundle
- Fish Tank
- Crab Pot Bundle
- Fish Tank
- Cooking
- Lobster bisque
- Fish Pond
- Roe
- Seaweed x1-3
- Trash
- Driftwood
- Broken Glasses
- Broken CD
- Soggy Newspaper
- Coral
- Sea Urchin
- Warp Totem: Beach
- Nautilus Shell
Clam
- Bundle
- Fish Tank
- Crab Pot Bundle
- Fish Tank
- Cooking
- Chowder
- Crafting
- Speed-Gro fertilizer
- Fish Pond
- Roe
- Seaweed x1-3
- Trash
- Driftwood
- Broken Glasses
- Broken CD
- Soggy Newspaper
- Coral
- Sea Urchin
- Warp Totem: Beach
- Nautilus Shell
Crayfish
- Bundle
- Fish Tank
- Crab Pot Bundle
- Fish Tank
- Cooking
- Fish Stew
- Fish Pond
- Roe
- Trash
- Driftwood
- Broken Glasses
- Broken CD
- Soggy Newspaper
- Mixed seeds x2-3
- Warp Totem: Mountains
Crab
- Bundle
- Fish Tank
- Crab Pot Bundle
- Fish Tank
- Cooking
- Crab Cakes
- Fish Pond
- Roe
- Seaweed x1-3
- Trash
- Driftwood
- Broken Glasses
- Broken CD
- Soggy Newspaper
- Coral
- Sea Urchin
- Warp Totem: Beach
- Nautilus Shell
Cockle
- Bundle
- Fish Tank
- Crab Pot Bundle
- Fish Tank
- Fish Pond
- Roe
- Seaweed x1-3
- Trash
- Driftwood
- Broken Glasses
- Broken CD
- Soggy Newspaper
- Coral
- Sea Urchin
- Warp Totem: Beach
- Nautilus Shell
Mussel
- Bundle
- Fish Tank
- Crab Pot Bundle
- Fish Tank
- Cooking
- Fish Stew
- Fish Pond
- Roe
- Seaweed x1-3
- Trash
- Driftwood
- Broken Glasses
- Broken CD
- Soggy Newspaper
- Coral
- Sea Urchin
- Warp Totem: Beach
- Nautilus Shell
Shrimp
- Bundle
- Fish Tank
- Crab Pot Bundle
- Fish Tank
- Cooking
- Shrimp Cocktail
- Tom Kha Soup
- Fish Pond
- Roe
- Seaweed x1-3
- Trash
- Driftwood
- Broken Glasses
- Broken CD
- Soggy Newspaper
- Coral
- Sea Urchin
- Warp Totem: Beach
- Nautilus Shell
Snail
- Vincent Loves
- Bundle
- Fish Tank
- Crab Pot Bundle
- Fish Tank
- Cooking
- Escargot
- Fish Pond
- Roe
- Trash
- Green Algae
- Driftwood
- Broken Glasses
- Broken CD
- Soggy Newspaper
- Mixed seeds x2-3
- Warp Totem: Mountains
Periwinkle
- Bundle
- Fish Tank
- Crab Pot Bundle
- Fish Tank
- Cooking
- Strange Bun
- Fish Stew
- Fish Pond
- Roe
- Trash
- Green Algae
- Driftwood
- Broken Glasses
- Broken CD
- Soggy Newspaper
- Mixed seeds x2-3
- Warp Totem: Mountains
Oyster
- Fish Pond
- Roe
- Seaweed x1-3
- Trash
- Driftwood
- Broken Glasses
- Broken CD
- Soggy Newspaper
- Coral
- Sea Urchin
- Warp Totem: Beach
- Nautilus Shell

