Stardew Valley: Secret Bait Methods

Players aiming to enhance their fishing abilities within “Stardew Valley” should keep three key elements in mind: persistence, an upgraded fishing rod, and effective fishing bait. Although Bait can be easily obtained within the game, determining when and how to use it may require some guidance. However, if one’s goal is to catch the rarest legendary fish in “Stardew Valley”, a bit of assistance through proper usage of fishing bait will prove beneficial.

In Stardew Valley, fishing becomes significantly more successful when players can equip their rods with bait. There’s a wide range of bait types crafted from various materials, each with unique attributes that must be mastered. Here is a comprehensive guide to understanding the bait system in Stardew Valley.

What Does Bait Do In Stardew Valley?

In Stardew Valley, adding bait to your fishing rod quickens the rate at which fish are caught. This significantly enhances the success of fishing, reducing the amount of waiting required. Essentially, it cuts down the time before a fish takes the bait by half.

In this tutorial, you’ll find various kinds of bait, each with specific details provided later. However, the most frequently used one is simply called “Bait.” Let’s discuss its usage before moving on.

How To Use Stardew Valley Bait

To catch fish in Stardew Valley, you’ll first need to have upgraded your fishing rod to one with a bait slot. For beginners, the Bamboo Fishing rod is suitable for learning the basics of fishing. Unfortunately, this basic pole doesn’t support the use of bait. However, once you upgrade to either the Fiberglass Rod or Iridium Rod, these rods will have a bait slot available. The Iridium Rod has an extra slot for a lure as well. In the end-game scenario, players can acquire an Advanced Fishing Rod that can be fitted with both bait and two lures.

Adding bait to a fishing rod is relatively simple in all versions of Stardew Valley.

In the inventory, press the following buttons on the bait you want to equip:

Console	Select a single piece of bait	Select an entire stack of bait
PC	right click	left click
Switch	A	Y
Xbox	A	X
PlayStation	X	□ (Square)

Next, hover your cursor towards the fishing rod and click on it to use your console and attach it.

PC: Right click
Nintendo Switch: the Y button
Xbox Consoles: the X button
PlayStation Consoles: the Square button

Once you’ve pressed the right button for casting, the bait will automatically attach to your fishing rod. Afterward, players just need to relax, engage in the fishing minigame, and cross their fingers to catch enough Largemouth Bass for completing all the Stardew Valley villager quests. Make sure to keep track of how much bait is left on your fishing rod, and remember to replace it when it runs out by following the same process.

Two Other Uses for Bait in Stardew Valley

Crab pots, like other fishing equipment, need bait to lure crabs. Each type of bait may produce varying results when used in a crab pot, as detailed further on.

Apart from being used in fishing and crabbing, the bait from Stardew Valley is primarily employed for two main purposes: decorative items and dye production. The bait serves as one of several items that can produce red dye, but that’s virtually the extent of its practical uses.

Types Of Bait In Stardew Valley

In the enchanting world of Stardew Valley, I found myself engrossed in the art of fishing, where the bait doesn’t necessarily boost your chances of reeling in a specific fish species. Instead, it intriguingly affects the pace at which catches are made, or even subtly influences the type of fish that might swim onto your hook. It adds an exciting layer of strategy to this delightful game, making each cast feel like a thrilling adventure.

It’s quite feasible for players in Stardew Valley to reel in all their desired fish without using any hooks bait. However, hooks with various baits possess distinctive advantages that many fishermen find appealing. Let’s delve deeper into the different types of bait available in Stardew Valley and their potential benefits when affixed to a fishing rod.

Bait

In Stardew Valley, this is the common bait used, and it’s the simplest one to acquire. You can buy it for 5 gold coins from the Fish Shop, collect it from a Worm Bin, or craft it by using 1 Bug Meat as a player. Using Standard Bait will make fish bite 50% quicker, helping players to farm fishing spots more swiftly. The recipe is learned when your Fishing skill reaches Level 2.

Magnet

Individuals prioritizing treasures more than fish will undoubtedly be interested in this bait. You can either buy it from the Fish Shop for 1,000g or create it as a player by using an Iron Bar. Crafting is preferred since one creation yields 3 Magnets for the bait. This additional feature boosts the chance of finding treasure by 15 percentage points, totaling 30 percent. However, contrary to its description, this item does not influence the rate at which fish bite. The recipe for crafting is acquired upon reaching Fishing Level 9.

Wild Bait

To get the Wild Bait recipe, players need to build a friendship with Linus since he’s the sole source of this coveted recipe for crafting an add-on. After achieving a 4-heart event with Linus, they will learn how to make it. The Wild Bait is particularly handy because it provides a unique modifier that enables anglers to catch two fish simultaneously. Regrettably, this feature doesn’t apply to Legendary Fish, but it noticeably enhances players’ catch earnings.

To make the unique lure called Wild Bait, gather 5 units each of Bug Meat, Slime, and Fiber. By assembling these materials in a single crafting set, you’ll create 5 pieces of the special bait.

Magic Bait

Among the many appealing lures available, the enchanting Magic Bait stands out as it bypasses fishing regulations related to season, time, and other factors. To acquire this magical bait, players must first navigate their way into Qi’s Walnut Room. Here, Qi offers the item in packs of 20 for a price of 5 Qi gems.

With Magic Bait, gamers can catch fish from any body of water, regardless of weather conditions, time or season. This means they can get virtually any type of fish, even Legendary ones, without having to wait. The recipe for this magical lure costs 20 Qi gems. To create five Magic Bait, players need to combine 3 pieces of Bug Meat with 1 piece of Radioactive Ore.

This lure not just increases the likelihood of catching fish quicker, but it also offers flexibility to target various types of fish based on the waterbody where you cast your line, regardless of whether the time or season is typically suitable for catching that specific species. To illustrate, Super Cucumbers are a rare fish in Stardew Valley that can only be caught at night during summer or fall in the ocean. With magical bait, it becomes possible to catch this elusive fish in the ocean, regardless of whether it’s day or night, or any time of the year.

Deluxe Bait

In the latest SDV update 1.6.9, the Deluxe Bait has been adjusted to decrease the response time of a fish engaging with your fishing rod by approximately two-thirds, as well as expanding the size of the fishing bar. This change will make fishing simpler and faster. Furthermore, when utilized in the Crab Pot, Deluxe Bait reduces the chance of catching unwanted debris and boosts the quality to silver.

Either you can assemble Deluxe Bait using a Deluxe Worm Bin, or else you can get it from the Fish Shop once you’ve advanced to level 4 in fishing. Each one will cost you 100g. To create five of these premium baits, you’ll need 5 pieces of Bait and 2 portions of Moss. You might also acquire some through events like the Trout Derby Festival or by negotiating with the Bookseller.

Challenge Bait

In Stardew Valley, once you’ve mastered the art of fishing (achieving Fishing Mastery), you can craft a special type of bait called Challenge Bait. This particular bait requires 5 Bone Fragments and 2 Moss to make 5 pieces. Additionally, these baits can be discovered in Golden Fishing Treasure Chests.

With Challenge Bait, fish begin to bite 62.5% faster! However, what truly sets this bait apart is its unique ability to let you simultaneously reel in up to three fish. In an ideal fishing scenario, you can catch a maximum of three fish. Each time a fish departs the fishing bar, one fish is subtracted from your total. Consequently, if a fish exits the fishing bar thrice, you won’t catch any fish at all.

Targeted Bait

A unique kind of lure is called “Targeted Lure,” so named because it enhances the likelihood of attracting particular species of fish. For instance, a Trout Lure has a higher probability of catching Trout. Additionally, it shortens the waiting period, similar to regular lures.

To get the specific lure called Bait, players need to make a Bait Maker once they reach Fishing level 6. This tool requires 3 Iron Bars, 3 Corals, and 1 Sea Urchin for crafting. Once a fish is added to it, the Bait Maker produces between 5-10 pieces of bait tailored to that particular fish species.

You can get Species-specific Lures from Willy’s store, as he stocks different fish types based on the season, and certain species might not be in stock throughout the year.

As someone who appreciates fishing, let me share a detail about using bait crafted from legendary fish: once you’ve caught a legendary fish using this special bait, it won’t respawn for further catches. Keep in mind that the time of year, location, and other specific conditions for fish are still essential factors – even with the legendary bait, you can’t catch them without meeting these requirements.

How to Make a Worm Bin and a Deluxe Worm Bin

Worm Bins

Building and utilizing a standard Worm Bin is quite straightforward for players once they reach Fishing level 4. To craft this bin, gather 15 units of Hardwood, one Gold Bar, one Iron Bar, and 50 pieces of Fiber following the provided recipe. The resulting Worm Bins will generate between 4 to 5 standard Bait each morning, ensuring a steady supply for your fishing needs.

Deluxe Worm Bins

6 introduces the craftable Deluxe Worm Bin for farming Deluxe Bait. To create one, ensure you have reached Fishing Level 8 to unlock the recipe. Gather 15 pieces of Hardwood, 1 Gold Bar, 1 Iron Bar, and 50 Fiber to build a standard Worm Bin first. After that, combine the standard Worm Bin with 30 units of Moss to craft your very own Deluxe Worm Bin.

This innovative Worm Bin offers an advantage: each morning, you can collect several high-quality Deluxe Baits directly from it without needing to craft them yourself. If you’re an avid fisherman, this is a fantastic way to maximize your materials and ensure you always have an ample supply of top-notch bait on hand.

2025-05-15 00:45