Stardew Valley is a PC farm simulation game that’s very similar to Harvest Moon. And just like the HM games, there’s a lot to do in Stardew that doesn’t involve farming. From mining ore and adventuring through caves to slaying baddies and romancing your fellow villagers, there’s one thing in the Valley that you’re sure to be doing a lot of: fishing.
Whether it’s to get that perfect gift for that special someone or a hearty adventurer’s meal, you’ll do your fair share of fishing as you play through the game. But fishing can be hard sometimes. It’s not always easy to land a big catch. That’s where bait comes in.
Let’s look at what bait is, how to use it, and which pieces of bait are the best for which scenarios.
What is Bait and How Do You Use It?
Bait is an item that helps you catch fish in Stardew Valley. It can be attached to a Fiberglass Rod, an Iridium Rod, or inserted into a Crab Pot. Attaching bait to any fishing rod will apply effects that can better help the player catch fish. And, it’s simple to use!
To attach the bait to your rod, go to the inventory menu. Left-click on the bait in to pick it up (if you get too many pieces of bait, you can right-click to put some of the bait back into your inventory). Next, you need to right-click on the rod. The bait will disappear from your view but don’t worry, it’s still connected to the rod.
If you’re playing Stardew Valley on console, here are the controller commands for choosing and using bait for fishing:
- Xbox Controller: Press A on the bait to select the whole stack (or X to pick up a single piece). Then press X to attach the bait to the rod.
- PS4 Controller: Press X on the bait to select the whole stack (or Square to pick up a single piece). Then press Square to attach the bait to the rod.
Leave the inventory menu and begin fishing. You can only use one bait per casting. Once you’ve used up all of the selected bait, you’ll get a pop-up message from the game. Or, if you finish fishing without depleting your bait, you’ll be able to use it next time.
If you want to separate your rod and bait, just click on the inventory menu again and right-click the rod (or press X on the controller). Then you’re finished.
Different Types of Bait Have Different Uses
Just like in real life, not every fish in the sea is going to be hungry for the same type of bait. Different baits have different uses — and even buff your fishing skills. And did you know? You can even find treasures while fishing!
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Bait | This makes fish bite faster and lowers the chance of getting trash.Can be bought for 5 gold or crafted with (1) Bug Meat. |
| Magnet | increases treasure discovery chance by 100%. Can be bought for 1,000 gold or crafted with (1) Iron Bar. |
| Wild Bait | All fish are attracted to this bait. It is a special recipe you must learn from Linus and cannot be purchased. You can craft it with (10) Fiber, (5) Slime, and (5) Bug Meat. |
—
See? Easy peasy!
I hope this helps to answer your questions about how to use bait in Stardew Valley. Make sure to check out these other Stardew Valley guides to get started on the right foot:
