Sunfish: Catching, Fish Pond, and More

Jared Nathaniel

Many Stardew Valley players love getting easy items onto their pockets. One of them is Sunfish. We’ll teach you how to get the fish and what you can do with it!

The player holding a Sunfish in Stardew Valley.
It does have a semblance to the sun!

As a beginning Stardew Valley player, you’ll find yourself talking to Willy at the Docks as he gives you a Bamboo Pole. It’s the lowest-tier rod in-game, but you can still catch some fish in the waters, albeit weak.

Sunfish is one of them – the most common fish you’ll obtain during your first playthrough. This item guide will talk about the item, its locations, and its purposes for improving your gameplay.

Important Questions

What is a Sunfish?

This common river fish is one of the most basic and easiest types to obtain. Since its difficulty score and behavior is 30 Mixed, you can catch it using a Training Rod. A Sunfish can be as small as five inches or slightly big as 16 inches. 

The following is a table of its restoration effects on consumption:

QualityEnergyHealth
Normal+13+5
Silver+18+8
Gold+23+10
Iridium+33+14

Where to Catch a Sunfish?

There are different places to hook this fish into your inventory. Moreover, you won’t need any Magic Bait since they’re dominant in almost all rivers of Stardew Valley. Here are the places you can find them:

LocationSeasonTimeWeather
Cindersap ForestSpring, Summer6am – 7pmSunny Weather, Windy Day
Pelican TownSpring, Summer6am – 7pmSunny Weather, Windy Day
Riverlands Farm, Wilderness Farm, and Hill-top FarmSpring, Summer6am – 7pmSunny Weather, Windy Day

Occasionally, you may find a Sunfish from the following sources:

  • Traveling Cart – costs 100g to 1,000g.
  • Garbage Cans – randomly appear when digging through the trash during Spring and Summer.

Facts and Trivia

Fish Pond

The player holding and dropping a Sunfish in Stardew Valley.
Sunfish in a Fish Pond.

Having a low selling value equates to what you can expect when you place a Sunfish in the Fish Pond. Naturally, you won’t profit as much since it’s a beginner-friendly catch. But it’s a fair choice that’s better than nothing.

Item Requests

With its spoken and clear value, don’t expect that maintaining this artificial body of water is difficult. There may be some obstacles if you’re a beginner, but it’s unavoidable. Here are the items you’ll need to deliver once the “!” icon appears:

Initial CapacityItem RequestedFishing XPImproved Capacity
ThreeAcorn (2), Geode (2)+25Five
FiveAmethyst (1), Mixed Seeds (3)+25Ten

Loots

Although the population expansion happens every three days, it doesn’t impact the produce. Getting nothing is still reasonably high, but it’s still better than zero profit because of the following items:

ItemPopulationItem PercentageChanceFishing XP
Roe (1)1-990%21-78%+11
Roe (1)1083%79%+11
Solar Essence (1)108%8%+11

Selling Prices

As a starter, it’s better to have something of little value than no profit. But Sunfish is a mere pocket change to in-game millionaires. Regardless, here are the raw selling prices alongside different professions that give a massive profit boost:

QualitySelling PriceWith FisherWith AnglerRoeAged RoeWith Artisan
Normal30g37g45g45g90g126g
Silver37g46g55g   
Gold45g56g67g   
Iridium60g75g90g   

Crafting

Quality Fertilizers need any piece of fish and Sap to create a tier two farming add-on. Since this fish type has a below-average market value, turn it into a helpful asset. Here’s the crafting recipe, sources, and more:

ItemCrafting SourceIngredients
Quality FertilizerLevel 9 FarmingSap (2), Sunfish (1)

Cooking

The player holding a Baked Fish, Sashimi, and Maki Roll in Stardew Valley.
Delicious meals!

After upgrading your rustic homestead into a better Farmhouse, Robin will include a Kitchen. In this area, you can prepare delicious meals which restore health and energy and sometimes give perky effects. Here are different prepared meals you can have with a Sunfish:

RecipeIngredientsEnergyEnergy with QSHealthHealth with QSBuff + DurationBuff + Duration with QSSelling PriceSelling Price with QSRecipe Source
Baked FishBream (1), Sunfish (1), Wheat Flour (1)+75+135+33+60  100g150gTuning in to the Queen of Sauce on the first year of Summer 7
Maki RollRice (1),
Seaweed (1),
Sunfish (1)
+100+180+45+81  220g330gWatching the Queen of Sauce on Year 1 Summer 21.

Stardrop Saloon recipe for 300g.
SashimiSunfish (1)+75+135+33+60  75g112gLinus will teach the recipe after reaching a three-heart friendship.

Tailoring

The in-game screen of the Sewing Machine and Dye Pots in Stardew Valley.
Will it smell?

With a piece of Cloth and this fish at the spool of the Sewing Machine, you’ll make a Fish Shirt that you can dye. Moreover, you can use the same item in the Dye Pot that you can find in Emily’s House as an Orange Dye.

Gifting

Evelyn, Haley, and Pierre consider this a hated gift. However, it’s a neutral gift for Demetrius, Elliott, Leo, Linus, Pam, Sebastian, and Willy. For the rest of town, they would love not to have the Sunfish, and your affinity with them might decrease.

Quests

There are three tasks you can finish with a Sunfish:

  • Help Wanted at Pierre’s General Store (Item Delivery). Someone in Pelican Town will randomly request the item for 90g and 150 Friendship Points.
  • Help Wanted at Pierre’s General Store (Fishing). Willy will pay 30g each for anyone who can catch Sunfish (1-4 pieces).
  • Aquatic Overpopulation. At the Special Orders Board near the Mayor’s Manor, Demetrius will request ten pieces of the item. Bringing it to him will compensate you for the fish’s market value and the Farm Computer recipe.

Bundles

Completing the Fish Tank in Stardew Valley is essential as it unlocks the Panning feature after removing the Glittering Boulder in the Mountain Lake. You must donate one Sunfish as a part of the River Fish bundle alongside different fishes.

meet the Author

Photo of author
Jared Nathaniel
Stardew Valley is perhaps the most chill game out there. If you're a new player and hoping to join Pelican Town, we've got your back with all the basics.

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