How to Use Bait in Stardew Valley

Baiting a Fishing Rod in Stardew Valley

Fishing is one of the core skills of Stardew Valley. While you can fish without bait, and you will for the first part of the game, netting high-quality, rare fish is far easier with bait. Assuming you’ve gone down to the beach to get your first rod from Willy, read on to find out how to fish with bait in Stardew Valley!

Getting the Right Rod (Fishing Pole)

You won’t be able to use bait on your first fishing rod without mods, so you’ll need to fish until you reach level two. This shouldn’t take more than a few in-game hours, so you’re in luck! Once you’ve done that, head down to Willy’s shop on the docks and purchase a Fiberglass Rod for 1,800g. This is the first rod you’ll have access to that has a bait slot and allows you to use bait.

Types of Bait

In Stardew Valley, bait is an item used to attract fish when fishing. By attaching bait to your fishing rod, you can increase your chances of catching fish and reduce the time it takes for them to bite.

Regular Bait

Standard bait can be purchased from Willy’s shop for 5g each or crafted with one bug meat to produce five. It reduces the delay before a nibble by 50% and reduces the chances of catching trash.

Wild Bait

Wild bait is a recipe obtained from Linus’ four-heart event, so prepare your cactus fruit! It can be crafted with ten fiber, five slime, and five bug meat to produce five. It increases the chances of catching two fish at once, and reduces the delay before a nibble by 62.5%

Magnet

Magnets can be found in fishing treasure chests, or purchased from Willy for 1,000g once you reach fishing level nine. It increases the chances of getting treasure from 15% to 30% and reduces the delay before a nibble by 50%.

Magic Bait

Magic bait allows you to catch any fish from any season and any weather condition. You can purchase twenty from the shop in Qi’s Walnut Room for five gems, where you can also purchase the recipe for twenty gems. From your crafting menu, you can make five magic bait for one iridium ore and five bug meat.

How to Use Bait in Stardew Valley

Attaching bait to the fishing rod can be a little annoying at first, but once you’ve got it down, you’ve got it down. Below are the controls to attach bait for all the systems Stardew Valley runs on:

PC

To bait your fishing rod, left-click to select your entire stack of bait or right-click and hold to select one or more. Then, right-click on the fishing rod to add the bait to the hook.

Nintendo Switch

Press X on the bait to select the entire stack, Y to pick up a single one, and Y on the rod to add it to the rod.

PS4

Press X on the bait to select the entire stack or hold the square button to pick up individual pieces, and then the square button on the rod to add it.

Xbox

On your Xbox controller, press A to select the entire stack of bait, or X and hold to pick up one or more. Then, press X on the rod to add it to your rod.

Mobile

On mobile, open the inventory and drag and drop the bait on top of the rod.

Conclusion

Using bait in Stardew Valley can transform your fishing experience, making it more rewarding and enjoyable. By understanding the different types of bait available, knowing how to craft and attach it, and employing strategic fishing techniques, you’ll be reeling in fish in no time. So grab your rod, load up on bait, and head out to discover the aquatic treasures of Pelican Town! Happy fishing!