There are a lot of different ways to make money in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and you can relax and cash some fish as one of the best ways to do so. Similarly to bugs, there are tons of different types of fish that vary depending on a variety of factors, including the time of day, weather, and season, which means it's worthwhile to check back every now and then to see what's changed. There are 80 to catch in New Horizons, and you can sell them, gift them, donate them, or display them. What you chose to do with them is up to you, but you'll need to actually catch them before making that decision.

　　Below, we have two tables--one for the Northern Hemisphere and one for the Southern Hemisphere--listing every fish in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, where and when you can catch them, and how much you can sell them for (which is a good way to make money in Animal Crossing). We've also broken down the fundamentals of fishing in Animal Crossing, including how to craft your first fishing rod, everything that can affect how and when fish spawn, and which seasonal fish you should focus on each month.

　　If you're determined to fill out your museum, you should also check out our guide to Redd's art and how to tell real art from the fakes. You can also look up every item in the game using the New Horizons catalog tool from our sister site GameFAQs.

　　

Every Fish In Animal Crossing: New Horizons

The list below contains the time of year, time of day, location, shadow size, and price for every fish in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. This is divided into two separate tables, as the months of the year will be different for each hemisphere.

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　　Location

　　There are three types of environments for fish on the island: sea (the ocean), river, and pond. The river is further split into three categories--river mouth, river clifftop, and general river--and the sea also includes the more specific pier location, which is the wooden pier somewhere on your island (but not the one leading to the airport). Fish like salmon can only be found at the river mouth, which is where the river meets the ocean, while others, like the cherry salmon, can only be found at parts of the river on your island's cliffs, for example.

　　Shadow Size

　　Fish come in a few different sizes, and each type of fish appears as the same size shadow each time. The shadow sizes are: extra small (1), small (2), medium (3), large (4), extra large (5), and giant (6). Longer, skinnier shadows in the ocean are eels, which can be caught like any other fish, and some shadows will also appear with a fin on top, signaling a shark or other rare, finned fish. You can use our chart and the tables below to help determine the size of a fish's shadow and which fish it might be.

　　A chart of the standard fish sizes in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

Northern Hemisphere

Fish	Months	Location / Size	Time	Price
Anchovy	All year	Sea 2	4 AM - 9 PM	200
Angelfish	May - Oct	River 2	4 PM - 9 AM	3,000
Arapaima	June - Sept	River 6	4 PM - 9 AM	10,000
Arowana	June - Sept	River 4	4 PM - 9 AM	10,000
Barred Knifejaw	Mar - Nov	Sea 3	All day	5,000
Barreleye	All year	Sea 2	9 PM - 4 AM	15,000
Betta	May - Oct	River 2	9 AM - 4 PM	2,500
Bitterling	Nov - Mar	River 1	All day	900
Black Bass	All year	River 4	All day	400
Blowfish	Nov - Feb	Sea 3	9 PM - 4 AM	5,000
Blue Marlin	Nov - Apr July - Sept	Pier 6	All day	10,000
Bluegill	All year	River 2	9 AM - 4 PM	180
Butterfly Fish	Apr - Sept	Sea 2	All day	1,000
Carp	All year	River 4	All day	300
Catfish	May - Oct	Pond 4	4 PM - 9 AM	800
Char	Mar - June Sept - Nov	River 3	4 PM - 9 AM	3,800
Cherry Salmon	Mar - June Sept - Nov	River (Clifftop) 3	4 PM - 9 AM	1,000
Clown Fish	Apr - Sept	Sea 1	All day	650
Coelacanth	All year	Sea (Rain) 6	All day	15,000
Crawfish	Apr - Sept	Pond 2	All day	200
Crucian Carp	All year	River 2	All day	160
Dab	Oct - Apr	Sea 3	All day	300
Dace	All year	River 3	4 PM - 9 AM	240
Dorado	June - Sept	River 5	4 AM - 9 PM	15,000
Football Fish	Nov - Mar	Sea 4	4 PM - 9 AM	2,500
Freshwater Goby	All year	River 2	4 PM - 9 AM	400
Frog	May - Aug	Pond 2	All day	120
Gar	June - Sept	Pond 5	4 PM - 9 AM	6,000
Giant Snakehead	June - Aug	Pond 5	9 AM - 4 PM	5,500
Giant Trevally	May - Oct	Pier 5	All day	4,500
Golden Trout	Mar - May Sept - Nov	River (Clifftop) 3	4 PM - 9 AM	15,000
Goldfish	All year	Pond 1	All day	1,300
Great White Shark	June - Sept	Sea Fin	4 PM - 9 AM	15,000
Guppy	Apr - Nov	River 1	9 AM - 4 PM	1,300
Hammerhead Shark	June - Sept	Sea Fin	4 PM - 9 AM	8,000
Horse Mackerel	All year	Sea 2	All day	150
Killifish	Apr - Aug	Pond 1	All day	300
King Salmon	Sept	River (Mouth) 6	All day	1,800
Koi	All year	Pond 4	4 PM - 9 AM	4,000
Loach	Mar - May	River 2	All day	400
Mahi-mahi	May - Oct	Pier 5	All day	6,000
Mitten Crab	Sept - Nov	River 2	4 PM - 9 AM	2,000
Moray Eel	Aug - Oct	Sea Narrow	All day	2,000
Napoleonfish	July - Aug	Sea 6	4 AM - 9 PM	10,000
Neon Tetra	Apr - Nov	River 1	9 AM - 4 PM	500
Nibble Fish	May - Sept	River 1	9 AM - 4 PM	1,500
Oarfish	Dec - May	Sea 6	All day	9,000
Ocean Sunfish	July - Sept	Sea Fin	4 AM - 9 PM	4,000
Olive Flounder	All year	Sea 5	All day	800
Pale Chub	All year	River 1	9 AM - 4 PM	200
Pike	Sept - Dec	River 5	All day	1,800
Piranha	June - Sept	River 2	9 AM - 4 PM, 9 PM - 4 AM	2,500
Pond Smelt	Dec - Feb	River 2	All day	400
Pop-eyed Goldfish	All year	Pond 1	9 AM - 4 PM	1,300
Puffer Fish	July - Sept	Sea 3	All day	250
Rainbowfish	May - Oct	River 2	9 AM - 4 PM	800
Ranchu Goldfish	All year	Pond 2	9 AM - 4 PM	4,500
Ray	Aug - Nov	Sea 5	4 AM - 9 PM	3,000
Red Snapper	All year	Sea 4	All day	3,000
Ribbon Eel	June - Oct	Sea Narrow	All day	600
Saddled Bichir	June - Sept	River 4	9 PM - 4 AM	4,000
Salmon	Sept	River (Mouth) 4	All day	700
Saw Shark	June - Sept	Sea Fin	4 PM - 9 AM	12,000
Sea Bass	All year	Sea 5	All day	400
Sea Butterfly	Dec - Mar	Sea 1	All day	1,000
Sea Horse	Apr - Nov	Sea 1	All day	1,100
Snapping Turtle	Apr - Oct	River 4	9 PM - 4 AM	5,000
Soft-shelled Turtle	Aug - Sept	River 4	4 PM - 9 AM	3,750
Squid	Dec - Aug	Sea 3	All day	500
Stringfish	Dec - Mar	River (Clifftop) 5	4 PM - 9 AM	15,000
Sturgeon	Sept - Mar	River (Mouth) 6	All day	10,000
Suckerfish	June - Sept	Sea Fin	All day	1,500
Surgeonfish	Apr - Sept	Sea 2	All day	1,000
Sweetfish	July - Sept	River 3	All day	900
Tadpole	Mar - July	Pond 1	All day	100
Tilapia	June - Oct	River 3	All day	800
Tuna	Nov - Apr	Pier 6	All day	7,000
Whale Shark	June - Sept	Sea Fin	All day	13,000
Yellow Perch	Oct - Mar	River 3	All day	300
Zebra Turkeyfish	April - May July - Nov	Sea 3	All day	500

A medium-sized fish (size 3) in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

Southern Hemisphere

Fish	Months	Location / Size	Time	Price
Anchovy	All year	Sea 2	4 AM - 9 PM	200
Angelfish	Nov - Apr	River 2	4 PM - 9 AM	3,000
Arapaima	Dec - Mar	River 6	4 PM - 9 AM	10,000
Arowana	Dec - Mar	River 4	4 PM - 9 AM	10,000
Barred Knifejaw	Sept - May	Sea 3	All day	5,000
Barreleye	Nov - Apr	Sea 3	9 PM - 4 AM	15,000
Betta	Nov - Apr	River 2	9 PM - 4 AM	2,500
Bitterling	May - Sept	River 1	All day	900
Black Bass	All year	River 4	All day	400
Blowfish	May - Aug	Sea 3	9 PM - 4 AM	5,000
Blue Marlin	Jan - Mar May - Oct	Pier 6	All day	10,000
Bluegill	All year	River 2	9 AM - 4 PM	180
Butterfly Fish	Oct - Mar	Sea 2	All day	1,000
Carp	All year	River 4	All day	300
Catfish	Nov - Apr	Pond 4	4 PM - 9 AM	800
Char	Mar - May Sept - Dec	River 4	4 PM - 9 AM	3,800
Cherry Salmon	Mar - May Sept - Dec	River (Clifftop) 3	4 PM - 9 AM	1,000
Clown Fish	Oct - Mar	Sea 1	All day	650
Coelacanth	All year	Sea (Rain) 6	All day	15,000
Crawfish	Oct - Mar	Pond 2	All day	200
Crucian Carp	All year	River 2	All day	160
Dab	Apr - Oct	Sea 3	All day	300
Dace	All year	River 3	4 PM - 9 AM	240
Dorado	Dec - Mar	River 5	4 AM - 9 PM	15,000
Football Fish	May - Sept	Sea 4	4 PM - 9 AM	2,500
Freshwater Goby	All year	River 2	4 PM - 9 AM	400
Frog	Nov - Feb	Pond 2	All day	120
Gar	Dec - Mar	Pond 5	4 PM - 9 AM	6,000
Giant Snakehead	Dec - Feb	Pond 5	9 AM - 4 PM	5,500
Giant Trevally	Nov - Apr	Pier 5	All day	4,500
Golden Trout	Mar - May Sept - Nov	River (Clifftop) 3	4 PM - 9 AM	15,000
Goldfish	All year	Pond 1	All day	1,300
Great White Shark	Dec - Mar	Sea Fin	4 PM - 9 AM	15,000
Guppy	Oct - May	River 1	9 AM - 4 PM	1,300
Hammerhead Shark	Dec - Mar	Sea Fin	4 PM - 9 AM	8,000
Horse Mackerel	All year	Sea 2	All day	150
Killifish	Oct - Feb	Pond 1	All day	300
King Salmon	Mar	River (Mouth) 6	All day	1,800
Koi	All year	Pond 4	4 PM - 9 AM	4,000
Loach	Sept - Nov	River 2	All day	400
Mahi-mahi	Nov - Apr	Pier 5	All day	6,000
Mitten Crab	Mar - May	River 2	4 PM - 9 AM	2,000
Moray Eel	Feb - Apr	Sea Narrow	All day	2,000
Napoleonfish	Jan - Feb	Sea 6	4 AM - 9 PM	10,000
Neon Tetra	Oct - May	River 1	9 AM - 4 PM	500
Nibble Fish	Nov - Mar	River 1	9 AM - 4 PM	1,500
Oarfish	June - Nov	Sea 6	All day	9,000
Ocean Sunfish	Jan - Mar	Sea Fin	4 AM - 9 PM	4,000
Olive Flounder	All year	Sea 5	All day	800
Pale Chub	All year	River 1	9 AM - 4 PM	200
Pike	Mar - June	River 5	All day	1,800
Piranha	Dec - Mar	River 2	9 AM - 4 PM, 9 PM - 4 AM	2,500
Pond Smelt	June - Aug	River 2	All day	400
Pop-eyed Goldfish	All year	Pond 1	9AM - 4PM	1,300
Puffer Fish	Jan - Mar	Sea 3	All day	250
Rainbowfish	Nov - Apr	River 2	9 AM - 4 PM	800
Ranchu Goldfish	All year	Pond 2	9 AM - 4 PM	4,500
Ray	Feb - May	Sea 5	4 AM - 9 PM	3,000
Red Snapper	All year	Sea 4	All day	3,000
Ribbon Eel	Dec - Apr	Sea Narrow	All day	600
Saddled Bichir	Dec - Mar	River 4	9 PM - 4 AM	4,000
Salmon	Mar	River (Mouth) 4	All day	700
Saw Shark	Dec - Mar	Sea Fin	4 PM - 9 AM	12,000
Sea Bass	All year	Sea 5	All day	400
Sea Butterfly	June - Sept	Sea 1	All day	1,000
Sea Horse	Oct - May	Sea 1	All day	1,100
Snapping Turtle	Oct - Apr	River 4	9 PM - 4 AM	5,000
Soft-shelled Turtle	Feb - Mar	River 4	4 PM - 9 AM	3,750
Squid	June - Feb	Sea 3	All day	500
Stringfish	June - Sept	River (Clifftop) 5	4 PM - 9 AM	15,000
Sturgeon	Mar - Sept	River (Mouth) 6	All day	10,000
Suckerfish	Dec - Mar	Sea Fin	All day	1,500
Surgeonfish	Oct - Mar	Sea 2	All day	1,000
Sweetfish	Jan - Mar	River 3	All day	900
Tadpole	Sept - Jan	Pond 1	All day	100
Tilapia	Dec - Apr	River 3	All day	800
Tuna	May - Oct	Pier 6	All day	7,000
Whale Shark	Dec - Mar	Sea Fin	All day	13,000
Yellow Perch	Apr - Sept	River 3	All day	300
Zebra Turkeyfish	Jan - May Oct - Nov	Sea 3	All day	500

Fish To Catch In April

As mentioned above, fish will come and go out of season in Animal Crossing. For players in the Northern Hemisphere, April sees the arrival of a bunch of new fish and aquatic life, including the elusive Snapping Turtle. This is also the last month to catch the rare and valuable Blue Marlin and Tuna, which both go out of season in May, so hit up that pier while you still have the chance!

　　Players in the Southern Hemisphere will see the arrival of two new fish and will have to work diligently to catch the over half a dozen that will be going out of season after the month is up. See a more comprehensive list of what's coming and going in April in our guides below.

　　New Fish And Bugs To Catch In AprilFish And Bugs Leaving After April

How To Fish

To catch a fish, find a fish-shaped shadow in the water around the island and equip any kind of fishing rod. While facing the water, press A to cast your line--though you will not cast properly if you are too far away from the edge of the water. Wait for your fishing rod's floater to submerge under the surface of the water and quickly press A again to reel in the fish. Pressing the A button too quickly or too slowly can result in failure, scaring away the fish.

　　

Equipment

In order to catch any fish, you will need a fishing rod. The first rod you get in the game is the flimsy fishing rod, which can be upgraded to the fishing rod at a DIY bench. Don't be thrown off too much by the various fishing rod types; it just determines how many times the tool can be used before breaking. Once a fishing rod breaks, just craft a new one at a DIY bench with resources found around the island or purchase a new one at Nook’s Cranny.

　　Fishing bait is also a useful item for forcing fish spawns to appear in empty water. You can craft it at any DIY workbench using manila clams, which you can dig up from beaches with a shovel. You'll know where they are when you see a squirt of water emerge from the sand. One manila clam can craft one fish bait. Unfortunately, you can't bulk craft fish bait.

　　

Time And Date

Since time in Animal Crossing is synced up with the real world, or whatever time you have entered into your Nintendo Switch, the time you choose to play matters. The game goes through all the stages of a 24-hour period in real time, with different fish appearing at different times. Fish also vary depending on what month it is, which the game refers to as seasonality. If you want to collect every kind of fish, you will need to play the game at all different hours and throughout the year. The seasonality of fish changes depending on which hemisphere you chose, too.

　　For reference, you can always check what time and months the fish that you have caught will spawn in your Critterpedia.

　　If you're in the market for a Nintendo Switch, see our roundup of where you can buy a Switch right now. We've also rounded up all the best Animal Crossing merch out there.