No matter the genre you play, I guarantee that at some point, somewhere, you’ve encountered a fishing mini-game. There’s no stopping them. They’re anywhere with a body of water and time to kill, and, for the most part, I can’t stand them.
I hate fishing mini-games. I’ve made no secret of it, and anyone who knows will tell you that if I can avoid any fantasy fishing, I absolutely will. This is a bit of a problem, considering the fact that I tend to favor ‘cosy’ games, which invariably have some form of fishing mechanic. Even while playing Final Fantasy XIV, I’ve had no choice but to level Fisher and take part in Ocean Fishing, but I’ve never done it without complaining the entire time.
My biggest complaint is just the sheer monotony of the task. Pick a spot, press a button, and voila, the line is cast. Then it’s time to wait. When you do get a bite, you press a button again and you’ve caught a fish. It’s hardly the most thrilling kind of gameplay, even when those clicks are timed. The timing becomes muscle memory and fishing just feels so… Bland.
So herein lies the issue I’m currently facing — fishing in Stardew Valley seems to have caught my attention, despite the fact that I have spent years actively avoiding it to the point that my fiancé has had to visit my farm and complete the Fishing bundles for me, because I point blank refused to pick up a rod.
When Stardew Valley 1.6 dropped, I started a new save file, as many players did. I chose the new farm, marveled at the benefits of the new Blue Grass, and went about my life in Pelican Town, all while never picking up a fishing rod. I did complete the bundles, though, thanks to my long-suffering fiancé.
On the first day of Spring in the second year, I woke up to a visitor. Willy, everyone’s favorite scruffy Fisherman, showed up at my door asking why I seemed to be avoiding his favorite pastime. With no answers to give him, he instead handed me a Training Rod. I could almost hear the disappointment through his dialogue box.
Even then, despite this humiliation, I avoided the sport. My fishing level remained at rock bottom until halfway through Summer of year two, when I realised that in order to access the Mastery Cave and get my hands on the sweet rewards, I had no choice but to level my own Fishing skill and I couldn’t rely on someone else to do it for me. Alas, I would have to suck it up and go Fishing.
Reluctantly, I tried. My first fishing experience took place during the Trout Derby, and I didn’t do well. I caught some fish, sure, but no trout, and the experience was horrible. The frustration was immeasurable, I got no rewards, and I stormed home after catching my fifth Bream. On the plus side, I did get one Fishing level out of it, so not all was lost.
Then a few things happened:
- I unlocked Mr. Raccoon and realised I’d need a Smoker, the recipe for which contains three things that can only be gained through fishing
- I started unlocking higher quality fishing rods and more useful bobbers
- I attended Squid Fest
Squid Fest is what did it for me, because I finally learned how almost enjoyable fishing could be. Every time I hit a maximum cast, or scored a perfect catch. Fighting the Squid as they tried to escape my line and figuring out how to tell what fish I was catching just from it’s behaviour during the mini-game… It was satisfying. I achieved an Iridium score on both days, got my Squid Hat and felt a strong sense of accomplishment.
To my horror, I found myself wanting to do more fishing and actually going out of my way to catch fish at a certain time of day. I want to reach level 10, even if it’s just for the Mastery, and I want to catch all of the fish the game has to offer. Even the legendary ones, which is something I never thought I’d say. I even have a dedicated space on my farm for Fishing related things.
I’m no longer shying away from fishing quests on the board outside Pierre’s or the Special Orders board outside Mayor Lewis’ house and the next time I start a new save file, I’ll be able to complete the Fishing bundles all by myself, which is certainly going to be a little different to my previous save files.
Okay fine, I admit it. I enjoy fishing in Stardew Valley. It’s rewarding, it’s challenging and while it’s not exactly intuitive, it does keep you on your toes. It’s immensely frustrating when you lose a fish and infuriating when your tackle wears out or you run out of bait just when you need it most, but it’s fun. It’s just taken me a very long time, a lot of denial, and some public humiliation from Willy to get here.
