Tilapia is one of the easiest fish to overlook in Stardew Valley, but players can catch it without too much trouble, if they know where to find it.
For many players, fishing is the worst part of Stardew Valley. For others, having to wait for multiple seasons to catch a specific fish is the worst part of Stardew Valley. The tilapia is one of the greatest offenders when it comes to this.
Only available for a couple of seasons and only available at specific times, many have found themselves waiting months in order to catch this fish. Here’s how to avoid these troubles and what players can do if they miss out.
How to catch tilapia in Stardew Valley
Players can catch tilapia in Stardew Valley by fishing at the beach in the summer and fall in the morning.
Specifically, the fish can only be caught between the hours of 6 am and 2 pm. This means that players are best served by scrambling to the beach as soon as they wake up and then fishing as much as possible in that eight-hour window. Players who have advanced far enough into the game can also fish on Ginger Island, instead of the Pelican Town beach.
The good news is that there’s no weather restriction or requirement when it comes to catching tilapia in Stardew Valley. Whether rain or shine, players can catch the fish, so long as it’s during those hours and during those seasons. Tilapia are easily caught once hooked, with a lackadaisical movement pattern during the fishing mini-game.
If players need a tilapia in the winter there are still some options for getting one, though they’re not necessarily ideal.
Tilapia has a chance to appear in the traveling cart in Cindersnap Forest, which appears every Friday and Sunday. The traveling cart is also available during the Night Market event and the Desert Festival that was added in Stardew Valley 1.6. They may also appear in Krobus’ inventory, but only on Wednesdays. Finally, players who have Magic Bait can use it to catch tilapia during any season.
What to do with tilapia in Stardew Valley
Tilapia can be used in recipes that have a general “fish” requirement and to craft the Sailor Shirt clothes item.
While some fish have a broad number of uses, tilapia isn’t really one of them. Players may find themselves needing to fish some up for special orders or requests from NPCs, but that’s about it. The main use for players is typically filling in the standard Ocean Fish Bundle but after that, the fish is best used for making sashimi or Quality Fertilizer.
Players shouldn’t use it for roe, as more lucrative fish can be used instead.
