How to Catch Sturgeon in Stardew Valley & Best Locations Revealed

Stardew Valley holds a ton of adventures for its players, including some classic activities like fishing. Sturgeon is possibly one of the most sought-after fish species in the game, as it offers some amazing benefits to those who can catch it – but, getting your hands on sturgeon in Stardew Valley can be fairly tricky.

Players can catch sturgeon in Mountain Lake during Summer and Winter. They spawn during any weather but are most common during rainy Summer days, and they are frequent between 6 AM and 7 PM.

Although it can feel complex to find a great sturgeon fishing spot in Stardew Valley, a lot of the influences come down to placement and timing. Stick around to find out exactly how to catch sturgeon in Stardew Valley, and why it’s worth the effort.

Sturgeon In Stardew Valley

Stardew Valley flaunts quite a few fish species, some of which are far rarer than others. But, it also holds a classic fish species that many players can benefit from – sturgeon.

According to Stardew Valley Wiki, sturgeon can be described as:

“An ancient bottom-feeder with a dwindling population. Females can live up to 150 years.”

Sturgeon is arguably one of the most valuable fish species in the entire game. They are not specifically valuable for their selling price – although, players can make some good money selling them as well since sturgeon is the highest non-legendary fish that can be found in Pelican Town, as seen below:

As such, they can be either useful for other means in the game or profitable for players overall. Sturgeon can be highly useful throughout the game, as they can benefit players in numerous ways, including:

• Sturgeon can be placed into a Fishing Pond to produce Sturgeon Roe, which can be used to create some extremely valuable Caviar that sells for a base price of 500g.
• Sturgeon can be used in combination with cloth on a sewing machine to craft a Fishing Vest.
• Players will need sturgeon to complete the Lake Fish Bundle in the Community Center, within the Fish Tank Bundle Set.
• Sturgeon can be given to Willy as a gift in exchange for 80 friendship points on average.
• Various recipes include sturgeon, such as Maki Rolls, Sashimi, and even Quality Fertilizer which is fantastic for growing crops and produce. But, cheaper fish can also be used for these, so it’s recommended to reserve sturgeon for other uses.

Sturgeon is not the toughest fish to catch in the game, but it will definitely take some skill. We’ve outlined everything you need to know in order to reel in some sturgeon, with images thanks to GGRecon.

How To Find Sturgeon In Stardew Valley

Sturgeon only spawns in Mountain Lake in Stardew Valley, which is situated just northeast of the town, and located near the Mines. This is the only location in Stardew Valley where players can find sturgeon, but a lot of players’ fishing success will come down to accurate timing.

Getting your hands on sturgeon will rely quite heavily on which environmental conditions you choose to fish in, in addition to timing. Like in real life, sturgeon in Stardew Valley become more frequent and easy to catch depending on natural elements like weather, season, and lighting.

When Is The Best Time To Catch Sturgeon?

Sturgeon only spawns in Summer or Winter in Stardew Valley, and they are typically more active between the hours of 6 AM to 7 PM. They can be found in just about any weather condition as they aren’t really fussy, but they are far more common when the weather is rainy.

The flexibility in their preferred conditions does leave a lot of room for players seeking to catch sturgeon. But, all in all, the best time to catch sturgeon in Stardew Valley is on rainy days in the Summer, as they comprise from 11% to 16% of all items caught during this time. They are least likely to spawn on rainy days during the Winter.

Considering how tricky it can be to track down and reel in some sturgeon, players should ideally head out to Mountain Lake as early as possible to maximize catch potential. Players could also use a Rain Totem to increase the odds of them spawning.

How To Catch Sturgeon In Stardew Valley

If you can get your timing just right, your odds of catching sturgeon in Stardew Valley will automatically be far higher. But, there are still a few things that players can do to increase their odds of catching sturgeon even further.

Casting Distance

Generally speaking, sturgeon tend to swim further away from the shoreline compared to some other fish species. In Stardew Valley, players may have much better luck in catching sturgeon if they cast further from the shore.

Bait Selection

Magic Bait is a newer item, added within the 1.5 update. Using Magic Bait has a ton of benefits, as it allows players to catch any fish species in the location it is used at any time of the year – no matter the season, weather, or the time of day.

But, using Magic Bait does come with a possible downfall. Since it allows players to catch any fish, it will increase the pool of fish that can be caught, which can lower the odds of catching sturgeon specifically.

As a result, if you’re looking to catch sturgeon alone, you will need to use Magic Bait quite selectively and tactically. Using Magic Bait at Mountain Lake on rainy Summer days may increase the odds of catching more sturgeon than usual.

Fishing Skill

While sturgeon is not the hardest fish to reel in throughout Stardew Valley, they are definitely tricky to catch. It’s not so simple to get sturgeon to bite down on your line, so your Fishing Skill is definitely going to help you out here.

Having a higher Fishing Level in Stardew Valley will make the odds of catching sturgeon far higher. It increases the size of the mini-game fishing bar, which will undoubtedly land you more catches.

Tackle

Your choice of tackle can also have an impact on how much sturgeon you can catch, as some tackle can make catching sturgeon easier overall. The best tackle to use for catching sturgeon in Stardew Valley would be Trap Bobber and Cork Bobbers, as these tackle options generally make the mini-game much easier.

Fishing Rod

While it’s always recommended to get the best fishing rod possible, players can still get their hands on sturgeon without much regard in this department. But, it’s important to note that sturgeon cannot be caught with a Training Rod.

Other Ways To Obtain Sturgeon

If you’re in desperate need of sturgeon but do not have the best angling skills, the main alternative method to obtain sturgeon in Stardew Valley is through Krobus. Krobus dwells in the Sewers in Stardew Valley, which means that players will need to unlock the Sewers in order to access his shop.

But, he does sell fish on Wednesdays, which may include sturgeon. If you’re lucky enough to catch Krobus on a sturgeon day, you’ll be able to buy a sturgeon fish for 200g. Alternatively, you could also buy a sturgeon fish from a Traveling Cart for anywhere between 600g and 1000g.

Although catching sturgeon can feel complex and frustrating, the beauty of fishing is that it often takes some skill and tactical approaches – both in real life and in Stardew Valley. Although it’s safe to say that this activity may take some time, fishing for sturgeon can actually be pretty straightforward with the right approaches.