How to attach bait in Stardew Valley: All fishing rods explained

In Stardew Valley, fishing is important as fish are essential resources but the task itself can be extremely frustrating. It can be tricky to get used to the mechanics of fishing, especially when it comes to attaching bait to your rod, so here’s exactly how to do that in the game.

If you want to be successful at fishing in Stardew Valley, you’ll need to learn how to use bait correctly as this will greatly increase your chance of catching that prize-winning fish.

There’s a massive variety of fish in the game that appear during different seasons and come in all shapes and sizes. Every species also comes with a catching difficulty, and some can only be reeled in if you’re using bait on your fishing rod.

So, if you’re looking to catch some legendary fish in Stardew Valley, or simply want to make fishing a bit less time-consuming, here’s everything you need to know about how to attach bait to your rod in the game.

How to attach bait in Stardew Valley

Not all fishing poles are created equal in Stardew Valley. The original Bamboo Fishing Rod does not have a slot for bait, so you must upgrade to either a Fiberglass Fishing Rod or Iridium Fishing Rod in order to utilize bait.

Attaching the bait is extremely simple, all you have to do is:

1. Purchase bait at Willy’s Fish Shop or craft it yourself! 
2. Open your inventory and pick up the bait with the designated button. (Left-click for PC, Y for Switch, Square for PlayStation, and X for Xbox)
3. Now select the fishing rod you wish to use and attach the bait by clicking the Use Tool button.

You have now successfully attached bait to your fishing rod in Stardew Valley!

Types of Bait in Stardew Valley

Here is a list of every type of bait available in Stardew Valley, where to find it, and how much it will cost.

Name:	Description:	Price:	Recipe:
Bait	Common bait. Causes fish to bite faster and reduces the delay before a bite by 50%.	5g	– x1 Bug Meat
Wild Bait	Craftable bait that enables the user to catch two fish at once.	N/A	– x10 Fiber – x5 Slime – x5 Bug Meat
Magic Bait	Magic-enhanced bait enables players to catch fish from any season no matter the weather condition or water type.	5 Gems	– x1 Radioactive Ore – x3 Bug Meat
Magnet	Increases the chances of finding treasure by 15%. Does not affect the bite rate for fish.	1,000g	– x1 Iron Bar

When can you craft Bait in Stardew Valley?

You won’t be able to craft common Bait until you have reached Fishing Level 2.

How to get Worm Bin in Stardew Valley

Once you hit Fishing Level 8, you will also be able to craft the Worm Bin. This craftable item will provide you will 2-5 pieces of bait on a daily basis rather than needing to craft them on your own one by one with Bug Meat. To craft the Worm Bin, you will need:

• x25 Hardwood
• x1 Gold Bar
• x1 Iron Bar
• x50 Fiber

It is also worth noting that the Magnet is better crafted than purchased, as you will be able to craft x3 by using x1 Iron bar instead of 1,000 gold per when purchasing from Willy. You will learn to craft the Magnet at Fishing Level 9.

Types of Fishing Rods in Stardew Valley

There are four different types of fishing rods available in Stardew Valley at this time; Bamboo Pole, Training Rod, Fiberglass Rod, and Iridium Rod.

• Bamboo Rod can be acquired as early on as Day 2 in-game if you run down to Willy’s dock and complete the cutscene. You will know where to find Willy on Day 2 when he sends a letter in the mail asking you to pay him a visit.
• Training Rod can be purchased from Willy with 25g and makes fishing itself easier, but can only catch basic fish.
• Fiberglass Rod can also be purchased from Willy’s shop for 1,800g and will include a slot for you to add bait.
• Iridium Rod requires you to be Fishing Level 6 in order to purchase it from Willy and will cost 7,500g. This rod will include two slots; one for Bait and one for Tackle.
• Crab Pot to catch fish after reaching Fishing Level 3. You can choose to purchase one from Willy for 1,500g or craft one yourself using:
  • x40 Wood
  • x3 Iron Bar

It is also worth noting that if you choose the Trapper profession it will cost less materials to make the Crab Pot.

So, there you have it. That is everything you need to know about how to use fishing bait in Stardew Valley!

Hopefully, this Stardew Valley fishing bait guide will make your journey as a fisherman much easier and help you earn the big bucks from selling your catch. For more content of the game, check out our other guides below:

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