when and where to catch all Animal Crossing New Horizons fish

(Image credit: Nintendo)

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Northern Hemisphere Fish
Southern Hemisphere Fish

Being able to catch every Animal Crossing New Horizons fish will take you most of the year thanks to seasonal variations. But it's essential for Blathers' museum, and completing his collection. Animal Crossing: New Horizons sea creatures are something else entirely, so check that guide for more. Here we're all about the fish, specifically when and where they appear so you can catch them all in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

As we mentioned, what fish you can catch varies across the time of day, year and locations. When we first started this guide we worked across two Animal Crossing islands to discover all the fish available across the north and south hemispheres to speed up the year's discoveries. While that helped work all this out, you'll still need to keep fishing for most of a whole year if you want to find everything you can. So good luck and happy reels, here's how to catch every Animal Crossing New Horizons fish?

River
River (Mouth)
River (Clifftop)
Pond
Pier
Sea

If you're new to the series and are wondering how to fish in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, what you need to do is get a fishing rod, and then aim to drop your hook ahead of where the fish is facing. Then wait until the fish spots it. They will nose the hook, but wait until it pulls the float under the water with a satisfying plop. Then press A immediately to reel it in.

Below you'll find the Northern Hemisphere fish, but you can skip to southern hemisphere using this quick link:

Animal Crossing New Horizons Fish in the Southern Hemisphere

Northern Hemisphere Fish

Animal Crossing New Horizons Fish in the Northern Hemisphere

	Name	Seasonality (North Hem)	Availability	Location
1	Bitterling	Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec	All hours	River
2	Pale Chub	All months	9AM - 4PM	River
3	Crucian Carp	All months	All hours	River
4	Dace	All months	4PM - 9AM	River
5	Carp	All months	All hours	Pond
6	Koi	All months	4PM - 9AM	Pond
7	Goldfish	All months	All hours	Pond
8	Pop-eyed Goldfish	All months	All hours	Pond
9	Ranchu Goldfish	All months	9AM - 4PM	Pond
10	Killifish	Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug	All hours	Pond
11	Crawfish	Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept	All hours	River
12	Soft-shelled Turtle	Aug, Sept	4PM - 9AM	River
13	Snapping Turtle	Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept, Oct	9PM - 4AM	River
14	Tadpole	Mar, Apr, May, Jun, July	All hours	Pond
15	Frog	May, Jun, Jul, Aug	All hours	Pond
16	Freshwater Goby	All months	4PM - 9AM	River
17	Loach	Mar, Apr, May	All hours	River
18	Catfish	May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept, Oct	4PM - 9AM	Pond
19	Giant Snakehead	Jun, Jul, Aug	9AM - 4PM	Pond
20	Bluegill	All months	9AM - 4PM	River
21	Yellow Perch	Jan, Feb, Mar, Oct, Nov, Dec	All hours	River
22	Black Bass	All months	All hours	River
23	Tilapia	Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept, Oct	All hours	River
24	Pike	Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec	All hours	River
25	Pond Smelt	Jan, Feb, Dec	All hours	River
26	Sweetfish	Jul, Aug, Sept	All hours	River
27	Cherry Salmon	Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Sept, Oct, Nov	4PM - 9AM	River (Clifftop)
28	Char	Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Sept, Oct, Nov	4PM - 9AM	River (Clifftop)
29	Golden Trout	Mar, Apr, May, Sept, Oct, Nov	4PM - 9AM	River (Clifftop)
30	Stringfish	Jan, Feb, Mar, Dec	4PM - 9AM	River (Clifftop)
31	Salmon	Sept	All hours	River (mouth)
32	King Salmon	Sept	All hours	River (mouth)
33	Mitten Crab	Sept, Oct, Nov	4PM - 9AM	River
34	Guppy	Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov	9AM - 4PM	River
35	Nibble Fish	May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept	9AM - 4PM	River
36	Angelfish	May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept, Oct	4PM - 9AM	River
37	Bettta	May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept, Oct	9AM - 4PM	River
38	Neon Tetra	Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov	9AM - 4PM	River
39	Rainbowfish	May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept, Oct	9AM - 4PM	River
40	Piranha	Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept	9AM - 4PM, 9PM - 4AM	River
41	Arowana	Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept	4PM - 9AM	River
42	Dorado	Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept	4AM - 9PM	River
43	Gar	Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept	4PM - 9AM	Pond
44	Arapaima	Jun, July, Aug, Sept	4PM - 9AM	River
45	Saddled Bichir	Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept	9PM - 4AM	River
46	Sturgeon	Jan, Feb, Mar, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec	All hours	River (Mouth)
47	Sea Butterfly	Jan, Feb, Mar, Dec	All hours	Sea
48	Seahorse	Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov	All hours	Sea
49	Clown Fish	Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept	All hours	Sea
50	Surgeonfish	Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept	All hours	Sea
51	Butterfly Fish	Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept	All hours	Sea
52	Napoleonfish	Jul, Aug	4AM - 9PM	Sea
53	Zebra Turkeyfish	Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov	All hours	Sea
54	Blowfish	Jan, Feb, Nov, Dec	9PM - 4AM	Sea
55	Puffer Fish	Jul, Aug, Sept	All hours	Sea
56	Anchovy	All months	4AM - 9PM	Sea
57	Horse Mackerel	All months	All hours	Sea
58	Barred Knifejaw	Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov	All hours	Sea
59	Sea Bass	All months	All hours	Sea
60	Red Snapper	All months	All hours	Sea
61	Dab	Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec	All hours	Sea
62	Olive Flounder	All months	All hours	Sea
63	Squid	Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Dec	All hours	Sea
64	Moray Eel	Aug, Sept, Oct	All hours	Sea
65	Ribbon Eel	Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept, Oct	All hours	Sea
66	Tuna	Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Nov, Dec	All hours	Pier
67	Blue Marlin	Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Jul, Aug, Sept, Nov, Dec	All hours	Pier
68	Giant Trevally	May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept	All hours	Pier
69	Mahi-mahi	May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept, Oct	All hours	Pier
70	Ocean Sunfish	Jul, Aug, Sept	4AM - 9PM	Sea
71	Ray	Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov	4AM - 9PM	Sea
72	Saw Shark	Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept	4PM - 9AM	Sea
73	Hammerhead Shark	Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept	4PM - 9AM	Sea
74	Great White Shark	Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept	4PM - 9AM	Sea
75	Whale Shark	Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept	4PM - 9AM	Sea
76	Suckerfisk	Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept	All hours	Sea
77	Football Fish	Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec	4PM - 9AM	Sea
78	Oarfish	Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Dec	All hours	Sea
79	Barreleye	All months	9PM - 4AM	Sea
80	Coelacanth	All months	All hours	Sea (Rainy Days)

Southern Hemisphere Fish

Animal Crossing New Horizons Fish in the Southern Hemisphere

	Name	Seasonality (South Hem)	Availability (April)	Location
1	Bitterling	May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept	All hours	River
2	Pale Chub	All months	8AM - 4PM	River
3	Crucian Carp	All months	All hours	River
4	Dace	All months	4PM - 9AM	River
5	Carp	All months	All hours	Pond
6	Koi	All months	All hours	Pond
7	Goldfish	All months	All hours	Pond
8	Pop-eyed Goldfish	All months	9AM - 4PM	Pond
9	Ranchu Goldfish	All months	9AM - 4PM	Pond
10	Killifish	Jan, Feb, Oct, Nov, Dec	All hours	Pond
11	Crawfish	Jan, Feb, Mar, Oct, Nov, Dec	All hours	River
12	Soft-shelled Turtle	Feb, Mar	4PM - 9AM	River
13	Snapping Turtle	Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct,Nov, Dec	9PM - 4AM	River
14	Tadpole	Jan, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec	All hours	Pond
15	Frog	Jan, Feb, Nov, Dec	All hours	Pond
16	Freshwater Goby	All months	4PM - 9AM	River
17	Loach	Sept, Oct, Nov	All hours	River
18	Catfish	Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Nov, Dec	4PM - 9AM	Pond
19	Giant Snakehead	Jan, Feb, Dec	9AM - 4PM	Pond
20	Bluegill	All months	9AM - 4PM	River
21	Yellow Perch	Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept	All hours	River
22	Black Bass	All months	All hours	River
23	Tilapia	Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Dec	All hours	River
24	Pike	Mar, April, May, June	All hours	River
25	Pond Smelt	Jun, Jul, Aug	All hours	River
26	Sweetfish	Jan, Feb, Mar	All hours	River
27	Cherry Salmon	Mar, Apr, May, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec	4PM - 9AM	River (Clifftop)
28	Char	Mar, Apr, May, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec	4PM - 9AM	River (Clifftop)
29	Golden Trout	Mar, Apr, May, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec	4PM - 9AM	River (Clifftop)
30	Stringfish	Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept	4PM - 9AM	River (Clifftop)
31	Salmon	Mar	All hours	River (mouth)
32	King Salmon	Mar	All hours	River (mouth)
33	Mitten Crab	Mar, April, May	4PM - 9AM	River
34	Guppy	Jan, Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov	9AM - 4PM	River
35	Nibble Fish	Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec	9AM - 4PM	River
36	Angelfish	Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Nov, Dec	4PM - 9AM	River
37	Bettta	Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec	9AM - 4PM	River
38	Neon Tetra	Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec	9AM - 4PM	River
39	Rainbowfish	Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Nov, Dec	9AM - 4PM	River
40	Piranha	Jan, Feb, Mar, Dec	9AM -4PM, 9PM - 4AM	River
41	Arowana	Jan, Feb, Mar, Dec	4PM - 9AM	River
42	Dorado	Jan, Feb, Mar, Dec	4AM - 9PM	River
43	Gar	Jan, Feb, Mar	4PM - 9AM	Pond
44	Arapaima	Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr	4PM - 9AM	River
45	Saddled Bichir	Jan, Feb, Mar, Dec	9PM - 4AM	River
46	Sturgeon	Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept	All hours	River (Mouth)
47	Sea Butterfly	Jan, Feb, Mar, Oct, Nov, Dec	All hours	Sea
48	Seahorse	Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec	All hours	Sea
49	Clown Fish	Jan, Feb, Mar, Oct, Nov, Dec	All hours	Sea
50	Surgeonfish	Jan, Feb, Mar, Oct, Nov, Dec	All hours	Sea
51	Butterfly Fish	Jan, Feb, Mar, Oct, Nov, Dec	All hours	Sea
52	Napoleonfish	Jan, Feb	4AM - 9PM	Sea
53	Zebra Turkeyfish	Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec	All hours	Sea
54	Blowfish	May, Jun, Jul, Aug	9PM - 4AM	Sea
55	Puffer Fish	Jan, Feb, Mar	All hours	Sea
56	Anchovy	All months	4AM - 9PM	Sea
57	Horse Mackerel	All months	All hours	Sea
58	Barred Knifejaw	Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec	All hours	Sea
59	Sea Bass	All months	All hours	Sea
60	Red Snapper	All months	All hours	Sea
61	Dab	Aug, Sept, Oct	All hours	Sea
62	Olive Flounder	All months	All hours	Sea
63	Squid	All months	All hours	Sea
64	Moray Eel	Feb, Mar, April	All hours	Sea
65	Ribbon Eel	Jan,Feb, Mar, Apr, Dec	All hours	Sea
66	Tuna	May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept, Oct	All hours	Pier
67	Blue Marlin	Jan, Feb, Mar, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept, Oct	All hours	Pier
68	Giant Trevally	Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec	All hours	Pier
69	Mahi-mahi	Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Nov, Dec	All hours	Pier
70	Ocean Sunfish	Jan, Feb, Mar	4AM - 9PM	Sea
71	Ray	Feb, Mar, Apr, May	4AM - 9PM	Sea
72	Saw Shark	Jan, Feb, Mar, Dec	4PM - 9AM	Sea
73	Hammerhead Shark	Jan, Feb, Mar, Dec	4PM - 9AM	Sea
74	Great White Shark	Jan, Feb, Mar, Dec	4PM - 9AM	Sea
75	Whale Shark	Jan, Feb, Mar, Dec	4PM - 9AM	Sea
76	Suckerfish	Jan, Feb, Mar, Dec	All hours	Sea
77	Football Fish	May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept	4PM - 9AM	Sea
78	Oarfish	Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov	All hours	Sea
79	Barreleye	All months	9PM - 4AM	Sea
80	Coelacanth	All months	All hours	Sea (Rainy Days)

Sam Loveridge

Sam Loveridge is the Global Editor-in-Chief of GamesRadar, and joined the team in August 2017. Sam came to GamesRadar after working at TrustedReviews, Digital Spy, and Fandom, following the completion of an MA in Journalism. In her time, she's also had appearances on The Guardian, BBC, and more. Her experience has seen her cover console and PC games, along with gaming hardware, for over seven years, and for GamesRadar, she is in charge of reviews, best lists, and the overall running of the site and its staff. Her gaming passions lie with weird simulation games, big open-world RPGs, and beautifully crafted indies. Basically, she loves all games that aren't sports or fighting titles!

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