Animal Crossing: New Horizons is filled with a variety of bugs and fish, ranging from ladybugs to sharks, for players to fill their homes and museums with. Some of these creatures are quite easy to encounter, and indeed players will come across many species through standard play. However, there are others that are much more elusive, and this guide looks to assist players that trying catch one of Animal Crossing: New Horizons' rare fish: the Stringfish.
The first thing to know is that Stringfish in Animal Crossing: New Horizons only appear from December to March in the Northern Hemisphere and from June to September in the Southern Hemisphere. Additionally, this rare species is only available between 4pm and 9am during the aforementioned months, and players should plan the timing of their fishing excursions with these details in mind.
Timing is not the only thing that matters when it comes to catching a Stringfish in ACNH, though, as location is also key. Specifically, Stringfish only appear in the rivers that are located on clifftops, which means that players will need to have unlocked Animal Crossing: New Horizons' ladder before they can access the waterways where this unusual species spawns. Fortunately, it is relatively simple to get access to a ladder, only requiring that players progress through some of the game's earliest tasks.
With all of these prerequisites established, players can get busy catching Animal Crossing: New Horizons' Stringfish. To do so, they should simply head up to an elevated river, throw fish bait into the water until a large shadow appears, and then use their rod to catch the fish associated with that large shadow. While this will not always grant a Stringfish, players that repeat the process several times should have little trouble bringing one home.
To note, after donating a Stringfish to Blathers and his museum, players may wish to continue fishing for this species, as it is quite valuable. Indeed, the tanukis at Nook's Cranny will be happy to take Stringfish off a player's hands for 15,000 Bells per fish, and while there are other ways to get rich fast in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, that amount is certainly nothing to sneeze at.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is available now for Nintendo Switch.