Reeling in Riches: Your Ultimate Guide to the Animal Crossing: New Horizons Fishing Tourney and Catching Rare Fish
There's a special kind of magic that descends upon your Animal Crossing: New Horizons island when the Fishing Tourney is announced. The air is filled with a mix of excitement and friendly competition, spearheaded by our ever-enthusiastic host, CJ. For many players, this isn't just about winning a trophy; it's the perfect opportunity to combine the thrill of the tournament with the long-term goal of filling out the Critterpedia and museum with those elusive rare fish. However, the clock is ticking, and the sea is vast. How do you maximize your points, earn those unique prizes, and increase your chances of hooking a coelacanth or a mahi-mahi all at the same time? This comprehensive guide is designed to be your one-stop resource, blending essential Fishing Tourney strategies with the secrets to landing the ocean's most coveted creatures.
Preparation is Everything: Gearing Up for Success
Walking into a Fishing Tourney unprepared is the quickest way to spend a frustrating day. A little foresight transforms the experience from a mad dash into a smooth, point-generating machine.
First and foremost, craft and stockpile fish bait. This is, without a doubt, the single most important tip for both the tourney and catching rare fish. To craft fish bait, head to your beaches and look for small, squirting holes in the sand. Dig them up with a shovel to collect Manila Clams. Each clam can be crafted into one bag of fish bait at any workbench. On a typical tourney day, you'll want a stack of at least 50-100 bait. Why is this so crucial? Instead of running up and down your beaches waiting for fish shadows to spawn naturally, you can stand in one prime spot and summon them directly. This saves an immense amount of time, allowing you to focus purely on catching and talking to CJ.
Next, let's talk tools. Your fishing rod will break. It's a law of the Animal Crossing universe. Before the event, ensure you have the recipes for both the Flimsy Fishing Rod and the regular Fishing Rod. Stock up on the necessary resources: tree branches and iron nuggets. Craft a whole batch of Flimsy Fishing Rods beforehand. They are cheaper to make and perfect for the rapid-fire catching of the tourney. Having a stack of five or ten ready to go means you'll never be caught without a rod.
Finally, clear your inventory. You want as many empty slots as possible dedicated to fish. Leave your tools, furniture, and other non-essentials in your house storage. The goal is to catch as many fish as you can before having to make the trip to CJ. Every trip to him is time not spent fishing.
Mastering the Fishing Tourney Mechanics for Maximum Points
CJ's point system is straightforward but has a clever twist. You earn points for every fish you catch during the tournament hours, but the real efficiency comes from chaining your catches.
Here’s the breakdown:
- Each fish you catch is worth 1 point.
- For every 3 fish you give to CJ in a single interaction, you earn an additional 2 point bonus, for a total of 5 points.
- You can give him 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or even 10 fish at a time, but the bonus only triggers for every full set of three.
Therefore, the most efficient method is to always give CJ fish in multiples of three. Catch three fish, run to him, and select the "I want to give you fish!" option. You'll get 5 points. Repeat. This is far better than turning in 10 fish individually for 10 points, or even 10 fish at once for only 14 points (10 base points + 4 bonus points for three sets of three, with one fish leftover). The "three-at-a-time" method ensures you're maximizing the bonus points on every single trip.
Your accumulated points are then traded for the exclusive Fishing Tourney swag. These prizes are randomized, so you'll receive a random item from the prize pool for every 10 points you spend. The prize pool includes cool items like a fish-print tee, a fishing-rod stand, a fresh cooler, a fish doorplate, and an anchor statue. You can also spend points to buy multiple copies of these items. After you've collected enough, you can trade points for the ultimate trophies: Bronze (100 points), Silver (200 points), and Gold (300 points).
The Art of the Catch: Techniques for Rare Fish
Now, let's intertwine the tourney strategy with the pursuit of those legendary rare fish. The principles of patience and precision are paramount.
The universal rule for catching any fish is to listen as much as you look. Cast your line so the float lands directly in front of the fish's shadow. The fish will notice the bait and swim over. It will nibble one to five times. Wait for the distinct visual and auditory cue: the float will be pulled completely underwater with a loud plunk! sound. That is your signal to press the A button. Do not press it during the nibbles. Reacting to the nibbles is the most common reason for missing a fish, especially the rare ones that are more skittish.
For rare fish, location, timing, and bait are your best friends. Let's look at some of the most sought-after species and how a Fishing Tourney day can be the perfect time to hunt them.
- Coelacanth: The king of rare fish. This prehistoric creature only appears when it is raining or snowing. Luckily, Fishing Tourneys happen regardless of weather! So, if your tourney day is a rainy one, it's a golden opportunity. The Coelacanth appears as a huge shadow in the sea, at any time of day or night. Use your fish bait off the pier or on the beach to spawn large shadows until one bites.
- Mahi-Mahi & Giant Trevally: These two are pier-only fish, meaning they only spawn off the end of the wooden pier on your beach. They are available all day but are notoriously rare. The Fishing Tourney is the perfect excuse to camp out on your pier with a massive stack of fish bait. You'll be constantly spawning new fish shadows, giving you a much higher chance of encountering these prized fish while simultaneously racking up tourney points.
- Stringfish & Golden Trout: These are river fish found on clifftops. The Stringfish is a huge shadow, while the Golden Trout is a medium shadow. They are available during specific months and times (usually late afternoons and nights). If your tourney falls within their availability window, head to your highest cliff river and use bait. You can catch a mix of common river fish for the tourney while hunting for these rare shadows.
- Barreleye & Football Fish: These are night owls. The Barreleye is a tiny shadow in the sea, available from 9 PM to 4 AM, while the Football Fish is a large shadow in the sea during the same hours. If your tourney is active at night, focus your bait-fishing on the sea to target these creatures.
An Integrated Strategy: Killing Two Birds With One Stone
So, how do you bring it all together? Here is a sample game plan for an efficient and rewarding Fishing Tourney day that doubles as a rare fish hunt.
- Identify Your Target: Before the tourney, check your Critterpedia. Which rare fish are available this month? Is it raining? Based on this, choose your fishing location. If you need a Mahi-Mahi, your base of operations will be the pier. If it's raining, you'll fish from the beach for a Coelacanth.
- Set Up Camp: Go to your chosen location—pier, clifftop river, or a specific beach area. Clear the area of shells and weeds to make shadow-spotting easier.
- The Bait and Switch Cycle: This is the core loop.
- Use one bag of fish bait to spawn a fish.
- Catch the fish.
- Repeat until you have three fish in your inventory.
- Run to CJ (hopefully you've set up camp close by) and turn in the three fish for 5 points.
- Run back to your spot and start again.
- Be Selective (If You Dare): If your primary goal is the rare fish, you can be slightly more selective. When you use bait and a common, small shadow appears, you can choose to scare it away by running past it. This will despawn it, allowing you to use another bait to hopefully spawn a larger or rarer shadow. This is a trade-off: you lose a potential tourney point, but you increase your chances of getting that rare catch. This is a great tactic to use when you're close to achieving your point goal for the day and want to focus on your personal collection.
By following this integrated approach, you are no longer just mindlessly catching sea bass (though you'll still catch plenty of those "C+" creatures!). You are executing a focused campaign. Every piece of bait used is a chance at a tourney point and a step closer to that elusive museum exhibit. The repetitive nature of the tourney is transformed into a purposeful hunt. So, stock up on those clams, check the weather, and get ready to cast your line. With patience, preparation, and a pocketful of bait, you'll not only be drowning in Fish Tourney prizes but also one step closer to becoming your island's ultimate master angler.
