WhileAnimal Crossing: New Horizonsallows players to customize nearly every aspect of their experience, from their clothes, to their home, and even their island itself, nearly everything in the game costs Bells.
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While there are numerous ways for players to generate and obtain Bells, one of the most reliable and easily accessible source of in-game currency is fishing. There are many fish that players should be looking out for that can be sold for a huge profit. This guide will explore the most valuable fish players can catch inNew Horizons, and when and where they can be found. Most of these can bring in several thousands of Bells!
Updated May 1st, 2022 by Stephen LaGioia:Animal Crossing: New Horizons has become a major evergreen game for the Switch. It’s one of those titles that gamers of all ages can return to months or even years later and still enjoy checking up on their virtual home. It’s easy to understand why, given the laid-back vibe of one’s personal island, and the seemingly endless stream of new items to decorate it with.
Nintendo has also continued rejuvenating the game’s thriving ecosystem with various updates and events, culminating with theexpansive DLC, Happy Home Paradise.As such, it seemed like the right time to revisit this list—drawing again from the vast pool of unique fish and highlighting the most expensive.
This shark is quite unique, and for reasons that extend beyond its peculiar shape. This is fairly rare in that it can only be nabbedbetween the hours of 4:00 PM to 9:00 AMand is only active fromJune to Septemberin the northern hemisphere. In the southern hemisphere, however, it makes appearances fromDecember to January.
Players will likely need to spend ample time fishing in theoceanto catch one, but at8,000 Bellsit’s quite worth the investment.
13Oarfish - 9,000 Bells
While relatively cheap for a huge fish, this distinct creature still yields plenty of precious Bells at9,000.Players can find them slithering about in theocean from December to May (northern hemisphere), and June to November (southern hemisphere).
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While they’re not all too easy to obtain, Oarfish can at least be found lurking atall hours of the day.So players can have a relaxing time at the beach without fretting over what time it is when seeking one. They’re also quite easy to spot as they cast a large shadow.
12Blue Marlin - 10,000 Bells
The sleek specimen known as the Blue Marlin sells at a solid price of10,000 Bells,making it all the more alluring. While it doesn’t look terribly big, this pointed fish still falls under the category of “huge,” so its shadow will likewise be large.
Players will need to go fishing at thedockto secure one, though they can be foundany time of the day.In terms of their seasonal appearances, Blue Marlins are fairly unique. They show up most months of the year—butabsentMay, June, and October in the northern hemisphere. In the southern hemisphere, they’reabsentApril, November, and December.
11Napoleonfish - 10,000 Bells
While not a conqueror like its name implies, this fish can aid in granting wealth to the player at10,000 Bells.
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Another huge specimen, Napoleonfish are rather simple to spot in theocean,though they’re selective when it comes to seasonal showings. In fact, they only appear inJuly and Augustin the northern hemisphere, andJanuary and Februaryin the southern hemisphere. They also don’t favor late nights, showing up at4:00 AM to 9:00 PM.
10Sturgeon - 10,000 Bells
The Sturgeon is a massive fish that can be found within the mouths ofrivers. Available in the northern hemisphere fromSeptember through March,and in the southern hemisphere fromMarch through September,Sturgeons bring in a solid 10,000 Bells.
As Sturgeons can only be caught in river mouths, the mostreliable method of catching themcan be using bait in river mouths, looking out for large fish shadows.
9Arowana and Arapaima - 10,000 Bells
While most of the more expensive fish inNew Horizonscan only be caught in the ocean, the(relatively) new Arowana and Arapaimaare two river fish with identical availability that fetch10,000 Bells a piece.
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Appearing from 4:00 PM to 9:00 AM,each of these fish can be found fromJune to Septemberin the northern hemisphere andDecember through Marchin the southern hemisphere. While fishing at night in these timeframes, there’s a solid chance that any huge shadows in rivers could be an Arowana or an Arapaima.
8Saw Shark - 12,000 Bells
Across theAnimal Crossingseries, catching and selling sharks has always been a surefire way of generating Bells. While Saw Sharks are the least expensive sharks players can catch, they are still worth a respectable12,000 Bells.
Sharks are easily identifiable due to their noticeable fins, and are one of the most reliably worthwhile fish to catch. Saw Sharks appear in the later hours of the day, from4:00 PM to 9:00 AM,and are available in thesummerof a player’s respective region.
7Whale Shark - 13,000 Bells
Another breed of shark available inNew Horizons, Whale sharks share many traits with other breeds of sharks, only becoming available to catchduring the summer.Whale sharks are one of the more reliable and accessible shark breeds, as while other types of sharks such as the Saw Shark can only be caught in the later hours of the day, the Whale Shark can be caught atany point in the day.
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This means that if a player sees a finned shadow in the water in the earlier hours of the day, there’s a strong chance that it’s a13,000 bellWhale Shark!
6Barreleye - 15,000 Bells
Worth a hefty15,000 Bells,the Barreleye is as unique as it is rare. While the majority of expensive fish inAnimal Crossingare large fish that can only be found under specific conditions, the Barreleye is a small ocean fish that is available all year round.
Only appearing from4:00 PM to 9:00 AM,the Barreleye has an extremely limited spawn rate that prevents them from being easily obtained. While many of the smaller fish inNew Horizonsdon’t have the highest price tags, the prospect of catching a Barreleye can serve as incentive to catch smaller fish in the sea.
5Golden Trout - 15,000 Bells
The Golden Trout is a tricky and elusive river fish that can only be caught within theclifftopportions of a player’s island. Additionally, the Golden Trout can only be found later in the day, and possesses a medium-sized shadow that makes it difficult to distinguish from less sought-after fish.
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The Golden Trout also has a rather strange availability, being availableMarch through Mayas well asSeptember through November,regardless of a player’s hemisphere. While the fish is rare, players are treated to a reward of15,000 Bellsfor their troubles.
