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Stardew Valley: How to Put Bait on Fishing Rod

Wondering how to use bait in Stardew Valley to catch fish? Here's how to do it.
Stardew Valley: How to Put Bait on Fishing Rod

If you're fishing in Stardew Valley, especially if you want to get your hands on some of the rarer fish in the game like Sturgeon (which is used to make caviar), you'll need to put bait on your line. But with all the different types of bait in the game, from Catfish to Eel - not to mention the many types of fish who respond differently to bait - it can sometimes be confusing to figure out which kind of bait to use.

In this guide, we'll explain how to use bait in Stardew Valley, including how to put it on your line and the different types of bait.

bait stardew valley
There are four types of bait in Stardew Valley. (Picture: ConcernedApe)

How To Use Bait In Stardew Valley

While baiting your rod in Stardew Valley might seem like a simple process, there are actually a few things you'll need to do before you're able to do so.

Use The Right Fishing Rod

The first step to using bait in Stardew Valley is to make sure that you have a rod that can have bait equipped to it; you can't use bait with the starter pole, so you'll need to get your hands on an upgrade. The Bamboo Fishing rod just isn't made to be used with bait. You will have to use either the Fiberglass or Iridium Rod instead.

Bait Your Rod

After making sure you have the right type of fishing rod, you'll need to press the Use Tool key on the bait. Which button you'll need to press depends on your platform. Here's a look at what buttons you can press on each platform to open the Use Tool menu:

Platform Controls
PC Right click
Switch Y
PlayStation Square
Xbox X

That's it! Now you can throw your rod into the water as usual, and your bait will do its job. Depending on the type of bait you use, the bait will have a unique effect.

Types Of Bait In Stardew Valley

Now that you know how to add bait to your fishing line in Stardew Valley, let's take a look at the several different types of bait in the game.

Type of Bait Description How To Get
Bait The bait causes fish to bite your line faster. You can craft bait using 1 Bug Meat, or purchase it for 5 g. 
Magnet The magnet allows you to catch more special items when fishing, though it will lower your chance of catching fish. You can craft a magnet using 1 Iron Bar, or purchase it for 1,000 g. 
Wild Bait The Wild Bait allows you to catch two fish at once. You can craft Wild Bait by using 10 Fiber, 5 Slime, and 5 Bug Meat using a special recipe given to you by Linus.
Magic Bait The Magic Bait is a special type of bait that allows you to catch any type of fish from any season, time, or weather. You can purchase Magic Bait for 20, or craft it using 1 Radioactive Ore and 3 Bug Meat.

That's it for our guide on how to use bait in Stardew Valley. We've gone over how to use bait, as well as the four different types of bait you can use to catch fish in the game. Good luck!