Fishing in The Sims 4 is one of those activities that can be both relaxing and surprisingly rewarding. Beyond just catching dinner or selling your haul for Simoleons, there’s an actual collection to complete.
The base game includes 22 different types of fish, and one of the common collection goals is to catch at least 20 unique species. This can sound daunting at first, but with the right approach you can build up your collection much faster.
How the Fishing System Works
Fishing in The Sims 4 is tied to your Sim’s Fishing Skill, which levels up as you spend more time at fishing spots. Higher skill levels let you catch rarer fish, use bait more effectively, and even unlock special interactions like “Examine Water” to figure out what’s swimming beneath the surface.
Fish availability depends on:
- Location: Different worlds and neighborhoods have unique fish spawns.
- Time of day: Some species are easier to catch at night.
- Bait: Certain fish require specific bait types to appear.
- Skill level: Rare fish usually won’t show up until you’ve leveled up fishing.
Where to Start Fishing
If you’re just starting your collection, begin with Willow Creek and Oasis Springs. These two base game worlds have a wide range of common and uncommon fish. Look for the fishing signs near rivers, ponds, and hidden areas. A few good early spots include:
- Willow Creek’s Sylvan Glade: Hidden lot with special fish spawns.
- Oasis Springs’ Desert Bloom Park: Small pond with desert-exclusive fish.
- Magnolia Blossom Park: Central location with a pond for various fish.
Exploring hidden lots like Forgotten Grotto (accessible with Handiness level 10 in Oasis Springs) can also give you rare catches.
Building Up Your Fishing Skill
To collect 20 fish types, you’ll want your Sim to reach at least Fishing Skill level 7 or 8. This gives you access to the majority of fish and makes rare ones much more attainable. Use these tricks to speed up leveling:
- Fish regularly at different spots to diversify your catch.
- Use books about Fishing (purchased from a bookshelf or computer) to gain skill at home.
- Join fishing with friends or family Sims to combine socializing with skill practice.
Using Bait Effectively
While you can catch fish without bait, many species require it. Some common bait strategies:
- Use smaller fish as bait to catch bigger species.
- Frogs and insects (from collecting) can also be used.
- Gardening produce like apples or onions can attract certain fish.
Experimenting with different baits at different locations is often the key to finding those last few fish types.
Rare and Hard-to-Find Fish
Some fish are trickier than others and might be what slows you down. Here are a few to watch out for:
- Treefish: Found in Sylvan Glade, often with higher skill.
- Anglerfish: Typically caught at night in Forgotten Grotto.
- Sturgeon: Available in Willow Creek and Sylvan Glade, but rare without high skill.
- Batfish: Found in Forgotten Hollow if you have the Vampires game pack.
- Koi and Pufferfish: More common in San Myshuno (from City Living).
If you’re only aiming for 20 types, you don’t necessarily need every rare fish, but catching a few will speed things up.
Keeping Track of Your Collection
You can view your collection by opening the Household Collections panel. Each unique fish you catch will fill a slot. This is the easiest way to see how close you are to 20 species and which ones you’re missing. You can also mount fish on your wall or keep them alive in bowls and aquariums if you want a visual display.
Tips to Reach 20 Fish Types Faster
- Rotate between different worlds frequently instead of staying in one fishing spot too long.
- Unlock hidden lots early for access to rare species.
- Save uncommon fish and use them as bait later.
- Fish at night for nocturnal species you can’t find during the day.
- If your Sim has the Angler’s Tranquility reward trait (from the Rewards Store), they’ll gain fishing skill faster and catch more rare fish.
Once you’ve collected 20 different fish, you’ll have completed one of the more time-consuming collections in The Sims 4. It’s a satisfying milestone and can lead to even more fun if you decide to go after all 22 species in the base game or expand into fish from additional packs.