Tag: The Sims 4

Catching 20 fish types for the collection means you’ll need to know where each one can be found and, in some cases, what bait to use. Below is the full list of base game fish, with location details, bait suggestions, and tips to help you complete the collection.

Common Fish

Goldfish

• Where: Most ponds and rivers in Willow Creek and Oasis Springs.
• Bait: None needed.
• Tip: One of the easiest fish to catch, often appears early.

Minnow

• Where: Found in almost all starter fishing spots.
• Bait: None required.
• Tip: Good to use as bait later for larger fish.

Perch

• Where: Willow Creek rivers and Magnolia Blossom Park pond.
• Bait: None needed.
• Tip: A steady early-game catch.

Trout

• Where: Rivers in Willow Creek and Granite Falls (if you own Outdoor Retreat).
• Bait: None required.
• Tip: Useful as bait for larger species.

Guppy

• Where: Found in nearly all fishing locations, especially ponds.
• Bait: None required.
• Tip: Another reliable bait fish.

Bass

• Where: Willow Creek and Oasis Springs rivers.
• Bait: Use smaller fish like Minnows.
• Tip: Often caught while leveling up early fishing skill.

Uncommon Fish

Catfish

• Where: Willow Creek rivers, Sylvan Glade pond.
• Bait: Frog or smaller fish.
• Tip: Shows up more often at night.

Koi

• Where: Sylvan Glade pond.
• Bait: Medium-sized fish like Bass or Perch.
• Tip: A beautiful but sometimes elusive catch.

Tilapia

• Where: Oasis Springs ponds and rivers.
• Bait: None required.
• Tip: Easy to find once you fish in desert areas.

Swordfish

• Where: Oasis Springs and Forgotten Grotto.
• Bait: Fresh bait like small fish.
• Tip: Requires higher fishing skill to appear consistently.

Salmon

• Where: Sylvan Glade and Willow Creek rivers.
• Bait: Medium-sized fish.
• Tip: Larger, valuable fish that appear with more skill.

Red-Tailed Black Shark

• Where: Sylvan Glade pond.
• Bait: Small fish like Minnows or Frogs.
• Tip: Looks exotic, great for display in an aquarium.

Walleye

• Where: Willow Creek rivers, especially at night.
• Bait: Frogs or smaller fish.
• Tip: Timing is key—fish in late evening or nighttime.

Rare Fish

Angelfish

• Where: Willow Creek rivers, Oasis Springs parks, Sylvan Glade.
• Bait: Fresh produce such as Apples or Onions.
• Tip: Essential if you’re into Ambrosia crafting later.

Sturgeon

• Where: Willow Creek river and Sylvan Glade.
• Bait: Larger fish like Bass.
• Tip: Very rare—requires higher fishing skill.

Treefish

• Where: Sylvan Glade pond.
• Bait: Use smaller fish like Bass or Catfish.
• Tip: One of the hardest to find in the game.

Anglerfish

• Where: Forgotten Grotto, only at night.
• Bait: Medium to large fish.
• Tip: Night fishing is non-negotiable here.

Batfish

• Where: Forgotten Grotto.
• Bait: Frogs or insects.
• Tip: Another rare grotto-exclusive catch.

Wolf Eel

• Where: Forgotten Grotto deep pools.
• Bait: Small fish.
• Tip: Patience required; keep returning to the grotto.

Rainbowfish

• Where: Forgotten Grotto and Sylvan Glade.
• Bait: Small fish or frogs.
• Tip: Can take multiple tries, but worth it for its vibrant look.

Piranha

• Where: Oasis Springs ponds and Sylvan Glade.
• Bait: Raw meat or frogs.
• Tip: High-level fishing skill makes them show up more often.

Trout (Mountain Version)

• Where: Forgotten Grotto and Willow Creek rivers.
• Bait: None required.
• Tip: Sometimes confused with the regular Trout, but still a unique catch.

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Best Route to 20 Unique Fish

If you want to be efficient:

1. Start in Willow Creek to gather common types like Minnow, Guppy, Perch, and Bass.
2. Head to Oasis Springs for Tilapia, Catfish, and Desert species.
3. Unlock Sylvan Glade early for Koi, Treefish, and other rarer catches.
4. Push your Sim’s Handiness skill to 10 so you can explore the Forgotten Grotto, where many rare fish live.

By following this route, you’ll naturally end up with over 20 different species before long.

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.