If you're busy most of the day with work, there's nothing better than kicking of your shoes and doing a bit of virtual fishing in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. To make things even better, many valuable fish can be caught at night, meaning you're not missing out on much during those daytime hours when you're pulling in real cash as opposed to Bells. Night fishing in both freshwater and saltwater can be a lucrative endeavor in New Horizons — but these fish are the real reasons you'll want to stay up late.
Saltwater Night Fishing
If you prefer to keep towards the coast, you'll be able to reel in a few of the most expensive fish in the game while night fishing. Even better, two of them are available year-round. Here's what you can hope to land when fishing after 4PM:
- Barreleye: Available year-round between the hours of 9PM and 4AM. Sells for 15,000 Bells.
- Coelacanth: Available year-round and all day long, however it prefers rainy weather. Sells for 15,000 Bells.
- Great White Shark: Available from June to September between the hours of 4PM and 9AM. Sells for 15,000 Bells.
- Saw Shark: Available from June to September between the hours of 4PM and 9AM. Sells for 12,000 Bells.
- Hammerhead Shark: Available from June to September between the hours of 4PM and 9AM. Sells for 8,000 Bells.
Freshwater Night Fishing
Things are a bit more seasonal for freshwater fishers. The best year-round fish you can hope to real in is a Ranchu Goldfish, but they are only available during the day. Night fishers can instead expect to see the year-round Koi or try to hook one of many seasonal species.
- Koi: Available year-round in Ponds between the hours of 4PM and 9AM. Sells for 4,000 Bells.
- Golden Trout: Available from March to May and September to November in Clifftop Rivers between the hours of 4PM and 9AM. Sells for 15,000 Bells.
- Stringfish: Available from December to March in Clifftop Rivers between the hours of 4PM and 9AM. Sells for 15,000 Bells.
- Arowana: Available from June to September in Rivers between the hours of 4PM and 9AM. Sells for 10,000 Bells.
- Arapaima: Available from June to September in Rivers between the hours of 4PM and 9AM. Sells for 10,000 Bells.
There are dozens of seasonal fish that night anglers can expect to fight. Keep your eyes peeled for those shadows in the water and bring plenty of bait — you never know what's waiting out there in the dark.