Animal Crossing has always featured many fun pastimes for players to participate in. While you could work hard to pay off your never-ending home debt to Tom Nook, you could also collect bugs, decorate your property, get to know your neighbors, and — what we’re focusing on right now — catch fish.
Fishing is a great way to waste time, earn bells, and contribute to the museum. While you'll want to catch every fish at least once to fill out your fish list, not every sea creature is worth it from a selling standpoint. Though some fish can sell for a huge number of bells, there are some that sell for very few. We're here to look closer at the least valuable fish now.
Before we get started, it's worth noting that the bell prices displayed below are only applicable to what the Nooklings will pay for them. Special visitor C.J. will pay a higher price. Additionally, we'll be sharing the months these fish are available in the Northern Hemisphere (not the Southern Hemisphere). It's time to cast your line on the deserted island; Here are ten fish that aren't worth catching in New Horizons.
10 Tadpole
The lowest-selling fish in all of New Horizons is the tadpole. While they can be reeled in all day between the months of March and July in the Northern Hemisphere, they only sell for 100 bells.
Tadpoles have the smallest shadow size and can be seen swimming through ponds. While you could get lucky and find a goldfish or a pop-eyed goldfish on the other end of your line (each which sell for 1,300 bells), you’re more likely to find these little critters when fishing in a pond.
9 Frog
Even after those little tadpoles turn into frogs, they don’t sell much better. Frogs, which can be found all day between the months of May and August, only go for 120 bells.
Like tadpoles, frogs are found exclusively in ponds. Unlike tadpoles, frogs are the small shadow size as opposed to the smallest. Yes, frogs technically aren't fish, but the game doesn't seem to care.
8 Horse Mackerel
Of all the fish in the sea, none sell for as little as the horse mackerel. While these guys might look cute, the Nooklings will only pay a low 150 bells for them.
Horse mackerels can be found year-round at all times of the day. They can be identified by their small shadows.
7 Pale Chub
The worst-selling river fish is the pale chub, coming in at 160 bells. While pale chubs can be found year-round, they can only be fished out between the daytime hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Maybe you’ll pull out a guppy (which goes for 1,300 bells) when you reel in the smallest-sized fish in the river. More likely, however, it’ll be a pale chub.
6 Crucian Carp
This fellow river-dweller might have the slightly bigger small-sized shadow, however, it doesn’t sell any better. The Nooklings will buy a crucian carp for 160 bells.
Crucian carp are found all year long at all times of the day. Unfortunately, they’re very common, meaning that pulling in a more expensive river small river fish is unlikely.
5 Bluegill
You’ll find bluegills all the time while searching the river. Like the crucian carp, they have small shadows. While they sell better than crucian carp, their 180 bells value still isn’t going to top any charts.
Bluegills can be found throughout the year from the hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
4 Crawfish
Let’s head back to the ponds to find some crawfish!
These seasonal creatures wander water in the Northern Hemisphere between the months of April and September. They can be found all day and can be identified by their small shadows.
Crawfish sell for a low 200 bells.
3 Anchovy
These guys might taste good on pizza, but they're not as nice to see on the end of your fishing line. If you go out to sea, you might reel in an anchovy.
Anchovies have small shadows that can be found all year long between the hours of 4 a.m. and 9 p.m. The Nooklings will buy them for 200 bells.
2 Dace
The worst-selling medium-sized fish is the Dace.
The Dace wanders the river year-round between the hours of 4 p.m. and 9 a.m., meaning you’ll have to play during the late afternoon or the night if you want to come across one.
Because the other higher-selling medium fish are available all day, you might want to avoid fishing for mediums in the river after 4 p.m. Dace sell for a low 240.
1 Puffer Fish
The last fish to make the list is the puffer fish. Though they’re definitely unique-looking creatures, they only go for 250 bels.
Puffer fish can be scouted out at sea. They are medium-sizes and summer-specific, populating the ocean between the months of July and September in the Northern Hemisphere throughout the day.
Now that you know what not to fish for, it's time to reel in the bigger (and better) ones.