Key Takeaway
Red Snappers mostly spawn during Summer and Fall between 6 AM and 7 PM on the Beach during rainy days. If you have a Rain Totem, you can use that to force rainfall—and then fish for some Red Snappers.
As a seasonal fish, Red Snapper can be a tricky customer to come by in Stardew Valley. However, you’d better get your fishing rod out, as this oceanic species is necessary for a Community Center bundle as well as for completing villager requests.
Table Of Contents
Red Snapper Basics
Red Snapper can sell for a decent amount—especially if you have the Fisher and Angler professions. Their sell price depends on their quality, so level up your Fishing as much as you can to start raking in the profits.
| Grade | Base Price | Fisher Profession (+25%) | Angler Profession (+50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal | 50g | 62g | 75g |
| Silver | 62g | 77g | 93g |
| Gold | 75g | 93g | 112g |
| Iridium | 100g | 125g | 150g |
Red Snappers are a good source of Energy and Health if you have nothing else on hand. Luckily, you can’t get food poisoning in the game!
| Grade | Energy and Healing Effect |
|---|---|
| Normal | 50 Energy, 22 Health |
| Silver | 70 Energy, 31 Health |
| Gold | 90 Energy, 40 Health |
| Iridum | 130 Energy, 58 Health |
When, Where, and How to Catch a Red Snapper
Red Snappers are a wriggly customer, but with time and patience, you should eventually be able to reel one in. Red Snapper in Stardew Valley is an Ocean fish, so they can only be caught at the Beach south of Pelican Town near Willy’s Fish Shop or on the Beach Farm.
Red Snappers require special conditions to spawn: you can only fish for them on rainy days during Summer and Fall. They thrive in hot climates, so, like with some trees, you won’t naturally get them in Winter (or Spring) unless you use a Rain Totem. You can fish for Red Snappers any time between 6 AM and 7 PM in-game time. After 7 PM, the fish withdraw to their burrows and can’t be caught.
To improve your chances of catching a Red Snapper successfully, increase your Fishing Level by getting as much XP as possible. You can also attach bait to your fishing rod to increase the frequency of a bite. Different bobbers can also help you reel in a slippery fish like the Red Snapper by making your fishing bar bigger in the mini-game.
If fishing isn’t your cup of tea, you can sometimes find a Red Snapper for sale at the Traveling Cart for anything between 150g – 1,000g. If you like digging through Garbage Cans, you might find a Red Snapper there as well. Just don’t let any villagers catch you dumpster diving!
Finally, you can catch a Red Snapper any time, any day, if you use Magic Bait—which can be bought from Mr. Qi’s Walnut Room on Ginger Island.
Recipes That Require Red Snappers
There aren’t any recipes in Stardew Valley that specifically require Red Snappers. That being said, there are two cooking recipes and one crafting recipe that accept any Fish as their ingredient, so you can use Red Snapper if you have them on hand as your seasonal fish.
| Recipe | Ingredients | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Maki Roll |
| Fish and rice wrapped in seaweed. |
| Quality Fertilizer |
| Improves soil quality, increasing your chance to grow quality crops. Mix into tilled soil. |
| Sashimi |
| Raw fish sliced into thin pieces. |
Gifting Red Snappers
As a rule of thumb, avoid gifting ANY fish to the residents of Pelican Town. Even the town’s fisherman, Willy, feels neutral towards Red Snapper. Most of the other villagers dislike Red Snappers, while Evelyn, Haley, and Pierre hate them.
Red Snappers in Fish Ponds
Red Snappers can live inside a Fish Pond once it’s been built by Robin, and they reproduce every two days. While the initial capacity is three fish, you can increase it by completing three quests.
| Capacity Before Quest | Capabity After Quest | Quest Item (One of) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 5 | Driftwood (3), Frozen Geode (1), or Seaweed (1-2) |
| 5 | 7 | Clams (2) or Coral (2) |
| 7 | 10 | Aquamarine (2), Mussel (1), or Sea Urchins (2) |
This ruby-colored fish will only produce the Red Snapper Roe.
Other Uses of Red Snappers
Red Snapper has a few other uses in Stardew Valley. They are a required fish to complete the Ocean Fish Community Center Bundle in the Fish Tank. Red Snappers can also be used in the Sewing Machine at Emily and Haley’s house to tailor the dyable Sailor Shirt. With their vibrant red color, they can also be used as a Red Dye for other clothing items.
This oceanic species is also randomly requested in certain quests. If you check the “Help Wanted” board by Pierre’s General Store during Summer, Fall, or Winter, a villager may randomly request a Red Snapper. If you decide to complete this quest, you’ll bag 150g and 150 Friendship Points. At the “Help Wanted” board, Demetrius or Willy may also randomly request 1-4 Red Snappers for 50g per fish, and you get to keep the fish—two fish, one stone!
By becoming an expert angler, you’ll be one step closer to completing the Community Center bundles and restoring it to its former glory. Once you fully complete the Community Center, you’ll unlock the glorious Greenhouse so you can plant any crops all year round! Nothing says ‘community’ like enjoying an area’s natural resources with your neighbors.
