Animal Crossing: New Horizons (ACNH) Guides

April Fish List with Availability & Sell Prices

There are 39 fish creatures available to catch in April for the Northern Hemisphere in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, or 42 fish for the Southern Hemisphere!

Use our interactive grid or table containing highlighting every fish you can catch in April including when you can catch them, where to find them, shadow sizes, sell prices, and how rare they are. Both Northern & Southern Hemisphere are supported.

In addition to the full April list, select the New in April and Leaving in May toggles to automatically filter accordingly for the latest arriving fish or upcoming leaving fish to catch.

April FishNew in AprLeaving in May

NorthSouth

GridTable

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TIME ›

Morning (4 am-9 am) Daytime (9 am-4 pm) Evening (4 pm-9 pm) Night (9 pm-4 am)

LOCATION ›

Pier Pond River River (Clifftop) River (Mouth) Sea Sea (Rain)

SHADOW ›

RARITY ›

★☆☆ ★★☆ ★★★

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Critterpedia Name (A-Z) Name (Z-A) Price (Low-High) Price (High-Low) Rarity (Low-High) Rarity (High-Low) Location (A-Z) Location (Z-A) Shadow (Small-Large) Shadow (Large-Small)

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Name	Price	Location	Shadow	Availability	Rarity
Bitterling ✔	900	River		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★☆☆
Pale Chub ✔	200	River		9 AM - 4 PM JFMAMJJASOND 9 AM - 4 PM JFMAMJJASOND	★☆☆
Crucian Carp ✔	160	River		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★☆☆
Dace ✔	240	River		4 PM - 9 AM JFMAMJJASOND 4 PM - 9 AM JFMAMJJASOND	★☆☆
Carp ✔	300	Pond		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★☆☆
Koi ✔	4,000	Pond		4 PM - 9 AM JFMAMJJASOND 4 PM - 9 AM JFMAMJJASOND	★☆☆
Goldfish ✔	1,300	Pond		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★☆☆
Pop-Eyed Goldfish ✔	1,300	Pond		9 AM - 4 PM JFMAMJJASOND 9 AM - 4 PM JFMAMJJASOND	★★☆
Ranchu Goldfish ✔	4,500	Pond		9 AM - 4 PM JFMAMJJASOND 9 AM - 4 PM JFMAMJJASOND	★★☆
Killifish ✔	300	Pond		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★★☆
Crawfish ✔	200	Pond		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★☆☆
Soft-Shelled Turtle ✔	3,750	River		4 PM - 9 AM JFMAMJJASOND 4 PM - 9 AM JFMAMJJASOND	★☆☆
Snapping Turtle ✔	5,000	River		9 PM - 4 AM JFMAMJJASOND 9 PM - 4 AM JFMAMJJASOND	★☆☆
Tadpole ✔	100	Pond		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★☆☆
Frog ✔	120	Pond		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★☆☆
Freshwater Goby ✔	400	River		4 PM - 9 AM JFMAMJJASOND 4 PM - 9 AM JFMAMJJASOND	★☆☆
Loach ✔	400	River		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★☆☆
Catfish ✔	800	Pond		4 PM - 9 AM JFMAMJJASOND 4 PM - 9 AM JFMAMJJASOND	★☆☆
Giant Snakehead ✔	5,500	Pond		9 AM - 4 PM JFMAMJJASOND 9 AM - 4 PM JFMAMJJASOND	★★☆
Bluegill ✔	180	River		9 AM - 4 PM JFMAMJJASOND 9 AM - 4 PM JFMAMJJASOND	★☆☆
Yellow Perch ✔	300	River		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★☆☆
Black Bass ✔	400	River		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★☆☆
Tilapia ✔	800	River		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★☆☆
Pike ✔	1,800	River		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★★☆
Pond Smelt ✔	400	River		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★☆☆
Sweetfish ✔	900	River		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★☆☆
Cherry Salmon ✔	1,000	River (Clifftop)		4 PM - 9 AMAll Day JFMAMJJASOND JFMAMJJASOND	★★☆
Char ✔	3,800	River (Clifftop)		4 PM - 9 AMAll Day JFMAMJJASOND JFMAMJJASOND	★★★
Golden Trout ✔	15,000	River (Clifftop)		4 PM - 9 AM JFMAMJJASOND 4 PM - 9 AM JFMAMJJASOND	★★★
Stringfish ✔	15,000	River (Clifftop)		4 PM - 9 AM JFMAMJJASOND 4 PM - 9 AM JFMAMJJASOND	★★★
Salmon ✔	700	River (Mouth)		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★☆☆
King Salmon ✔	1,800	River (Mouth)		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★★☆
Mitten Crab ✔	2,000	River		4 PM - 9 AM JFMAMJJASOND 4 PM - 9 AM JFMAMJJASOND	★☆☆
Guppy ✔	1,300	River		9 AM - 4 PM JFMAMJJASOND 9 AM - 4 PM JFMAMJJASOND	★☆☆
Nibble Fish ✔	1,500	River		9 AM - 4 PM JFMAMJJASOND 9 AM - 4 PM JFMAMJJASOND	★★☆
Angelfish ✔	3,000	River		4 PM - 9 AM JFMAMJJASOND 4 PM - 9 AM JFMAMJJASOND	★☆☆
Betta ✔	2,500	River		9 AM - 4 PM JFMAMJJASOND 9 AM - 4 PM JFMAMJJASOND	★★☆
Neon Tetra ✔	500	River		9 AM - 4 PM JFMAMJJASOND 9 AM - 4 PM JFMAMJJASOND	★☆☆
Rainbowfish ✔	800	River		9 AM - 4 PM JFMAMJJASOND 9 AM - 4 PM JFMAMJJASOND	★★☆
Piranha ✔	2,500	River		9 AM - 4 PM, 9 PM - 4 AM JFMAMJJASOND 9 AM - 4 PM, 9 PM - 4 AM JFMAMJJASOND	★★☆
Arowana ✔	10,000	River		4 PM - 9 AM JFMAMJJASOND 4 PM - 9 AM JFMAMJJASOND	★★☆
Dorado ✔	15,000	River		4 AM - 9 PM JFMAMJJASOND 4 AM - 9 PM JFMAMJJASOND	★★☆
Gar ✔	6,000	Pond		4 PM - 9 AM JFMAMJJASOND 4 PM - 9 AM JFMAMJJASOND	★★☆
Arapaima ✔	10,000	River		4 PM - 9 AM JFMAMJJASOND 4 PM - 9 AM JFMAMJJASOND	★★☆
Saddled Bichir ✔	4,000	River		9 PM - 4 AM JFMAMJJASOND 9 PM - 4 AM JFMAMJJASOND	★★☆
Sturgeon ✔	10,000	River (Mouth)		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★★★
Sea Butterfly ✔	1,000	Sea		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★☆☆
Sea Horse ✔	1,100	Sea		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★☆☆
Clown Fish ✔	650	Sea		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★☆☆
Surgeonfish ✔	1,000	Sea		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★★☆
Butterfly Fish ✔	1,000	Sea		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★☆☆
Napoleonfish ✔	10,000	Sea		4 AM - 9 PM JFMAMJJASOND 4 AM - 9 PM JFMAMJJASOND	★★★
Zebra Turkeyfish ✔	500	Sea		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★☆☆
Blowfish ✔	5,000	Sea		9 PM - 4 AM JFMAMJJASOND 9 PM - 4 AM JFMAMJJASOND	★☆☆
Puffer Fish ✔	250	Sea		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★☆☆
Anchovy ✔	200	Sea		4 AM - 9 PM JFMAMJJASOND 4 AM - 9 PM JFMAMJJASOND	★★☆
Horse Mackerel ✔	150	Sea		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★☆☆
Barred Knifejaw ✔	5,000	Sea		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★★☆
Sea Bass ✔	400	Sea		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★☆☆
Red Snapper ✔	3,000	Sea		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★☆☆
Dab ✔	300	Sea		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★☆☆
Olive Flounder ✔	800	Sea		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★☆☆
Squid ✔	500	Sea		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★☆☆
Moray Eel ✔	2,000	Sea		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★★☆
Ribbon Eel ✔	600	Sea		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★★☆
Tuna ✔	7,000	Pier		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★★★
Blue Marlin ✔	10,000	Pier		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★★★
Giant Trevally ✔	4,500	Pier		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★★★
Mahi-Mahi ✔	6,000	Pier		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★★★
Ocean Sunfish ✔	4,000	Sea		4 AM - 9 PM JFMAMJJASOND 4 AM - 9 PM JFMAMJJASOND	★★★
Ray ✔	3,000	Sea		4 AM - 9 PM JFMAMJJASOND 4 AM - 9 PM JFMAMJJASOND	★★☆
Saw Shark ✔	12,000	Sea		4 PM - 9 AM JFMAMJJASOND 4 PM - 9 AM JFMAMJJASOND	★★★
Hammerhead Shark ✔	8,000	Sea		4 PM - 9 AM JFMAMJJASOND 4 PM - 9 AM JFMAMJJASOND	★★★
Great White Shark ✔	15,000	Sea		4 PM - 9 AM JFMAMJJASOND 4 PM - 9 AM JFMAMJJASOND	★★☆
Whale Shark ✔	13,000	Sea		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★★★
Suckerfish ✔	1,500	Sea		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★★☆
Football Fish ✔	2,500	Sea		4 PM - 9 AM JFMAMJJASOND 4 PM - 9 AM JFMAMJJASOND	★☆☆
Oarfish ✔	9,000	Sea		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★★★
Barreleye ✔	15,000	Sea		9 PM - 4 AM JFMAMJJASOND 9 PM - 4 AM JFMAMJJASOND	★★★
Coelacanth ✔	15,000	Sea (Rain)		All Day JFMAMJJASOND All Day JFMAMJJASOND	★★★

View our complete lists for all months of Fish, Bugs, and Sea Creatures.

Notable New Fish in April (NH)

There are two newly arriving uncommon fish worth looking out for in April — the Killifish in ponds and the Surgeonfish in ocean. Neither are particularly valuable though.

For new and profitable fish, you’ll want to hunt the Snapping Turtle returning for the first time last October, which you can relatively frequently in rivers selling for a respectable 5,000 Bells!

Don’t forget to catch the Crawfish, another new April fish found exclusively in ponds that can be easily forgotten. It’s pretty common too. Other new common fish include the Guppy, Neon Tetra, Sea Horse, Clown Fish, Butterfly Fish, and Zebra Turkeyfish.

Notable Fish Leaving in May (NH)

The elusive Tuna and Blue Marlin are both saying farewell when April ends. These rare fish can only be found by your island’s Pier, so make sure you’ve caught one before the month is over. The Blue Marlin will return in just a few short months though, while the Tuna is gone until November.

Other than that, the Dab is leaving too, but you’ve surely caught way too many already…

Notable New Fish in April (SH)

There’s very little new going on in the Southern Hemisphere during April — we only have two new common fish to catch with the Yellow Perch in rivers and Dab in the sea.

Notable Fish Leaving in May (SH)

While many rare shark fish already left Southern Hemisphere islands after March, a few more stragglers are departing after April ends. Be sure to catch the rare Giant Trevally and Mahi-Mahi before time is up, both found near your island’s Pier!

Other uncommon fish leaving in May include the Betta, Rainbowfish, Moray Eel, and Ribbon Eel. Finally, pay special attention to the common Tilapia only found in ponds and leaving after April.

Tips & Tricks for Catching Fish

Different fish appear on your Animal Crossing island depending on the month, time of day, and specific location. If you’re looking to catch a very specific fish, pay close attention to the indicated shadow size to help you guess before casting your rod if it’s your target fish. Use the run button to scare away undesirable fish to be respawned when you walk away and come back.

You can use the visual indicator of fish biting your rod, the strong rumble feeling from your controller, or even just the sound of the strong bite to time your catches. Sometimes, closing your eyes and simply just using the rumble or sound can work better than looking as the bites can trick you!

Each technique for different people, so try them all to see what works best for you. Generally speaking though, the more rare and valuable fish have a higher ‘difficulty’ that require a faster reaction time to successfully catch them.

Finally, it should be noted that fish can only ‘bite’ up to four times before the final bite, or five bites in total. You can have confidence in the next bite being the one to press A after four fake bites! Most commonly, you’ll find fish biting on the third attempt.

Fish Locations

Most fish in Animal Crossing: New Horizons are found in broad locations of the river, the ocean sea, or small ponds. However, a small selection of fish are only in special locations defined more narrowly.

Pier Fish

Pier fish, including the rare Blue Marlin, can only be found in the ocean area directly surrounding an island’s Pier. This boardwalk extending from either the lower left or right side of your island is where the Resort Hotel and Kapp’n can be found, but is otherwise empty early on.

River Mouth Fish

River mouth fish, including the elusive Sturgeon, can only be found in the area of your river where it connects into the ocean. In other words, it’s the area of water between your actual river on the mainland and the opening on your beach to the sea. You’ll typically find these fish right around the rocks and where the water colours merge together.

River Clifftop Fish

River clifftop fish, including the expensive Stringfish, can only be found in the river on your island’s upper 2nd and 3rd terrain levels. A pond without flowing water towards another level does not count.

Using Fish Bait

A great way to speed up finding rare fish, especially in tricky locations like the pier, river mouth, and river clifftops is to craft and use Fish Bait. Use it to repeatedly spawn new fish to appear in front of you in these spots!

The Fish Bait DIY recipe can be unlocked by digging up a manila clam on your island’s beaches with a shovel — look out for a small shadow with water squirting out. And new in Version 3.0, you can now craft up to 10 Fish Bait at a time with bulk crafting added in the update.

Fish Spawn Requirements

Some fish in Animal Crossing: New Horizons have spawn requirements that prevent them from appearing until you’ve caught enough. The most notable are these five rarest fish that require you to have caught at least 100 fish in total to unlock them:

• Golden Trout
• Stringfish
• Dorado
• Barreleye
• Coelacanth

We’ve omitted these numbers from the list to save space, but it is worth keeping in mind if it’s your very first few hours catching fish.

Unlock Golden Fishing Rod DIY Recipe

When you have caught and recorded all 80 different fish in your NookPhone’s Critterpedia, the Faraway Museum will mail you a DIY recipe for the Golden Rod, requiring a Fishing Rod and 1 Gold Nugget to craft. While it does last about three times as long as non-golden tools, the Golden Rod is still not invincible to breaking.

Note that this is seperate from actually donating fish to your island’s Museum — you can still get the golden fishing rod without donations.

Save Fish for Models or Extra Bells from C.J.

Besides donating fish to Museum or selling at Nook’s Cranny, you might want to save them up for the next time C.J. visits your island!

When C.J. is visiting, after completing a challenge, you can get exclusive Fish Models from him by trading in three of the same fish. You can also use C.J. to maximize your fishing profits as he’ll buy fish from you for an extra 50% more Bells than Timmy & Tommy at Nook’s Cranny do.