Fishing

How to Fish

Your Sim does not need to buy a fishing rod. He or she will automatically have one and be able to fish at fishing spots.

To use bait, your Sim must be at least level 3 in the Fishing skill. Choose the Fish with Bait interaction when you click on the water. Then you can choose bait from your inventory if you have any. See below for the types of bait that you can use when fishing. Then, at level 5, you can start using fish as bait.

Where to Fish

You can fish in the following locations in The Sims 3.

Sunset Valley

Location Name
Beach
Crystal Springs
Goth Household
Graveyard
Landgraab House
Park
Pinochle Pond
Science Facility
Stoney Falls

Riverview

Location Name
Hatchery
Lost Willow Park
River

Traits that Improve Fishing

Angler

The Angler trait makes your Sim catch fish more quickly and level up the fishing skill more quickly. Anglers also have more fun while fishing than normal Sims do.

Over Emotional

Use this with caution, but it can help your Sim be in an even better mood from fishing than he or she would normally be.

Loves the Outdoors

Your Sim will fish outdoors, so make the most of it with the Loves the Outdoors trait to get a boost to mood.

Loner

Your Sim will likely be fishing alone a lot. The loner trait will give you a moodlet boost.

Green Thumb

Useful for growing bait. This will also help you make the most of Deathfish if you want to make Ambrosia.

Natural Cook

This can help with Ambrosia, or just with making good meals from your fish.

Fishing Challenges

The fishing skill includes some challenges that you can see in the Fishing skill journal.

Amateur Ichthyologist

If you don't have the World Adventures expansion installed, then the goal of this challenge is to catch all 21 varieties of fish. If you do have World Adventures installed, you have to catch at least 20 of the 31 available fish types. After accomplishing this, your Sim will catch bigger fish.

Commercial Fisherman

After catching 350 fish (of any type), your Sim will catch fish more quickly than before.

Fishing Opportunities

If you have trained your Fishing skill, you will randomly get opportunities on the phone that ask you to make use of your Fishing skill in exhange for various rewards.

Aquarium Fishing

Go to the Fishing Competition at the supermarket (check the supermarket to see what times of day you can do this). You will get §1000 and five random fish.

An Excellent Catch

Catch a fish of Excellent quality and sell it at the Supermarket. In addition to the sale price, you get a random § bonus.

A Fish of Life and Death

Catch a Deathfish and deliver it to the Science facility. Reward: §350 and a random § bonus.

Fishing for Suits

Teach a fishing seminar at the business office (check the business office to see what times of day you can do this). You will get a random § reward.

Fresh Fish

Catch three fish and sell them to the Supermarket. Reward: Random § bonus in addition to the sale price.

Funny Looking Fish

Catch a Tragic Clownfish and give it to the Theater. Reward: §250 plus a random § bonus.

Heaps of Fresh Fish

Catch 15 fish and sell them to the supermarket. Reward: Random § bonus in addition to sale price.

Lobsters in Demand

Catch a lobster and sell it to the supermarket. Reward: §100 plus a random § bonus.

Lots of Fresh Fish

Catch six fish and sell them to the supermarket. Reward: Random § bonus.

Monster from the Deep

Catch the Behemoth at the Science Facility. Reward: §4000.

Piscine Perfection

Catch a Perfect fish and sell it to the supermarket. Reward: Random § bonus.

A Plumber and Fisherman

Visit city hall to unclog the pipes (check the location to see what times of day you can do this). Reward: §500 and one random type of fish.

Robot Fish v2.0

Catch a Robot Fish and sell it to the Science Facility. Reward: §350 plus a random § bonus.

Say Hello to my Little Fish

Catch a Black Goldfish and sell it to the Police station. Reward: §650 plus a random § bonus.

Fish Types

The following are the fish types that you can catch in The Sims 3. You can catch them at any level provided that you are using the listed type of bait.

Salt Water refers to the ocean, so fishing from a beach will let you catch salt water fish.

Fresh Water refers to a lake, pond, or other enclosed body of water.

Two types of fish can only be caught in specific locations. Those fish types are the Robot Fish, which can only be caught in the Science Facility ponds, and the Deathfish, which can only be caught in the Graveyard pond.

To find out what types of fish can be caught in a particular body of water, click on the water and choose Inspect Water. A notification will pop up that lists the known types of fish that can be caught there. It will say 'Unknown Fish' for fish types that your Sim has never caught before.

Fish NameBaitHabitat
AnchovyTomatoSalt Water
MinnowAppleFresh Water
GoldfishLettuceFresh Water
Alley CatfishCheeseBoth
JellyfishGrapesSalt Water
Rainbow TroutEggFresh Water
Red HerringLinksBoth
TunaOnionSalt Water
Siamese CatfishBell pepperBoth
Tragic ClownfishWatermelonSalt Water
BlowfishPotatoSalt Water
PiranhaMinnowFresh Water
Black GoldfishGoldfishFresh Water
SalmonLimeBoth
SwordfishAnchovySalt Water
SharkRed HerringBoth
AngelfishAlley CatfishBoth
Vampire FishGarlicFresh Water
Robot FishPiranhaScience Facility
LobsterTunaBoth
DeathfishAngelfishGraveyard

Specific Fish Locations

Anchovy Riverview: Hatchery. Sunset Valley: Beach
Minnow Riverview: River, Lost Willow Park. Sunset Valley: the Park, Crystal Springs, Goth Household, Landgraab House.
Goldfish Riverview: River, Lost Willow Park. Sunset Valley: the Park, Crystal Springs, Goth Household, Landgraab House.
Alley Catfish Riverview: River near Warehouse. Sunset Valley: Stoney Falls, Landgraab House, Beach.
Jellyfish Riverview: Hatchery. Sunset Valley: Beach.
Rainbow Trout Riverview: Lost Willow Park, River. Sunset Valley: the park, Crystal Springs, Stoney Falls, Landgraab House.
Red Herring Riverview: River, Lost Willow Park, Hatchery. Sunset Valley: the Park, Beach, Crystal Springs, Stoney Falls, Pinochle Pond, Goth Household, Graveyard, Science Facility, Landgraab House.
Tuna Riverview: Hatchery. Sunset Valley: Beach.
Siamese Catfish Riverview: River. Sunset Valley: Park, Beach, Landgraab House.
Tragic Clownfish Riverview: Hatchery. Sunset Valley: Beach.
Blowfish Riverview: Hatchery. Sunset Valley: Beach.
Piranha Riverview: River, Lost Willow Park. Sunset Valley: Pinochle Pond, Crystal Springs
Black Goldfish Riverview: River, Lost Willow Park. Sunset Valley: Park, Pinochle Pond, Science Facility, Landgraab House.
Salmon Riverview: River, Lost Willow Park, Hatchery. Sunset Valley: Park, Beach, Crystal Springs, Stoney Falls, Goth Household, Landgraab House.
Swordfish Riverview: Hatchery. Sunset Valley: Beach.
Shark Riverview: River, Lost Willow Park. Sunset Valley: Crystal Springs, Pinochle Pond, Beach.
Angelfish Riverview: River, Lost Willow Park. Sunset Valley: Park, Beach, Crystal Springs, Stoney Falls, Goth Household, Landgraab House.
Vampire Fish Riverview: River, Lost Willow Park. Sunset Valley: Pinochle Pond, Graveyard, Science Facility.
Robot Fish Riverview: River near science facility. Sunset Valley: Science Facility.
Lobster Riverview: River. Sunset Valley: Park, Beach, Crystal Springs, Pinochle Pond, Goth Household.
Death Fish Riverview: River north of graveyard between 12AM and 5AM. Sunset Valley: Graveyard between 12AM and 5AM.