Stardew Valley Fishing Professions
The Fishing tree splits by how you fish: Fisher is the rod branch and Trapper is the crab pot branch. The one number to get right before you pick is Angler. Its 50% replaces Fisher's 25% rather than adding to it.
How you level it: Catching fish, trash, seaweed and algae with a rod, or harvesting crab pots. Each level raises the bobber bar, lifts the minimum fish size, shortens the wait for a bite, and improves your chance at a quality fish.
If you take Fisher at level 5
Fisher
Level 5Fish worth 25% more.
Then at level 10 you choose between
Angler
Level 10Fish worth 50% more.
The 50% replaces Fisher's 25%. The two do not add together.
Pirate
Level 10Chance to find treasure doubled.
Which to take: Angler is the pick if you sell what you catch. Pirate is the pick if you are hunting the treasure chests for artifacts, rings and the occasional prize ticket, and it pairs with a Treasure Hunter tackle.
Fisher is a level 5 Fishing profession.If you take Trapper at level 5
Trapper
Level 5Resources required to craft crab pots reduced.
Then at level 10 you choose between
Mariner
Level 10Crab pots no longer produce junk items.
Luremaster
Level 10Crab pots no longer require bait.
Which to take: Mariner turns a row of crab pots into a steady supply of shellfish instead of a row of trash, which is the usual reason to build them. Luremaster removes the daily chore of rebaiting, so it is the pick if the pots are set and you would rather not touch them.
Trapper is a level 5 Fishing profession.You can change your mind later
Donate 10,000g and pick one skill. That night you get its level 5 screen again, then its level 10 screen. Your existing bonuses drop the moment you choose a skill to change, and sell-price bonuses will not apply to anything already sitting in the shipping bin that day. The Sewers
Frequently asked questions
Does Angler stack with Fisher?
No. Angler's 50% replaces Fisher's 25%. It is not 75%. This is the most common misreading of the fishing tree, because the two bonuses are worded the same way and one follows the other.
Fisher or Trapper?
Fisher if you fish with a rod and sell the catch, since it leads to Angler and the largest flat sell-price bonus available to any skill. Trapper if you would rather line the shore with crab pots and collect them each morning, and it leads to the two professions that make those pots painless.
Angler or Pirate?
Angler if you sell fish. Pirate doubles your chance at treasure chests during the fishing minigame, which is the pick if you are after artifacts, rings and prize tickets rather than gold. Pirate pairs well with a Treasure Hunter tackle.
Mariner or Luremaster?
Mariner stops crab pots producing junk, so every pot returns something worth keeping. That is usually why people build the pots in the first place. Luremaster removes the need to bait them, which turns a daily chore into a set-and-forget row.