The shad is a commonly found river fish in Stardew Valley that can be found in every season except for winter. They only come out when it rains, meaning there is no way to catch them on a sunny day unless you have magic bait, in which case they can be caught in any weather, time, or season.
The shad is pretty basic overall among all the fish in Stardew Valley but it’s also a necessary catch. Based on the questions that come up from many beginner Stardew players, this seems to be a fish many struggle to catch, even though it’s not a fighter.
Let’s dive into the shad’s place in Stardew with everything you need to know about this rainy day fish.
Stardew Valley Shad: The Basics
In Stardew Valley shad are pretty average to mediocre as a fish, as they don’t do a lot when it comes to energy, health, or base price when selling, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have their uses. They can be found in three of four seasons (Spring, Summer, Fall) but only come out during rainy days.
- Where to catch Shad in Stardew: In the town river or forest river, or the River Farm.
- When: Spring, Summer, or Fall on rainy days only! Shads can be caught as early as 9am in the day and can be caught all day, all the way to 2am in the morning at day’s end.
- Difficulty: Medium at a 45, but they seem even easier because they are a “smooth” fighter of a fish and don’t dodge around a lot.
- Best For: Finishing the River Fish bundle in the Community Center, or the Quality Fish Bundle in the Remixed Version of the Community Center requirements.
- Value: 18-30 fishing XP
- Spawn: [706]
Shad are important because they are needed for Community Center bundles, however outside of that they are a really common fish in most ways and don’t really stick out, meaning outside of those bundles they are basically a crafting/cooking fish.
How much does shad sell for? How much energy or health does eating a shad recover in Stardew?
| Shad Quality | Energy | Health | Base Price | Fisher Price | Angler Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base | +25 | +11 | 60g | 75g | 90g |
| Silver | +35 | +15 | 75g | 93g | 112g |
| Gold | +45 | +20 | 90g | 112g | 136g |
| Iridium | +65 | +29 | 120g | 150g | 180g |
How to Use Shad Stardew Valley
Every item in Stardew Valley has at least one use, with many having multiple. The shad river fish is no exception to this. So what are shad’s most important uses in Stardew?
Finishing Community Center Bundles
The biggest reason the shad has any importance at all in Stardew Valley (beyond the Completionist Achievement) is that they are required for the bundles that restore the Community Center.
In the regular (standard) setup, a shad is required to complete the River Fish bundle. If you go with the remixed packages, then you need a gold quality shad for the Quality Fish bundle.
Crafting Food & Quality Fertilizer
Since shad is not a high value fish, doesn’t create anything special in fish ponds, nor does it work as a great source of health or energy, this does make it an ideal fish for cooking or crafting quality fertilizer since you aren’t giving up a fish that can be more valuable in other ways. Once you have your Community Center needs taken care of, cook away!
Tailoring Ingredient
The shad can be put in the spool of a sewing machine to create the Fish Shirt, a fun and popular item in the game. If the shad is put in the dye pot instead, it turns into green dye.
Stardew Shad FAQ
What is the Shad ID for spawning a shad in Stardew Valley?
The spawning number for Shad is [706]
Where can I find shad in Stardew Valley?
Shad can be found in any river during Spring, Summer, or Fall. That can be in the Town, the forest, or even from the River farm’s rivers.
What are shad best for in Stardew?
Basically for finishing out community bundles, and then using them for cooking or crafting. Shad are ideal for making Sashimi or Maki Roll, which are much more valuable, much more effective for healing, and much better for giving as a gift.
Do shad appear in any quests in Stardew?
As of the most recent update, shad do not appear in any help wanted quests.
The Shad in Stardew: In Conclusion
The shad is a common fish that offers a touch of a fight and a decent combination of other benefits. They are used in various ways and shouldn’t be too hard to come by throughout the game, especially when chasing a catfish, which is much harder to catch and also caught from rivers on rainy days.
This is a simple fish to catch, but they are easy even on a basic fishing rod and give plenty of material for cooking when you want a maki roll or sashimi for a gift, or for better healing than the fish itself, they’re a great option since these fish aren’t good for much else after the Community Center bundle is taken care of.
Other Stardew Articles You May Enjoy
- Stardew Rainbow Trout
- Stardew sprinklers
- What tool should I upgrade first Stardew
- Stardew Tool Upgrade Guide
- Stardew Fishing Guide (Coming Soon)
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