The octopus is a wily sea creature that can be surprisingly hard to catch in real life. They have an unusually strong intelligence, a unique shape, and special abilities like ink and camouflage, which all combine to make them one of the most fascinating creatures on Earth. Stardew Valley doesn't go into all these details, but in exchange the game makes them very hard to catch.
The 
Octopus of Stardew Valley is a fishing-pole creature, which means you have to catch one by casting your line into the water. These creatures can appear in different places at different times, but they're always tough to catch.
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Where to Catch an Octopus
Octopi are oceanic creatures, so you can only find them in saltwater areas. However, there are several areas in the game that qualify.
- The Beach, during summer from 6am to 1pm (better odds on sunny days)
- You can also catch an octopus on the Beach during any season if you have Magic Bait (though the odds are lower since Magic Bait lets you catch any fish that can appear in the area)
- In the Night Market Submersible (always a 2.2 percent chance, lower with the Curiosity Lure)
- In the Ginger Island West region (better odds than the beach and available year-round)
During the fishing minigame, the octopus is a sinker, which means it drops faster than it rises. You probably won't notice much of a difference, though, because its difficulty rating is 95. That makes it the toughest non-unique fish to catch in the game, and only the Glacierfish and the Legend have higher difficulty ratings. On the plus side, catching an octopus also gives you the most Fishing XP of any normal fish.
There are a few ways to improve your odds of catching an octopus, and they all boil down to making the green bar as wide as possible.
- Wait until your Fishing skill hits 10.
- Eat food that increases your Fishing skill even more (Seafoam Pudding with Qi Seasoning adds +5).
- Get the Iridium Rod and equip it with a Cork Bobber.
- Go to the Forge and add "Master" to your rod, which adds an extra +1 Fishing skill.
It's entirely possible to catch an octopus during the first year, and without any of the listed buffs. However, considering how difficult it is, you shouldn't be disappointed if you don't pull it off. You can also find an octopus for sale in the Traveling Cart, but it's not a common sight.
How to Use an Octopus
Unlike most fish, you can't eat an octopus directly from your inventory. Something you can do is use it in recipes that call for "any fish," such as maki rolls and sashimi.
You can also gift octopi to villagers. Specifically, Elliot likes getting an octopus, and Willy (who knows how hard they are to catch) loves them. Most other villagers dislike or hate getting them, based on how they respond to fish in general. Aside from that, octopi can show up as a requested item on the "Help Wanted" board.
Like other fish, you can create an octopus fish pond. Aside from octopus roe, an octopus pond also produces omni geodes, possibly up to 10 at a time if the pond has reached its max population.
One problem with the octopus is that its sell price is disappointingly low. A standard octopus only sells for 150g, and iridium-quality improves that to 300g. Compare this to 200g for a sturgeon or catfish, 300g for a stonefish, or 700g for a lava eel. This means the price of octopus roe is equally low.
On the other hand, there are two unique uses for the octopus. First, if you choose the remixed bundles for the Community Center, you can use an octopus in the Master Fisher's Bundle. Second, the octopus is the only item that produces the Blue Buttoned Vest when you add it to the sewing machine.
The last reason to catch an octopus is to complete the "catch every fish" challenge. Doing so will get you a Stardrop in the mail from Willy, the Master Angler achievement, and one step closer to Perfection.
Stardew Valley
- Released
- February 26, 2016
