Hit indie farming RPG Stardew Valley has grown massively in both popularity and scale since its original 2016 release. Players start with almost nothing upon arriving in Pelican Town, and must build up their fortune through farming, mining, and fishing. Fishing is one of the most important activities in Stardew Valley, and can be a great source of both money and crafting materials.

There are almost a hundred different kinds of fish for players to catch in Stardew Valley, but not all of them are easy to find. One of the most difficult fish for players to track down and reel in is the Squid, which can only be caught in very specific conditions.

stardew-valley-extended-family-quest-guide
Stardew Valley: The Extended Family Quest Guide

The Extended Family Quest requires you to catch some of the rarest fishes in Stardew Valley; here’s how to handle this formidable task.

By 

Updated April 27, 2025, by Usama Ali: Fishing is more than just a pastime in Stardew Valley. With the release of Stardew Valley 1.6 update, developer ConcernedApe has made exciting changes to the fishing system, including adding more ways to catch Squid. There’s a whole new festival, called SquidFest, where you can catch a large number of Squid and earn unique rewards. We’ve updated this guide to reflect these changes, providing you with the most up-to-date information on how, when, and where to catch Squid in Stardew Valley.

Where to Catch a Squid in Stardew Valley

There are a few different ways to catch Squid in Stardew Valley. The first one is pretty straightforward and involves going to the Beach. Located in the south of Pelican Town, the Beach is the best spot for catching Squid.

Squid are nocturnal creatures and are typically active between 6 PM and 2 AM in-game time. Plus, you can only catch Squid during the Winter in Stardew Valley. The weather does not affect your chances of catching a Squid.

If you chose the Beach Farm map when starting your game, Squid can also be found in the ocean waters here. However, they are reported to be less common than at the main Pelican Town Beach.

The second way to catch Squid is by fishing in the SquidFest mini-festival. With the 1.6 update, the SquidFest is a new two-day fishing festival that takes place on the 12th and 13th of Winter at the Beach. During this festival, Squid can be caught all day long (6:10 AM to 2:00 AM). This is a prime opportunity to catch numerous Squid.

Players who catch specific numbers of Squid each day will be rewarded with unique prizes. The more Squid you reel in within a single festival day (Winter 12th or 13th), the better the rewards you'll receive.

What To Do With Squid in Stardew Valley

stardew-valley-fish-pond
Fish pond with a quest indicator

Squid are a moderately valuable item in Stardew Valley, selling with a base price of 80-160g depending on their quality. Squid are also required to complete several quests, including an automatic quest from Willy on Winter 2. Alternatively, Squid can be used in a few different crafting and cooking recipes:

  • Fried Calamari - Food that restores a moderate amount of health and stamina
  • Maki Roll - Food that restores a high amount of health and stamina
  • Quality Fertilizer - Improves soil quality, raising chances of a silver or gold-quality crop
    • 1 Any Fish
    • 2 Sap

  • Sashimi - Food that restores a moderate amount of health and stamina
    • 1 Any Fish

Squid can also be placed in Fish Ponds, where they'll reproduce at a rate of 1 every 3 days. Interestingly, Squid will not produce Roe like most fish in Stardew Valley's Fish Ponds. Instead, they produce Squid Ink, a rare ingredient used in two recipes and that Elliott loves to receive as a gift.

Rating block community and brand ratings Image
Stardew Valley Tag Page Cover Art

Stardew Valley
Display card tags widget
RPG
Simulation
Display card system widget
Systems
phone transparent super greyscale 8-bit logo PC-1 PlayStation-1 Xbox-1
Display card community and brand rating widget Display card open critics widget
Top Critic Avg: 90 /100 Critics Rec: 99%
Display card main info widget
Released
February 26, 2016
ESRB
E for Everyone (Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language, Simulated Gambling, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco)
Developer(s)
ConcernedApe
Publisher(s)
ConcernedApe
Engine
Proprietary
Multiplayer
Local Multiplayer, Online Multiplayer
Cross-Platform Play
Stardew Valley does not currently support crossplay between different consoles and PC
Display card main info widget end Display card media widget start Display card media widget end

WHERE TO PLAY

SUBSCRIPTION
DIGITAL
PHYSICAL
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info

Genre(s)
RPG, Simulation