Fishing (The Sims 3)

Fishing is a skill in The Sims 3. This skill is gained by fishing in the ponds or ocean around the map. The higher the Sims' fishing skill is, the more types of fish they can catch. Books can be found at the bookstore showing the bait that can be used to catch specific fish, but a Sim can determine the bait through trial and error by simply selecting a bait and seeing what they catch. Water can be inspected to see what known fish can be caught there, and whether the fish are active.

The skill is augmented by the Angler and Loves The Outdoors traits. Children and older Sims with the Childish or Insane traits can fish in swimming pools.

With The Sims 3: Ambitions expansion pack, players can register as a self-employed fisher.

Statistics

 * Number Caught
 * Fish Types Caught
 * Heaviest Fish Caught
 * Most Money Earned From Selling A Fish
 * Total Money Earned from Fishing

Challenges

 * Amateur Ichthyologist
 * Amateur Ichthyologists have caught at least 20 types of fish. Their deep understanding of marine life helps them catch bigger fish than normal Sims.


 * Commercial Fisherman
 * Commercial Fishermen have caught at least 350 fish. They often catch more fish in less time than normal Sims.

Abilities
Every two levels the game announces the Sim can catch more fish and to check the bookstore.

The Sim can learn the bait type for a specific fish species by buying and reading fishing books from the bookstore or just by successfully catching a particular species once using the right bait type. Fishing books are not available in the community public library.

All aquatic animals caught fishing can be kept as pets in an aquarium or they can be used to stock a pond.

Trophies
Fish can be mounted on walls by clicking on a fish in a Sim's inventory and choosing "send to be mounted" and paying a small fee around 70 Simoleons. The trophy should arrive the next day in the mailbox.

Fish can also be put in fish bowls or an aquarium. Fish bowls can be bought in buy mode. All fish fit in a bowl, one fish per bowl or six fish per tank. Fish are nameable, but must be fed each day or they will die. Fish can be scooped out of bowls, and put back in a Sim's inventory.

Stocking ponds
If a Sim has 10 or more fish of one type in their inventory, they can stock any pond with that fish. By stocking fish, a new type of fish is introduced in that pond. The pond will then contain an unlimited supply of that fish type for fishing.

There is no limit on how many different fish types there can be in one pond. Any type of fish or any type of pond will do, including Deathfish and ponds not on playable lots. Stocking a pond with the Deathfish (or any other fish, for that matter) will allow it to be caught at any time of the day in that pond.

A tip in obtaining better Death Fish is purchasing 10 Alley Catfish and stocking them in a pond in order to obtain a perfect Alley Catfish. Then fish 10 Angel Fish and stock them in the same pond. At midnight to 5am the angler will be able to get a very good or perfect Deathfish.

Buydebug fishing spawners
Fishing spots can be populated with fish by using fishing spawners. Fishing spawners can be found under the buy menu when the cheat buydebug is turned on. Here is a list of fish in the game, by fishing spawner:

Strange occurrences
Sometimes a Sim may bring up an old box which will give them various things. The box randomly grants the Sim one object from the following list, sorted according to the rarity of the item:
 * Rubber ducky (40%)
 * Bubble Bath (32%)
 * Candle (32%)
 * Birthday cake (32%)
 * Garden gnome (20%)
 * Escape Dust (20%)
 * Mummy snack (18%)
 * Liquid Courage potion (18%)
 * Sands of Understanding (18%)
 * Skeleton keystone (14%)
 * Guitar (13%)
 * Stereo (13%)
 * Death Flower (12%)
 * Mysterious Mr. Gnome (12%)
 * Sultan Sam the Magical Gnome of Egypt (12%)
 * Master Manchu the Magical Gnome of China (12%)
 * Little Léon the Magical Gnome of France (12%)
 * Flame Fruit (8%)
 * Money Tree seed (10%)
 * Laptop (6%)
 * Master Thief's Coin (4%)
 * Eyes of Horus (2%)