Fishing (The Sims 3)

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Fishing

Family fishing

For fishing in other games, see Fishing.

See also: Fishing spot

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.

When Sims reach level 3 in the gardening skill, they can use fish as a fertilizer for harvestable plants in their garden. The quality of the fish depends on how effective the fertilizer will be on the plant it is used on.

There are certain types of fish that can only be caught if Sims travel to one of the three locations shipped with The Sims 3: World Adventures. Sims can catch frogs, snails and crawfish in Champs Les Sims. In Shang Simla the types of fish Sims can catch are doitsu koi, kawarimono koi, ochiba koi, tancho koi and dragon fish. In Al Simhara, Sims can catch crocodiles and mummy fish. These fish are exclusive to these locations and cannot be caught in any other world shipped with The Sims 3.

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

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

Level	Ability
1	Inspect Water
3	Choose bait
5	Use live bait

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.

Fish

Image	Skill	Fish	Habitat	Rarity	Bait	Weight (Kg)	Min Value (§)	Max Value (§)	EP
	0	Minnow	Fresh Water	Common		0.1 - 0.5	5	11	&BG
	0	Anchovy	Salt Water	Common		0.1 - 0.5	5	11	&BG
	1	Goldfish	Fresh Water	Common		0.1 - 2	6	16	&BG
	1	Alley Catfish	Fresh and Salt Water	Uncommon		0.1 - 5	6	20	&BG
	2	Jellyfish	Salt Water	Common		0.1 - 10	8	19	&BG
	2	Rainbow Trout	Fresh Water	Common		1 - 10	9	18	&BG
	3	Red Herring	Fresh and Salt Water	Common		1 - 10	5	5	&BG
	3	Tuna	Salt Water	Common		2 - 40	11	25	&BG
	4	Tragic Clownfish	Salt Water	Uncommon		5 - 15	14	30	&BG
	4	Siamese Catfish	Fresh and Salt Water	Uncommon		5 - 40	13	32	&BG
	5	Piranha	Fresh Water	Common		3 - 25	14	41	&BG
	5	Blowfish	Salt Water	Uncommon		5 - 40	14	47	&BG
	6	Salmon	Fresh and Salt Water	Common		10 - 50	14	45	&BG
	6	Black Goldfish	Fresh Water	Common		5 - 25	16	49	&BG
	7	Swordfish	Salt Water	Common		20 - 60	17	60	&BG
	7	Shark	Fresh and Salt Water	Uncommon		1 - 150	7	70	&BG
	8	Angelfish	Fresh and Salt Water	Uncommon		2 - 60	21	85	&BG
	8	Vampire Fish	Fresh Water	Rare		25 - 80	55	225	&BG
	9	Lobster	Fresh and Salt Water	Common		5 - 50	25	120	&BG
	9	Robot Fish	Fresh Water	Rare		250 - 1,000	50	275	&BG
	10	Deathfish	Fresh Water	Rare		20 - 80	200	1,000	&BG
	0	Frog	Fresh Water	Common		0.1 - 1	6	13	&EP01
	0	Doitsu Koi		Common		1 - 25	7	14	&EP01
	3	Kawarimono Koi		Common		1 - 25	14	28	&EP01
	3	Snails	Fresh and Salt Water	Uncommon		0.1 - 1	8	20	&EP01
	4	Crocodile		Uncommon		1 - 400	14	40	&EP01
	5	Ochiba Koi		Uncommon		1 - 50	20	65	&EP01
	5	Crawfish	Fresh and Salt Water	Uncommon		0.1 - 3	15	45	&EP01
	7	Tancho Koi		Uncommon		1 - 50	25	90	&EP01
	8	Mummy Fish		Rare		25 - 80	280	1,200	&EP01
	9	Dragon Fish		Rare		40 - 150	60	300	&EP01
	2	Sea Sludge	Fresh and Salt Water	Common		1 - 100	11	22	&EP03
	4	Kissing Gourami	Fresh and Salt Water	Common		0.1 - 15	8	15	&EP03
	6	Sewer Trilobite	Fresh and Salt Water	Common		1 - 100	35	75	&EP03
	1	Sea Bat Starfish	Salt Water	Common		1 - 25	8	42	&EP06
	5	Linckia Starfish	Salt Water	Uncommon		1 - 40	16	76	&EP06
	10	Ninja Starfish	Salt Water	Rare		1 - 80	50	400	&EP06
	1	Toad	Fresh Water	Common		0.4 - 2	8	20	&EP07
	7	Luminous Salamander	Fresh and Salt Water	Uncommon		0.1 - 1	20	90	&EP07
	8	Fairy Damsel	Salt Water	Rare		4 - 65	50	300	&EP07
	1	Sea Urchin		Common	N/A	0.4 - 2	13	19	&EP10
	1	Anemone		Common	N/A	0.4 - 2	25	38	&EP10
	1	Sea Polyp	Salt Water	Common	N/A	0.4 - 2	44	63	&EP10
	4	Hermit Crab		Uncommon	N/A	0.4 - 2	158	188	&EP10
	4	Octopus		Uncommon	N/A	1 - 10	375	438	&EP10
	7	Squid		Uncommon	N/A	1 - 10	500	563	&EP10
	7	Eel		Rare	N/A	1 - 10	813	875	&EP10
	9	Seahorse		Rare	N/A	0.4 - 2	1,063	1,250	&EP10
	0	Three Eyed Fish	Fresh and Salt Water	Common		2 - 10	5	25	&EP11
	0	Rainbow Snail	Fresh and Salt Water	Common		0.1 - 5	15	50	&EP11

Notes

• Ironically, the Vampire Fish's favorite bait is garlic, which is one of a vampire's weaknesses.
• Robot Fish can be found in a pond in most science labs. It's the only fish that can weigh over one ton.
• Deathfish can be found in a pond in graveyards. It can only be caught between midnight and 5 AM, unless it's caught from a Sim-made deathfish-stocked pond. The graveyard pond will only yield a maximum of six (sometimes five) deathfish per night. After the sixth is caught, the pond reverts to just red herring and vampire fish, regardless of the hour.
• Red Herring is not a real fish, but a common expression for something that distracts attention from a real issue. Like most fish, herrings have silvery scales.
• All fish from Island Paradise cannot be caught from fishing. The only way to catch them is from scuba diving in the diving areas, hence the lack of bait.
  • It is, however, possible to stock a pond with them like any other fish and catch them that way. If you stock a pond with these fish, they cannot be seen swimming in the water but they can still be caught like all other fish in the game.
• Traveling to the future is not enough to catch either of the unique fish in Into the Future. You must go into the Dystopian future to catch a Three Eyed Fish and into the Utopian Future to Catch a Rainbow Snail.

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

Ribbit.

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:

Fish Fishing Spawner EP Anchovy Ocean Common 1 Ocean Common 2 Minnow Lake Common 1 Lake Common 2 France, Frog Pond Goldfish Lake Common 1 Lake Common 2 Lake Uncommon 1 China, Common China, Koi 1 Alley Catfish Lake Uncommon 2 Ocean Uncommon 1 Egypt, Oasis, Common Egypt, Oasis, Rare Egypt, River, Common Egypt, River, Rare Jellyfish Ocean Common 1 Ocean Common 2 Ocean Uncommon 2 Rainbow Trout Lake Common 1 Lake Uncommon 1 Lake Uncommon 2 France, Common 1 France, Common 2 France, Uncommon Red Herring Lake Common 1 Lake Common 2 Lake Uncommon 1 Lake Uncommon 2 Lake Rare Ocean Common 1 Ocean Common 2 Ocean Uncommon 1 Ocean Uncommon 2 Ocean Rare Robot Fish Deathfish/Graveyard China, Common China, Uncommon China, Rare Egypt, Oasis, Common Egypt, Oasis, Rare Egypt, River, Common Egypt, River, Rare France, Common 1 France, Common 2 France, Uncommon France, Rare Tuna Ocean Common 2 Ocean Uncommon 1 Siamese Catfish Lake Common 1 Ocean Uncommon 1 Egypt, Oasis, Common Egypt, Oasis, Rare Egypt, River, Common Egypt, River, Rare Tragic Clownfish Ocean Common 2 Ocean Uncommon 1 Ocean Rare Blowfish Ocean Common 1 Ocean Uncommon 2 Ocean Rare Piranha Lake Uncommon 1 Lake Rare Black Goldfish Lake Common 1 Lake Rare Robot Fish China, Uncommon China, Rare France, Uncommon Salmon Lake Common 1 Lake Common 2 Lake Uncommon 2 Ocean Common 1 Egypt, River, Common Egypt, River, Rare Swordfish Ocean Common 1 Ocean Uncommon 2 Shark Lake Uncommon 1 Lake Rare Ocean Common 2 Ocean Uncommon 1 Ocean Rare Angelfish Lake Common 2 Lake Uncommon 2 Lake Rare Ocean Rare Ocean Uncommon 2 China, Uncommon China, Common

Fish Fishing Spawner EP Vampire Fish Lake Rare Robot Fish Deathfish/Graveyard Robot Fish Robot Fish Lobster Lake Common 2 Lake Uncommon 1 Lake Rare Ocean Common 2 Ocean Uncommon 1 Egypt, River, Rare Deathfish Deathfish/Graveyard (12 AM - 5 AM only) Frog Egypt, Oasis, Common Egypt, Oasis, Rare France, Common 1 France, Common 2 France, Frog Pond France, Uncommon France, Rare Doitsu Koi China, Common China, Koi 2 Kawarimono Koi China, Common China, Koi 1 China, Uncommon China, Rare Snails France, Common 1 France, Common 2 France, Uncommon Crocodile Egypt, Oasis, Common Egypt, Oasis, Rare Egypt, River, Common Egypt, River, Rare Ochiba Koi China, Koi 2 China, Uncommon China, Rare Crawfish France, Common 1 France, Common 2 France, Uncommon Tancho Koi China, Dragon Fish China, Koi 1 China, Koi 2 China, RareChina, Koi 2 China, Rare Mummy Fish Egypt, MummyFish Dragon Fish China, Dragon Fish China, Koi 1 China, Koi 2 China, Rare Sea Sludge Kissing Gourami Sewer Trilobite Sea Bat Starfish Linckia Starfish Ninja Starfish Fairy Damsel Ocean Rare Ocean Uncommon 2 Lake Uncommon 2 &EP07 Luminous Salamander Ocean Rare Ocean Uncommon 2 Lake Uncommon 1 Lake Uncommon 2 &EP07 Toad Egypt, Oasis, Common Egypt, Oasis, Rare France, Common 1 France, Common 2 France, Frog Pond France, Uncommon Lake Common 1 Lake Common 2 France, Rare Lake Uncommon 2 &EP07 Three Eyed Fish Three Eyed Fish/Dystopia Spawner &EP11 Rainbow Snail Rainbow Snail/Utopia Spawner &EP11

Opportunities

Opportunity	Description	Reward
A Fish of Life and Death	Catch a Deathfish and Deliver Deathfish at the Science Facility to earn some money.	§350 + § Variable
A Plumber and Fisherman	Unclog pipes at City Hall before time runs out to earn some money.	§500 + 1x Random Fish
An Excellent Catch	Catch an excellent fish and Sell Fish at the Supermarket to earn some money.	§ Variable
Aquarium Fishing	Attend Fishing Competition at the Supermarket before time runs out to catch an assortment of fish.	§1,000 + 5x Random Fish
Fishing for Suits	Teach Fishing Seminar at the Business Office before time runs out to earn some money.	§ Variable
Fresh Fish	Catch 3 fish, then Sell Fish at the Supermarket to earn some money.	§ Variable
Funny Looking Fish	Catch a Tragic Clownfish at the Theatre to earn some money.	§250 + § Variable
Heaps of Fresh Fish	Catch 15 fish, then Sell Fish at the Supermarket to earn some money.	§ Variable
Lobsters in Demand!	Catch a Lobster and Sell Lobster to the Supermarket to earn some money.	§100 + § Variable
Lots of Fresh Fish	Catch 6 fish, then Sell Fish at the Supermarket to earn some money.	§ Variable
Monster from the Deep	Catch Behemoth at the Science Facility before time runs out to earn some money.	§4,000
Piscine Perfection	Catch a perfect fish and Sell Fish at the Supermarket to earn some money.	§ Variable
Robot Fish v2.0	Catch a Robot Fish and Sell Robot Fish at the Science Facility to earn some money.	§350 + § Variable
Say Hello to My Little Fish	Catch a Black Goldfish and Sell Black Goldfish at the Police Station to earn some money.	§650 + § Variable

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%)

Gallery

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  Arlo Bunch fishing at the Pleasant Rest Graveyard at night

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  Iqbal Alvi fishing at the Old Pier Beach