The Hardest Fish to Catch in Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the Mighty Coelacanth
As an avid Animal Crossing gamer and content creator myself, I know first-hand the rush and frustration of hunting for rare catches. And in New Horizons, no fish elicits more excitement and head-scratching than the elusive, ancient Coelacanth!
Why Is the Coelacanth So Rare and Hard to Catch?
Out of all the fish that can appear around your Animal Crossing islands, the Coelacanth stands in a tier of its own when it comes to rarity. Let‘s dig into why:
Tiny Spawn Rates: The Coelacanth has just a 2% daily spawn rate when available. That‘s 40-50x rarer than a common fish like sea bass!
Limited Windows of Availability: Coelacanths only spawn in the rainy months of late Fall to early Spring in each hemisphere.
Extra Large Size but Hard Spot: At 130 cm long, they have very large shadows. But their dark color, rainy ripples and quick diving make them extremely tricky to notice.
Lightning Fast Escape Reflex: Hook one with a early or late throw and the Coelacanth will zoom off instantly before you reel it in! Their quick reflex is unmatched.
I‘ve compiled the key data around the Coelacanth‘s spawn conditions in the table below:
| Fish Dimension | Spawn Rate | Spawn Times | Spawn Months (Northern Hemisphere) | Spawn Months (Southern Hemisphere) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 130 cm (extra large) | 2% | 9 PM – 4 AM | November – April | May – August |
As a creature that‘s existed for 95 million years in real life, the Coelacanth has had plenty of time to become the master of evasion in Animal Crossing seas!
Other Notable Difficult Fish in Animal Crossing
While no fish surpasses the Coelacanth‘s difficulty, there are a few other challenging rare catches in Animal Crossing: New Horizons to highlight:
Giant Trevally
- Spawn rate: 5%
- Spawn location: Pier (rare mystery island)
- The Giant Trevally only spawns from the edges of the pier on rare mystery islands that feature piers. This limited niche location and low spawn rate makes encountering one very unlikely.
Sturgeon
- Spawn months: September – March (Northern) / March – September (Southern)
- Requires perfect timing: Sturgeons are quick to escape the second you miss the catch window, making them a test of skill.
Blue Marlin
- Spawn rate: 0.2% spawn rate while available
- Spawn hours: All day
- Tiny catch window: One of the fastest large fish to escape
I‘ve compiled the dimensions of these challenging fish in the table below:
| Fish | Size | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Coelacanth | 130 cm | 15,000 bells |
| Giant Trevally | 130 cm | 10,000 bells |
| Sturgeon | 120 cm | 10,000 bells |
| Blue Marlin | 110 cm | 10,000 bells |
So while other rare catches like the Giant Trevally, Sturgeon and Blue Marlin deserve honorable mentions, the Coelacanth stands in a tier of its own when crowned most difficult fish.
Tips from an ACNH Expert on Catching the Coelacanth
As a gamer who has sunk over 400 hours into Animal Crossing: New Horizon so far, I‘ve had my fair share of attempts catching a Coelacanth. And while reeling one in remains on my gaming bucket list, I‘ve picked up some pro tips along the way that are worth sharing.
Here are my top 5 expert tips for catching a Coelacanth in ACNH:
1. Fish rain or shine between 9 PM and 4 AM from November to April (Northern Hemisphere) / May to August (Southern Hemisphere). These are the magical rainy hours when the Coelacanth will appear so schedule your hunts accordingly!
2. Equip your Wet Suit to access every possible spawn point. The best spots are along the rocky cliffs on the east coast of your island but having the flexibility to swim for mystery island spawns helps too.
3. Pack multiple Stacks of Fish Bait and watch the ocean while chumming. You could burn through loads of bait before a Coelacanth appears so be persistent and keep the bait flowing!
4. Sneak up gently then cast your bobber right on its nose as soon as the Coelacanth darts. Their quick reaction time means you must be swift and accurate with your timing!
5. Celebrate catching this mighty historical fish by placing it proudly in your house. At 130 cm long, the Coelacanth deserves a special giant tank memorial so the entire island can admire your epic catch!
Follow those tips, stay vigilant in your hunts and with some luck one magical rainy evening you may just hook the catch of a lifetime. Let me know if you have any other questions chasing after this iconic legendary fish – it‘s a team effort for this one!
