Here’s how and where to catch Lava Eels in Stardew Valley

The Lava Eel is very hard to catch in Stardew Valley, but it’s definitely worth the time and effort for dedicated players. Here’s how and where to catch Lava Eels.

Fishing in Stardew Valley is an involved process, and catching the most profitable fish in the game can be an ordeal. The best fish is the Lava Eel, but getting one is not easy. Just getting a bite from one is a tough task and can take an entire day. Then once the bite happens, it’s nearly as tough to reel in as a legendary fish.

Still, Stardew Valley is a game about making money and the Lava Eel’s value makes it worth your while. Here’s how to reel one in and what to do with it after.

How to catch a Lava Eel in Stardew Valley

Lava Eels can be caught by fishing in the lava of the 100th floor of the mines or in the 10th floor of the volcano dungeon.

As the name suggests, Lava Eels live in lava and the only areas with lava that can be fished are in the mines and on Ginger Island in the forge. While Lava Eels are the only fish that can be found in lava, they have a very low chance of biting. Most casts will only yield the player a garbage item.

Once a Lava Eel is hooked, it is very difficult to reel in. Players need to have ideal tackle and make strong reads on the fish’s movement in order to bag it after getting a bite.

What is the easiest way to catch a Lava Eel in Stardew Valley?

The easiest way to catch the Lava Eel in Stardew Valley is by using a Cork Bobber or Trap Bobber for tackle and raising your character’s rank up to level 10 in fishing. 

A Cork Bobber and level 10 in fishing gives the player a much larger bar in the fishing mini-game than if they try and catch the fish at a lower level. Another option is a Trap Bobber, which gives the player more time to recover when the fish is outside the bar.

On top of that, players should make sure they have good luck on the day before even setting out. If the player goes fishing for a Lava Eel when the spirits are mad, they can spend all day fishing in the lava and may only hook two or three Lava Eels during that time.

How much does a Lava Eel sell for?

Lava Eels sell for between 700g and 1,400g, making them the most profitable fish in Stardew Valley. But it’s not recommended that players sell them outright. Instead, players are best served by putting Lava Eels in fish ponds.

Lava Eel Roe sells for 380g. It can be aged to drive up the price even further, with fully aged Lava Eel Roe costing 1,064g.

Players can increase the chances of a Lava Eel Roe spawn by fulfilling their gift requests when possible. Lava Eels have much greater demands than most fish. The first request will always be for three Fire Quartz, which is followed by either Basalt, a Dwarf Scroll III, or two diamonds. The third request is two Mega Bombs, with the last one being an Iridium Bar. While popular YouTube personalities might not like fulfilling the wishes of their fish ponds, it exponentially increases the profitability.