stardew valley's fishing minigame is terrible the same way that your first ever cup of black coffee is terrible. it sucks at first, but when you build a tolerance to it, you develop an unearned sense of superiority over the people who hate it and begin insisting that actually it's the best thing ever. anyway, stardew valley's fishing is the best fishing minigame ever.

Damn am I the only one who loved stardew valley fishing from the get go?

Simone comes in, serves enough to kill a man, and leaves. We love her for it.

Simone is absolute crushing with this hair congratulations on absolutelly awasome hair simone

I would love a whole game that takes other game's fishing minigames and connects them somehow. Like that lockpicking game on Steam.

As soon as Simone mentioned Hemmingway I laughed in sheer joy. This so Simone and her essays are always co compelling, unique, and wonderful. Please branch out into long form video essays I would love to see what she does with that format

Simone coming in hot with the license to slay

Simone's dedication to incorporating the Lost Generation into everything she does is sincere goals. I always wonder how she's going to do it and am never disappointed.

Love Simone making Hemingway part of her brand much like he made fishing his.

It took 50 seconds to bring up Hemingway...Simone's videos are like my safe space: Welcoming, reliable, vibemaxxed to the high heavens.

“Stardew valley’s terrible fishing mini-game” how dare you, I’ve loved the fishing game since I first played it. Anytime I play Stardew with friends, I’m the designated fisher since I’d rather do that than anything else in the game lol. Anyways great video as always Simone!

I also bounced off Hemingway the first time I read him, but later I found I had a much easier time getting into his short stories first. I guess that’s like my fishing trash!

The part where she talks about how men in Hemingway's stories *do* things to avoid *feeling* things fits particularly well with Hemingway's writing advice: "Never mistake motion for action." (At least, I think he intended it as writing advice.) His characters so continually (dare I say poignantly?) failed to follow that advice.

I both love and am sorry that Simone is a Shane fan, he truly is the best and the worst and inescapable and lives in my dreams and nightmares

Thanks Simone, I loved this. I was a fishing tacle collector in my youth. I loved everything about fishing other than the fishing part of it. I have been thinking I should try it again now that I am (much) older and relaize that my reluctance may have been more born out of undiagnosed ADHD rather than hating to fish.

Legendary fish are secretly the bossfights of stardew valley

Name a more iconic duo than Simone and Hemingway

Getting every fish while playing SD on mobile is my single greatest achievement in life. sooo excited for haunted chocolatier.

In every playthrough of Stardew I've always been level 10 fishing by like the end of Spring year 1 😭 never read any Hemingway but fishing in games is so chill and that repititiveness is def part of it (also fish are usually p solid $$$ in games like Animal Crossing and Stardew, esp early on). Also like that in Stardew single player, the time is paused while the fishing minigame is up so it makes the days feel a little longer and more relaxed :)

The real way to Stardew fishing level grind is by getting the Training Rod from Willy, which gives you a bigger fishing bar, and then just mass catching Carp in the forest pond or sewers. They barely even move. Then, once you get to level six, get the Iridium Rod with a Trap Bobber

until stardew i'd never played any game with a fishing mechanic so i was convinced it was normal, so i grinded and got so good at it it's now my fav thing - and then i talked to other players. who hated it. now i'm The Fisher in the multiplayer file. i got the expanded fishing mod. i am happy. and i suck at different fishing mini-games now.

1. I got good at stardew valley fishing really fast because it hits me right in the autism in the best way possible, I love a good repetitive physical task 2. Simone your hair looks really nice in this video I like what you did with it

I always thought fishing was boring until Jeremy Wade from River Monsters got me interested in it, but not for the obvious reason. People assume that I enjoy the show and learned to enjoy fishing because of the “monsters” and crazy adventures and insane fish he catches… but that’s not it. He showed me how fishing is very much a tactics and knowledge based activity if you want to get really good at it like he is. He understands the fish, where they eat, how they track food, where they hunt, etc. then he reads the environment with insane precision, for example: using tiny ripples in a flowing river to recognize a low pressure zone under the water where small fish gather for safety from the current and so that’s where the big fish hunt. Then he has the physical skill to cast his line and drop it exactly in that little calm pocket in the rushing river, with the exact bait needed, and the exact rhythm on the pole to attract the fish he’s after. The multi layered specificity and how much thought, expertise and skill goes into fishing at his level is really impressive to me. Especially considering he fishes rivers around the world and has an encyclopedia of thousands of fish, environments, habits, preferences and more all stored in his big British noggin. He’s a seriously impressive guy and fishing is seriously cool when you really break it down the way he does. He’s like a skilled bounty hunter or Batman using a mixture of preparation, intelligence and physical power to catch his prey. Haha Every fish requires different tactics and preparation… some hunt by sight, some by scent or feel, some spool easily and some require some splashing to attract them… some sit and wait for food to come to them and some hunt on the move. You need to know and understand dozens of variables to have a chance of catching the one you want, and then that’s where the physical bit begins! Do I fish? No. I still find basic old dudes dangling a string off a bridge boring too… but I do know that fishing CAN be awesome and we should be respecting our water because millions of people require those fish to survive.

Simone’s literary lens to videogames is what I love!!!! There’s so much to say about videogames as an artform and its said so eloquently!

For me, I found that fishing in Stardew Valley got something like 100000 times easier when I got a better pole. Once I had a sizeable rectangle it was actually possible to *keep behind the dratted fish*--or most of them, anyway--I could actually catch something. I'm still not catching legendary stuff, but...I suspect I can get there eventually.

Once you understand the pattern of each fish in Stardew it becomes infinitely easier. Like most games, if you aren't willing to actually try, you aren't going to succeed.

The biggest tip I can give for people fishing in stardew valley is to just remember that sometimes a fish is really erratic, and sometimes that same fish will be really easy. So if a fish I giving you a lot of trouble, don't be worried to let it go and try the next one. Odds are it will be easier.

I always loved stardew fishing, because in other games I've played it's so boring, just sit there and wait to just click. Stardew's little minigame keeps it engaging

This is my favorite type of polygon video. This and the video about rdr2 and the paintings of the American west. Moving past the “are video games art” convo and just diving deep into the ways that video games continue traditions, good and bad, of the history of art from almost every conceivable medium. Also, same Simone, Shane is my husband and it’s just always gonna be that way.

Lovely video! Great journalism, digging (fishing) and presentation. Really enjoyed it. Will play all the fishing games now. And a second round of Stardew Valley...

I’m disabled, so no matter what happens I will always hate fishing in Stardew :(

Me - whatever could have changed Simone's mind? Simone - Ernest Hemingway Me - you know. I should have expected this, And Yet Deeply on brand 10/10 I love it

I actually really like the fishing in Stardew and am also a fan of fishing in games, in general. My secret to being pretty good/consistent at Stardew fishing is never hold the button for more than like a second. I mostly just do a bunch of tiny taps to keep the bar hovering in one spot, then I just pause or hold depending on the situation. That's the big secret, is being able to get the green bar to hover with tiny button taps~ EDIT: Note that this still doesn't make the hard fish any less annoying to catch. Those are still assholes. but this trick helped me be more consistent. I hope it helps someone else too!

I love that you made this into a video because the article you wrote about it is seared into my memory but I could never remember if it was an article or a video and now I will always be right no matter which one I think it is

I bounced off a Hemingway book when the main character pissed directly off his porch. :P

I understand and appreciate that frustration right at the end of the video. I *LOVE* the fishing in Stardew Valley, but still hate the legendary fish because they feel unfair. Sure, you can use bobbers and fully level up to make it easier, but even then they still dart up and down in a way that forces you to go a long time without blinking because a moment's distraction means you lose and have to start over.

Man I love the fishing mini game - maybe it’s the switch controls? I found it really easy?

This was so nice and calming and meditative! Thanks!

10/10 for Simone’s glow up

I've always felt bad bcs I adore almost every fishing minigame in every game I've played that has one....but god I could never get the hang of the one in Stardew Valley T-T I'll fish for hours in Coral Island and Animal Crossing and Cult of the Lamb, but yeah the SDV one has escaped my mastery. But...maybe I'll give it another shot, just bcs of this video. Wish me luck o7

I never knew people didn't like the fishing in SDV. It's like the best fishing in any farm sim I've played, because it's not just the same boring "click to get fish". I love having to practice in order to get good at it, it's fun!

“[fishing] makes you reel ticked off” I see what you did there lol

The easiest bundle for the fish tank can be reached just by foraging things from the beach, and gives crab pots for a reward. I’d always do that, then slowly raise my fishing level through using those (just buy bait from Willy) until I was at least level 5? Then fishing became way easier.

wait this is a great idea actually. im gonna start a new stardew save where i cosplay as herman melville. bringing the glories of whaling to pelican town

Yes, more videos like this please! We are living in the cozy fishing game renaissance. Brought on by the terrible Stardew fishing.

This was such a beautiful and thoughtful video. I enjoyed it very much 💙🐟🎣

Omg your hair!! Absolutely amazing, it flows so flowy 😭

how did I not realize this was secretly a video about Hemmingway

I grew to really love the mini game. It got to the point that I could tell which fish I’d caught by the way the fish moved up and down

There's nothing quite like having a level 10 fishing skill, a master iridium rod with a cork bobber and seafoam pudding all in your inventory right before you walk out on a rainy spring day....today's the day...one legend ends...and another begins.

this is an excellent and well-spoken video that provides a lot of insight into both fishing minigames and the works of ernest hemmingway that lets me see both in a new light - and simone looks so pretty!! if i could give this more than one like i would. 10/10

I was honestly surprised to hear people had problems with Stardew's fishing. It's a pretty bog-standard fishing minigame, I've seen the exact mechanic in a bunch of other games before. It's a lot easier to control than Cult of the Lamb's, for sure

There was another game that I used to play all the time that had a similar fishing mini game and I cannot remember what it was. Stardew's minigame was unexpected and challenging but after a few tries I loved it.

Simone, your love for Hemingway always brings me so much joy. Here's to all of us girls who love a dead problematic white man. And I also hated fishing on Stardew. Learned to love it simply because I hated fighting more and I needed to contribute with something on my co-op farm.

I always love a video where you can tell the person in front of the camera is passionate about, at least one, aspect of it

Why does SDV's fishing minigame start hard and get easier? The mine doesn't start you on the bottom floor! Typical game progression start with a relatively easy task to teach you the mechanics, getting more difficult as you get more practice and become ready for a greater challenge. SDV fishing instead starts you with the HARDEST FISHING WILL EVER BE, completely backwards. On PC on level 1 fishing, a single mouseclick sends the green rocketing to the top of the bar. It's impossible to control. I honestly couldn't even tell what I was supposed to be trying to do, and I know from consulting forums that my experience is common for PC players. I used crab pots and food boosts to claw my way up the fishing skill levels to get the better easier equipment during my first couple of plays, but now I just use a mod to skip it.

I've developed a soft spot for fishing in Cult of the Lamb. Life for my followers might not be great, but I do like to prepare them a good seafood meal

I really feel like stardew's fishing is the flappy bird of fishing minigames

Ahh, I remember the article from back when you started this hemingway stardew fishing journey.

I love how your AC villager looks just like you!

I actually loved the Stardew fishing game, it feels like the only one that has real challenge to it, while still allowing you to craft or purchase things that make it easier. I also love the Ocarina fishing mini game because it’s borderline just a version of BassHunter in Zelda. Kinda perfect.

I wish we could get an arcadey fishing focused game that borrowed the mechanics from Red Dead Redemption 2. I loved the fishing sidequest from that game, better even than a lot of the hunting and combat mechanics.

This might say a lot about me or the way I play video games - but fishing was the only skill I ever maxed out in stardew

SHANE SQUAD SOUND OFF. I have played so many files of Stardew Valley and I've romanced Shane every. Single. Time. Even when I started a file thinking, "This time I'm trying someone else!" Also thank you for bringing together the two great loves of my life: literature and video games. Your meditation on the parallels between fishing games and Hemingway was truly a delight, and you've even inspired me to revisit The Old Man and the Sea. (I've disliked Hemingway's prose for much of my life, but The Old Man and the Sea is infuriatingly beautiful, damn him.)

Simone looks SO GOOD and this is also a fantastic video

During WoD (ew) in WoW I had 100% in fishing achievements, it's one of those things were I'm not sure if it's something to be proud of or shameful of, but I did it, and I enjoyed it.

The joy I felt when I learned that Simone’s Dream Daddy character was named and modeled after Ernest Hemingway when there is an actual character named Ernest Hemingway in the game, it truly too great to be measured. This is definitely going into my comfort videos playlist. I’m a huge fan of fishing in video games (Dredge is in my top five for this year) and Simone’s analysis has really made me think about how I approach it, and how it makes me feel.

Ah Dredge, love that bit of fish Tetris. Tetfish? Tetraminnows...?

Gotta say I never had an issue with the controls. Has a good weight to it

I actually beat Hades without successfully catching a fish. My brother had to patiently explain to me the difference between nibbles and bites.

I didn't expect to learn that Ernest Hemingway had a ridiculous number of cats through a video about fishing in video games, thanks Simone

Loved this video and i love fishing in stardew!! When i play with my wife i tend to be the one that goes out and fishes. Its a combination of skill, level and what rod you use. Training Rod severely helps with leveling and catching fish early, but better rods and lures gives better control. I hadn't played in a while, and my wifes having a bad week. Might be good to dust off some Stardew. 😁

Anyone looking for a nice fishing mini game, try the one in Hades. It's great not just because it's really satisfying but also because it gives you a breather from all the chaos and the fighting you are usually so wrapped up in. And if you are still struggling with Stardew valley fishing game, get a training rod. It helps you build confidence and find joy in fishing and then when you get a higher level or fishing gets easier get a fiberglass rod and put bait in it, it's very helpful. Happy fishing games!

we have been waiting for a Hemingway video

huh. i should read more hemingway.

and after feeling the fishing minigame a lot you start seeing that every fish has its own personality, some dart around like they got stung by a bee, others dash across the entire bar in infrequent bursts, some just sink down to the bottom and stay there, and it's always the same type of fish that does that I developed a small game that I try to guess what fish I am trying to catch off the patterns alone and I'm right half the time which in my opinion is good enough

This comes at a time where I’ve been reading some of the Hemingway canon, weird coincidence

I dedicated one afternoon to learning how to fish in stardew and now when friends and I play multiplayer I'm the designated fisherman. Its really not that hard, I thought the fishing minigame in Coral Island was a lot harder!

Gonna need to start cataloguing Time to Hemmingway in Simone videos XD

Content's great and whatever but Simone's hair is amazing

Great video production

Oddly enough when I played with friends all of us would fish from day one and max it out at the beach you get to around level 2-4 on your first day and make a lot of money doing this problem was we would do this and then have to wait a full year for the community center to be complete-able

I actually love fishing on Warframe of all things. It's so relaxing to seek hotspots, craft lures or spelunking into caves to find rare fish. It's a side activity on the game but sometimes i spend my whole play session just fishing and chilling out.

Not to be rude, but Simone's hair looks great in this video!

The Shane to Hemingway pipeline must be studied.

i....didn't know this was a issue people had, i enjoy the fishing minigame from the start

Look, not to detract from another banger video, but damn Simone, your hair game is on point right now. Those locks are gorgeous.

Polygon's video essays are always so dope

Winter 2016 was also when I was completely addicted to Stardew. Good times

This is such a great, calm video

Loving Stardew Valley's fishing minigame but never having read any of Hemingway's works, I suddenly feel like I have a lot of reading to do. Which stories would you recommend first?

Excellent Video!

ITS GOOD HOW DARE YOU i always liked fishing in stardew cause it's pretty simple and straightforward. yeah it's tricky but there's only one thing you need to keep track of and i find that comforting. and it's very clear what you're supposed to do. i usually like fishing in games but animal crossing fishing is so finicky and weird and just UNCLEAR and it drove me insane

Did not expect a Hemingway drop this early into the video. You’ve done it Simone, your long battle is over, you can retire now.

this video literally made me came back to Polygon, i laughed so hard simone is amazing

I honestly enjoyed the fishing mini game. Once I understood how to do it, I had a good time with it.

Secret Hemingway video hahaha love it

Keep the good effort 💙

Spiritfairer’s fishing is definitely one of my favorites

when i played stardew valley during a nonstop fugue state that took up the majority of December 2016, i feel like i ran into a bug because a lot of fish just hung out at the bottom of the bar for a while. it has...probably been fixed since, but i never got around to playing the game again anyway.