January is one of the quieter fishing months in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, but it still offers a wide mix of species—especially if you’re running an island in both hemispheres. The availability shifts depending on where your island is located, and knowing the time-of-day windows and shadow sizes makes it easier to target rare catches.

How January Fishing Works in Animal Crossing New Horizons

Fish rotations in New Horizons depend entirely on seasonal changes. While the Northern Hemisphere leans into winter spawns like Bitterling and Stringfish, the Southern Hemisphere is in the height of summer, which means sharks and other warm-water species are still active.

The entry-level goal in January is simple: know what’s available and when to fish so you don’t miss a seasonal catch.

Northern Hemisphere — All January Fish

In January, 31 fish are available in the Northern Hemisphere, and none of them are new or leaving this month. It’s a carryover period, making this a great time to finish filling your Critterpedia without worrying about limited-time departures.

River Fish (North)

Fish	Price	Shadow	Time
Bitterling	900	Tiny	All day
Pale Chub	200	Tiny	9am–4pm
Crucian Carp	160	Small	All day
Dace	240	Medium-small	4pm–9am
Freshwater Goby	400	Small	4pm–9am
Bluegill	180	Small	9am–4pm
Yellow Perch	300	Medium-small	All day
Black Bass	400	Medium-large	All day
Pond Smelt	500	Small	All day
Stringfish	15,000	Large	4pm–9am (Clifftop)
Sturgeon	10,000	Huge	All day (River Mouth)

Pond Fish (North)

Fish	Price	Shadow	Time
Carp	300	Medium-large	All day
Koi	4,000	Medium-large	4pm–9am
Goldfish	1,300	Tiny	All day
Pop-eyed Goldfish	1,300	Tiny	9am–4pm
Ranchu Goldfish	4,500	Tiny	9am–4pm

Sea Fish (North)

Fish	Price	Shadow	Time
Sea Butterfly	1,000	Tiny	All day
Blowfish	5,000	Medium-small	9pm–4am
Anchovy	200	Small	4am–9pm
Horse Mackerel	150	Small	All day
Sea Bass	400	Large	All day
Red Snapper	3,000	Medium-large	All day
Dab	300	Medium-small	All day
Olive Flounder	800	Large	All day
Squid	500	Medium-small	All day
Football Fish	2,500	Medium-large	4pm–9am
Oarfish	9,000	Huge	All day
Barreleye	15,000	Small	9pm–4am

Pier Fish (North)

Fish	Price	Shadow	Time
Tuna	7,000	Huge	All day
Blue Marlin	10,000	Huge	All day

New in January (North)

There are no new fish in the Northern Hemisphere this month.

Leaving After January (North)

No species leave at the end of the month either. January is a calm period—nothing to rush for.

Southern Hemisphere — All January Fish

January is far more active in the Southern Hemisphere, with 58 fish available. Five species become available for the first time this month, and one species will cycle out when the month ends.

River Fish (South)

Fish	Price	Shadow	Time
Pale Chub	200	Tiny	9am–4pm
Crucian Carp	160	Small	All day
Dace	240	Medium-small	4pm–9am
Freshwater Goby	400	Small	4pm–9am
Tilapia	800	Medium-small	All day
Sweetfish	900	Medium-small	All day
Guppy	1,300	Tiny	9am–4pm
Nibble Fish	1,500	Tiny	9am–4pm
Angelfish	3,000	Small	4pm–9am
Betta	2,500	Small	9am–4pm
Neon Tetra	500	Tiny	9am–4pm
Rainbowfish	800	Tiny	9am–4pm
Piranha	2,500	Small	9am–4pm, 9pm–4am
Arowana	10,000	Medium-large	4pm–9am
Dorado	15,000	Large	4am–9pm
Arapaima	10,000	Huge	4pm–9am
Saddled Bichir	4,000	Medium-large	9pm–4am

Pond Fish (South)

Fish	Price	Shadow	Time
Carp	300	Medium-large	All day
Koi	4,000	Medium-large	4pm–9am
Goldfish	1,300	Tiny	All day
Pop-eyed Goldfish	1,300	Tiny	9am–4pm
Ranchu Goldfish	4,500	Small	9am–4pm
Killifish	300	Tiny	All day
Crawfish	200	Small	All day
Tadpole	100	Tiny	All day
Frog	120	Small	All day
Catfish	800	Medium-large	4pm–9am
Giant Snakehead	5,500	Large	9am–4pm
Gar	6,000	Huge	4pm–9am

Sea Fish (South)

Fish	Price	Shadow	Time
Sea Horse	1,100	Tiny	All day
Clownfish	650	Tiny	All day
Surgeonfish	1,000	Small	All day
Butterfly Fish	1,000	Small	All day
Napoleonfish	10,000	Huge	4am–9pm
Zebra Turkeyfish	500	Medium-small	All day
Puffer Fish	250	Medium-small	All day
Anchovy	200	Small	4am–9pm
Horse Mackerel	150	Small	All day
Barred Knifejaw	5,000	Medium-small	All day
Sea Bass	400	Large	All day
Red Snapper	3,000	Medium-large	All day
Olive Flounder	800	Large	All day
Squid	500	Medium-small	All day
Ribbon Eel	600	Thin	All day
Ocean Sunfish	4,000	Huge (Finned)	4am–9pm
Saw Shark	12,000	Huge (Finned)	4pm–9am
Hammerhead Shark	8,000	Huge (Finned)	4pm–9am
Great White Shark	15,000	Huge (Finned)	4pm–9am
Whale Shark	13,000	Huge (Finned)	All day
Suckerfish	1,500	Medium (Finned)	All day
Barreleye	15,000	Small	9pm–4am
Coelacanth	15,000	Huge	All day (Raining)

Pier Fish (South)

Fish	Price	Shadow	Time
Blue Marlin	10,000	Huge	All day
Giant Trevally	4,500	Large	All day
Mahi-Mahi	6,000	Large	All day

New Fish in January (South)

Five species debut this month in the Southern Hemisphere:

Fish	Price	Location	Shadow	Time
Sweetfish	900	River	Medium-small	All day
Napoleonfish	10,000	Sea	Huge	4am–9pm
Puffer Fish	250	Sea	Medium-small	All day
Blue Marlin	10,000	Pier	Huge	All day
Ocean Sunfish	4,000	Sea	Huge (Finned)	4am–9pm

Leaving After January (South)

Only one species departs when the month ends:

Leaving Fish	Price	Location	Shadow	Time
Tadpole	100	Pond	Tiny	All day

If you still need its Critterpedia entry, make sure to catch it before February starts.

Pro Tips for January Fishing

• Pier fishing is extremely valuable this month in both hemispheres thanks to Tuna and Blue Marlin. Use bait for faster respawns.
• Night fishing is underrated—Barreleye, sharks, and multiple river species have late-night windows.
• Weather matters: if it rains, drop everything and hunt for the Coelacanth.
• Shadow size recognition helps avoid wasted casts, especially when aiming for high-value species like Stringfish or sharks. Play Now!

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