Fish Smoker & Bait Maker Guide — Stardew Valley 1.6
Fish Smoker doubles fish sell price, Bait Maker turns cheap fish into permanent bait. How to craft, buy from Willy, and top fish to prioritize in Stardew 1.6.
Version 1.6 added two new machines that make fishing way more profitable: Fish Smoker and Bait Maker. One doubles your fish sell price, the other turns cheap fish into free bait forever — no more buying from Willy.
Quick Summary
- Fish Smoker — doubles fish sell price (x2). Crafted from Coal + Wood.
- Bait Maker — turns 1 fish into 5 Bait. Buy from Willy for 1,000g.
- Best fish to smoke: Catfish, Salmon, Squid — high base price doubles into serious gold.
- Best fish for Bait Maker: Sardine, Herring, Anchovy — cheap, easy to catch, perfect bait material.
- Combined strategy: Expensive fish → Fish Smoker. Cheap fish → Bait Maker. Zero waste.
Fish Smoker
How to Unlock
No quest needed. The crafting recipe unlocks automatically at Fishing Level 6. The moment you level up, it's yours — no need to visit Willy.
Crafting Recipe
| Material | Amount |
|---|---|
| Coal | 10 |
| Wood | 30 |
Dirt cheap. 10 Coal + 30 Wood pays for itself after a few fish. Build 2-3 right when you get the recipe so you can smoke in batches.
How It Works
Drop a fish in, wait 50 in-game minutes (about half a day), take out the smoked fish — sell price is doubled. One machine processes one fish at a time — no batch processing.
Example: Salmon sells for 75g raw. Smoked: 150g. Catfish 200g → 400g. Simple math.
Which Fish to Smoke?
| Fish | Base Price | Smoked Price | Extra Profit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catfish | 200g | 400g | +200g | River, rain, Spring/Fall |
| Salmon | 75g | 150g | +75g | River, Fall, easiest catch |
| Squid | 110g | 220g | +110g | Ocean, Winter, night |
| Eel | 85g | 170g | +85g | Ocean, rain, Spring/Fall |
| Sardine | 40g | 80g | +40g | Ocean, Spring/Fall/Winter |
Higher base price = more profit. Catfish and Salmon in Fall are the smoking combo. Cheap fish like Sardine? Feed them to Bait Maker instead — don't waste the smoker.
Bait Maker
How to Get It
Bait Maker can't be crafted — you buy it from Willy at the Fish Shop for 1,000g. Available from day one, no skill requirement. Buy one and you're set for the whole playthrough.
How It Works
Drop any fish in, and it outputs 5 Bait. Processing time: about 20 in-game minutes. The cheaper the fish, the better the value — Sardine (40g) gives you 5 bait (worth 25g in the shop) but saves a trip to Willy.
Best Fish for Bait Maker
- Sardine (40g) — top choice. Ocean, every season except Summer.
- Anchovy (30g) — cheaper than Sardine. Spring and Fall only.
- Herring (30g) — Spring and Winter, easy to catch.
- Chub (50g) — river year-round. Slightly more expensive but always available.
Pro tip: Place your Bait Maker next to a Fish Pond. Pond fish reproduce daily — endless bait without ever casting a line.
Combined Strategy
- Early game (Fishing 1-5): Sell fish raw for quick cash. Don't worry about smoking yet.
- Fishing 6: Craft 2-3 Fish Smokers + buy 1 Bait Maker from Willy.
- Sort your catch: Expensive fish (Catfish, Salmon, Eel) → Fish Smoker. Cheap fish (Sardine, Herring) → Bait Maker.
- Profit math: 20 Salmon per day = 1,500g raw → 3,000g smoked. That's 1,500g extra from one smoker per day.
Fish Smoker vs Other Processing
| Processing Method | Price Multiplier | Time | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fish Smoker | x2 | 50 min | All expensive fish |
| Sashimi (Level 3) | Fixed 75g | 30 min | Cheap fish <75g |
| Maki Roll | ~100g | 30 min | Gifts, quests |
| Sell raw | x1 | 0 | Need gold now |
Fish Smoker is the best way to boost fish prices across the board. Sashimi is only worth it for fish under 75g since it's fixed — but if you have a Bait Maker, cheap fish works better as bait.
Related on StardewHub
- Fishing guide — seasons, locations, and tips for every fish.
- Fish catalog — prices, seasons, and locations for all species.
- Fish Pond money guide — pair Bait Maker with Fish Ponds.
- Daily Planner — track fish seasons and weather.
Personally, Fall is my favorite: catch Salmon in the morning, toss them in the Fish Smoker by noon, collect smoked fish at night for double profit. No Keg, no Preserves Jar — just a smoker and steady income.
Updated for 1.6.