How to Catch a Shark in Animal Crossing

Aaron Donald September 10, 2021

Sharks are some of the best-known creatures in Animal Crossing. The game offers ample opportunities to hook these apex predators and show off your catch. Later, you can display them on your island, sell them for Bells, or donate them to a museum.

If you’re struggling to catch your first shark, no worries. We’ll give you a comprehensive guide on reeling in this fish, and you won’t even need a bigger boat to do it.

How to Catch a Shark in Animal Crossing

Like most marine species in Animal Crossing, sharks spawn at a particular time of the day and season. There are four shark species in the game, with varying catching times. Here are the sharks you can catch in the Animal Crossing world:

Saw Shark
Whale Shark
Great White Shark
Hammerhead Shark

The Great White and Saw Shark can both be caught between four p.m. and nine a.m., whereas the Hammerhead and Whale shark can be found throughout the day. However, you’ll need to fish during a specific time of the year to catch these creatures.

In the northern hemisphere, you can only find them between June and September. As for the Southern Hemisphere residents, you can only catch sharks between December and March.

Naturally, you’ll need to go to the ocean around your island to find New Horizon Sharks. You’ll need to look out for the fins. Thankfully, you can spot them easily, especially if you’re fishing along the western and eastern shores of the island.

However, although sharks are larger than most other ocean creatures, some fish can get huge, so size isn’t always the best way to spot a shark. The main thing you should look for is fins above the shadows in the water. This element is the most notable visual difference between regular fish and sharks. If you can spot a fin above the water, you’re dealing with a shark.

As for the location, you can find sharks by patrolling your island’s shores. However, if you prefer to stick to your favorite spot, you’ll first need to make a large amount of fish bait:

Use your shovel and go to the beach.
Find small holes in the sand with water shooting out periodically.
Dig up a Manila Clam, allowing your character to learn the fish bait recipe on their own.
Collect your Clam and go to your crafting table.
Choose the fish bait recipe and craft it.

You can only use fish bait once. Luckily, you can also stack it in a group of ten, enabling you to hunt sharks with more than 100 ready-made bags.

As previously mentioned, you should go fishing anywhere between four p.m. and nine a.m. Regarding the location, the pier is a prime choice for a couple of reasons.

First, it provides one of the clearest views of the species you’re bating since island decorations can’t hide them. Second, there’s a good chance you can reel in a rare fish. The list of rarities includes the Tuna, Mahi-mahi, Giant trevally, and Blue marlin. As these fish are extremely rare, catching them alongside sharks is an excellent idea since it saves you a lot of time.

In most cases, catching sharks is similar to catching regular fish. That said, sharks tend to be rather elusive and tricky to nab. Here’s what you need to do:

Go to the pier or the edge of the island and face the water. Be sure you’re not sprinting to avoid scaring the fish away with your footsteps. As sharks are rarer than most fish, you may need to patrol the shore for a bit longer before finding one to reel in. To expedite the process, throw out some fish bait.
Look for the shadow of your shark and find a creature with its fin sticking out of the ocean.
Cast the line using your action button and make sure the bobber lands before the shark.
The shark should lightly nibble your bobber. When this happens, your controller should vibrate intensely. Press the action button again to nab the shark.
The game will display the predator to the camera to showcase your catch.

The final point you should remember is to be patient. Instead of doing massive pushes towards the end of the season, do smaller shark catching trips throughout the month. These shorter trips can save you a lot of frustration since even if your initial attempts fail, you’ll still have numerous opportunities to catch your prey.

The Hunt Is On

While hunting sharks in real life may be unimaginable for most people, Animal Crossing is the perfect game to immerse yourself in this blood-pumping activity. All you need to do is pick your target, wait for the ideal time of the year, and pick the optimal location for your fishing. After that, it’s all about casting bait, being patient, reeling in the fish, and enjoying your prized catch.

How many sharks have you caught in Animal Crossing? What other fish do you enjoy hunting in the game? How long does it take you to catch a shark on average? Tell us in the comments section below.