Crab Pot

Crab Pots are placed in water to passively catch aquatic items. They can be floated on the shores of lakes, ponds, rivers, and oceans, and they work in many underground water areas as well. After being baited, a crab pot produces a catch the next day, and harvesting it grants 5 Fishing experience even if it contains trash or a non-fish item. Crab Pot catches also count toward the Fishing achievements, including Fisherman, Ol' Mariner, Master Angler, and Mother Catch.

Crab Pots can be crafted or bought from Willy's Fish Shop after reaching Fishing level 3. Three crab pots are also rewarded for completing the bundle, and one Crab Pot can be won as a prize from the Trout Derby. If the player has the power from The Art O' Crabbing, crab pots have a 25% chance to yield double items.

A crab pot has three visible states: empty, baited, and ready to harvest. Normally, bait must be added every day before it will catch anything. With the Luremaster profession, unbaited crab pots will still function, and baiting them becomes unnecessary. One practical side effect is that baited crab pots cannot be picked up, which helps prevent accidentally collecting them while setting up.

Any type of bait can be used, but some bait types have extra effects. Deluxe Bait raises the quality of crab pot fish to silver and lowers junk chances in most areas if the player does not have the Mariner profession. Wild Bait gives crab pots a 25% chance to produce double items and also lowers junk chances in the same situations. Targeted Bait lowers junk chances further and increases the odds of catching a specific crab pot fish, with the exact results depending on the bait used. Magnet, Magic Bait, Challenge Bait, and Targeted Bait with the Mariner profession do not provide extra benefits beyond standard bait.

The catch table depends on whether the crab pot is in saltwater or freshwater. In saltwater, possible catches include Lobster, Clam, Crab, Cockle, Mussel, Shrimp, and Oyster. In freshwater, possible catches include Crayfish, Snail, and Periwinkle. Farm Ponds can yield freshwater crab pot fish even when a fishing rod can only catch trash there. Crab Pots also work in the Sewers and other underground locations, but the pools in the Mines are an exception: if placed there, they disappear permanently when the player leaves the level. They cannot be placed in fountains, such as the ones in Pelican Town or outside the Spa.

The Mariner profession changes crab pot behavior significantly. With Mariner, fish chances become equal within each water type, and junk is avoided entirely from the profession's effect on crab pot catches. Without Mariner, trash is more likely, especially in the Beach Farm pond. Trash from crab pots can be recycled into useful items.

Crab Pots can also be used in dyeing, where they act as an orange dye item at the dye pots in Emily's and Haley's house. For profit, crab pots are usually best when paired with recycling or processing. Freshwater catches are low-value and easy to gather in bulk, making them useful for Quality Fertilizer or Sashimi, while ocean catches are generally more profitable. The Art O' Crabbing power increases crab pot income by 25%.

• Crab Pots are especially convenient on farm ponds, where they can be checked daily with little travel time.
• Because Luremaster can make crab pots easier to pick up by accident, it helps to hold the collect button while harvesting baited pots.
• Crab pots placed during the Night Market festival may disappear temporarily because the Beach uses a special festival map; they return on Winter 18.
• Choosing Luremaster does not automatically bait unbaited crab pots during festivals.