Overview
Pope's Goby is a small bottom-dwelling fish species found in the river zones of Starsand Island. Despite its modest size, Pope's Goby commands a respectable price of 131g per fish, making it one of the better-value catches among spring/winter river species. It appears in any weather during these two seasons, giving anglers consistent access. The fish responds to both Veggie Bait and Meat Bait, providing flexibility in bait choice.
Catch Details
Property | Value |
|---|---|
Zone | River |
Sell Price | 131g |
Season | Spring, Winter |
Weather | Any |
Time | 08:00 - 24:00 |
Bait | |
Oxygen Requirement | 1 |
How to Catch
Pope's Goby is available at any river fishing spot during spring and winter, in any weather, between 08:00 and midnight. Use Veggie Bait or Meat Bait to attract fish shadows. Veggie Bait is crafted at the Chopper II using crops or foraged plants, and Meat Bait is crafted at the Chopper I using any fish.
As a small bottom-dwelling species, Pope's Goby produces smaller shadows in the water. It does not fight hard on the line, so any fishing rod will work, including the starter Wooden Rod. The catch is quick and easy, making Pope's Goby an efficient fish for time-limited sessions.
Selling and Profit
At 131g, Pope's Goby outperforms many common river fish like the Pale Chub (82g), Red Carp (82g), and Giant Barb (100g). Only a handful of standard river fish sell for more, such as the Flathead Catfish (152g) and the Siberian Taimen (163g). Selling to the Merchant Ship doubles the price to 262g per fish.
For maximum income, process Pope's Goby into Fish Fillet at the Separator and cook it into high-value dishes. Since Pope's Goby is easy to catch in bulk, it can serve as a steady supply line for your cooking operation.
Recipes Using Fish Fillet
Pope's Goby yields Fish Fillet at the Separator. Key recipes that use Fish Fillet include:
Grilled Fish (3x Fish Fillet)
Steamed Fish (4x Fish Fillet, 2x Leek)
Braised Fish (6x Fish Fillet, 2x Leek, 2x Sugar, 1x Fine Salt)
Sashimi (3x Fish Fillet, 2x Rice)
Sauerkraut Fish (4x Fish Fillet, 2x Leek, 1x Pepper, 1x Pickled Cabbage)
Sauteed Grouper Fillet with Shrimp Roe (10x Fish Fillet, 2x Greasyback Shrimp, 2x Fine Salt)
Fish Pond Breeding
Pope's Goby requires only 1 oxygen per fish in a Fish Pond. At this cost, a Small or Stone Fish Pond (12 oxygen) holds up to 12 Pope's Goby, and the Medium Pond (40 oxygen) holds 40. Combined with its solid 131g sell price, Pope's Goby is one of the best value-per-oxygen fish for pond breeding. You get a good return for minimal resource investment.
Islandpedia
Catching your first Pope's Goby logs it in the Islandpedia Fish stamp collection. Its generous availability across two seasons and any weather means it is usually registered early in a player's fishing progression.
Tips
Pope's Goby has the best price-to-difficulty ratio among spring/winter river fish. At 131g with easy conditions, it is worth targeting specifically for income.
The 08:00 start time is slightly later than other flexible river fish (which often start at 06:00). Use the early morning for other tasks.
With only 1 oxygen requirement, Pope's Goby is excellent for pond breeding. Breed a full pond and sell the offspring for steady passive income.
Pair Pope's Goby fishing with Pale Chub and Redtail Catfish sessions, since all three share spring/winter, any-weather conditions in the river.
Pope's Goby does not require Bug Bait, so you can save your bug stockpile for species that exclusively need it, like Holland's Carp.