Pond smelt

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Pond Smelt
Image gallery
Real-world info
Name: Hypomesus nipponensis (Japanese pond smelt) Family: Osmeridae (smelts)
Main appearances
DnM DnM+ AC DnMe+ iQue WW CF NL NH
Other appearances
Film HHD aF PC
Names in other languages  ワカサギ  빙어  Pingo  Stint  西太公鱼  Éperlan  Eperlano  Spiering  西太公魚  Éperlan  Eperlano  Малая корюшка

The Pond Smelt (ワカサギ, Wakasagi), is a relatively common winter fish found in the river (Lake in Animal Crossing: Wild World) at any time of the day between December and February. It cannot be found in holding ponds, despite its name and the characteristics it has in real life.

Catch details

In Animal Crossing

#19

"I caught a pond smelt! Whew! And I thought the POND smelt bad!"

DnM / iQue

DnM+

AC

DnMe+

Time of year	Dec – Feb
Time of day	All day
Location	River
Shadow size	Tiny
Selling price	300 Bells
Feng shui	None
Furniture size

In Wild World

#21

"I caught a pond smelt! What does the pond smell like?"

Description	They made ice fishing famous!
Time of year	December - February
Time of day	Unknown
Peak times	N/A
Location	River
Shadow size	Tiny
Fish size	15 cm
Selling price	300 Bells
Furniture size

In City Folk

#22

"I caught a pond smelt! Whew! This guy's ripe!"

Description	Known as ice-fishing targets, these can survive in freshwater and salt water.
Time of year	Dec - Feb
Time of day	All day
Peak times	N/A
Location	River
Shadow size	Small
Fish size	About 6 in.
Selling price	300 Bells
Furniture size

In New Leaf

#24

"I caught a pond smelt! It could sure use a bath!"

Time of year	Dec - Feb
Time of day	All day
Peak times	N/A
Location	River
Shadow size	Small
Fish size	15 cm
Selling price	300 Bells
Furniture size

In Pocket Camp

#82

Event availability	Fishing Tourney #10
Location	Lost Lure Creek
Shadow size	Small
Fish size	12.5 cm - 17.5 cm
Rarity	★
Catch rate	Cannot be caught at this time.
Selling price	100 Bells
Request reward	100 Bells, 2 Friendship Points

In New Horizons

#25

"I caught a pond smelt! Whoever smelt it dealt it!"

Time of year	North: Dec – Feb South: Jun – Aug
Time of day	All day
Location	River
Shadow size	Small
Spawn requirement	Appears from the start of the game
Selling prices	Nook's Cranny:  400 Bells  C.J.:  600 Bells
Furniture size

Donating to the museum

In Animal Crossing

"Even run-of-the-mill, common fish are valuable resources, you see. All part of the grand tapestry, wot!"

In City Folk

Blathers will give his usual short speech on the player's donation. His words are as follows:

"Pond smelt are a popular catch during winter ice-hole fishing, eh wot? It's a simple sport, really. You open a hole in the ice, drop your line in...and then wait for a nibbly-nibbly! Not that I've tried. I find cold weather rather unappealing, so ice fishing is hardly a possibility..."

Upon donating it to the museum, it can be found in the middle/right tank in the Aquarium.

In New Leaf

An information board in the aquarium will display this description of the Pond Smelt after donation:

"Pond smelt are small but vigorous fish that can survive in water of relatively poor quality. Pond smelt are related to salmon and as such have a lot of the same migratory tendencies. Most of them swim from rivers to the ocean and then return to rivers and lakes. However, some of them actually live in lakes that have no connection to the ocean, so they don't migrate. They have small fins and are perfect for eating whole as tempura or grilled on barbecues."

In New Horizons

"For many, thinking of pond smelt inevitably leads to thoughts of ice fishing in frozen rivers and lakes. Ice fishing involves making a round hole in the ice, dropping in your fishing line, and...waiting. Not to rain on anyone else's idea of fun, but...well, perhaps I shouldn't say anything."

Once donated to the museum, the Pond Smelt can be found in the lower level of the waterfall tank with the Salmon and King Salmon.

Fishing Tourney

New Leaf

Chip will say this when given a Pond Smelt:

"Ya know, with pond smelt, deep frying 'em is tasty. But grilling 'em up right is pretty good too! Not that I mind having this guy raw. Nope, not me! Happy to!"

Gallery

For more images, view this subject's gallery.

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  Animal Crossing

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  Animal Crossing: Wild World

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  Animal Crossing: City Folk

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  Animal Crossing: New Leaf

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  Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Real-world information

The pond smelt is a type of harmless commercially-caught fish found in middle to surface waters in lakes, rivers, and ponds. It can be found across the world in the Arctic, Northwest to Northeast of the Pacific, Canada, Alaska, Korea, and Japan. They feed off plankton, small insects, and algae. Adults can be found spawning in in-shore areas between spring and summer.

Names in other languages

Eperlano

Smelt