Guide to appraising in Fisch

Looking to squeeze a little more value from your catches? Appraising in Fisch can be a gamble, but when it pays off, it can lead to huge rewards. This guide will take you through everything you need to know about appraising, including how it works, where to do it, and whether it’s worth your C$.

What is appraisal in Fisch?

Appraisal is the process of having an NPC, known as the Appraiser, re-evaluate your fish. This includes reweighing the fish, potentially uncovering hidden traits, or even identifying mutations that increase its value significantly. While the results are often random, it’s possible to turn a basic catch into a jackpot-worthy treasure.

There are two main reasons to appraise fish: weight change and mutation discovery. A fish might weigh more or less after being appraised, and weight influences a fish’s value, so this change can dramatically affect its worth. Alternatively, you may find that a fish suddenly gains a mutation after being appraised—mutations like Mythical or Shiny may be uncovered during appraisal, which can significantly boost a fish’s value.

How to appraise a fish

To start appraising, head to Moosewood, the starter island in Fisch. The Appraiser is located just to the left of the Merchant’s building, slightly hidden behind the rods display.

Once you locate the Appraiser NPC, interact with her and select the “Can you appraise this fish?” option. Each appraisal costs 450C$, and the fish will be returned to your inventory with any modifications the Appraiser has made. Not every fish gains weight or a mutation when it’s appraised; you might get a fish back that is now lighter, or has lost its mutation from being appraised. That’s why it’s important to avoid appraising fish that already have mutations unless you want to risk your catch becoming less valuable.

Fish that have already been appraised will have an icon in your inventory to show they’ve been evaluated. If a fish was favorited before an appraisal, it will lose that status once appraised, so you will need to mark it again if you don’t want to accidentally sell it when selling fish to a merchant en masse.

Fisch appraisal mechanics

Understanding how appraisal works is the best way to use it effectively. Here’s a breakdown of the mechanic to help you figure out when to appraise fish:

Avoid appraising mutated fish unless they’re Shiny or Sparkling, as appraisal will remove all other mutations. Shiny and Sparkling are attributes, rather than mutations, so they aren’t affected. Fish that are low value and fish that are below the Mythical rarity aren’t worth appraising unless you’re trying for a specific mutation or experimenting with traits. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to appraise some of the rarest fish in Fisch, as long as they’re at their lowest weights and don’t already have a mutation.

All possible mutations from appraisals in Fisch

Rods that require mutated items in Fisch

Certain rods in Fisch require mutated items to craft, making appraisal essential for players aiming to unlock some of the high-tier rods in the game. Appraising doesn’t only affect fish, you can also appraise Enchant Relics, and pretty much any item that you fish up or catch in crab cages (such as Driftwood and Magic Thread). Here’s a list of the rods that require mutated materials:

If you’re looking for some special fish to appraise, try surviving the Northern Expedition and bring back some of the Mythical fish from that area.