Stardew Valley: How to Get New Bobber Styles

Stardew Valley 1.6 unveiled new fishing rod cosmetics known as Bobber Styles. Unlocking these skins transforms your angling float into a unique indicator, with some designs being as rare as actual diamonds. Given that bobbers are fishing items, it’s clear where you need to go to customize them: the dependable fisher, Willy. However, there’s more to Bobber Styles than meets the eye. Here’s a comprehensive guide.

What Is the Bobber Style Vending Machine?

The Bobber Style device is a new vending machine that enables players to alter the appearance of their fishing rod’s bobber. Currently, the machine offers 39 diverse styles, including Stardrop, shoe, Diamond, and heart shapes. Note that these bobbers are cosmetic and have no impact on fishing results.

Upon selecting a style from the vending machine, your bobber’s appearance will automatically update. To modify the style or revert to the original look, you need to return to Willy’s shop.

Bobber Style Machine Location

A screenshot of Stardew Valley fisherman Willy

As of the 1.6 Update in Stardew Valley, you can find the Bobber Style Machine at Willy’s Fish Shop. (The shop can be found in the Beach area.) Once you are in Willy’s store, interact with the vending machine in the top-right corner to see all available Bobber Styles.

How to Unlock New Bobber Styles

Image of a character fishing in the ocean in Stardew Valley

New Bobber Styles can be unlocked by catching different fish types. As the default bobber look is available from the start, you’ll need to catch 38 distinct fish types to access all the new Bobber Styles. If you’ve already caught several different fish, your Bobber Style device will have different looks from the get-go.

How to Randomize Bobber Styles

To randomize Bobber Styles, select the dice icon located in the bottom-right corner of the vending machine. Activating this mode will cause your bobber to assume a different appearance each time you cast your rod. Unlocking all styles is not necessary to utilize this feature; when activated, it will randomize between the styles that you have unlocked so far. Having at least two different looks enables you to shuffle between them.

The Sonar Bobber is a new type of fishing tackle that reveals the type of fish you’re about to catch before you reel it in. You can acquire this bobber for 500g at Willy’s Fish Shop. However, it’s important not to confuse it with a Bobber Style, as it alters the rod's functionality rather than being a cosmetic item.