New Leaf Golden & Silver Tools: How to Get Every One

Golden tools

Tool	How to get it	What’s special
Golden net	Catch all 72 bugs, then talk to Nat at a Bug-Off.	A wider catch area.
Golden rod	Catch all 72 fish, then talk to Chip at a Fishing Tourney.	Casts further and gives more time to reel in.
Golden shovel	Buy 50 bags of fertiliser from Leif’s gardening store, then talk to Leif.	Bury Bells for a money tree, or bury fertiliser with it to make it work better.
Golden axe	Buy 50 saplings (or cedar saplings) from Leif, then talk to him.	Never breaks, and sometimes leaves a special stump pattern.
Golden slingshot	Keep shooting down present balloons; after about 15, a toolbox carried by three gold balloons drifts by.	Fires three shots at once.
Golden watering can	Keep a perfect town for 15 days in a row; Isabelle gives it to you at the town hall.	Waters a 3×3 area and turns wilted black roses into gold roses.

Silver tools

Tool	How to get it	What’s special
Silver net	Museum shop, 500 Bells, after donating 30 bugs.	A wider catch area.
Silver rod	Museum shop, 500 Bells, after donating 30 fish.	Casts further and holds fish longer.
Silver shovel	Museum shop, 500 Bells, after donating 15 fossils.	The money rock may give ore instead of Bells.
Silver axe	Sometimes sold at the Tortimer Island souvenir shop for 8–9 medals.	Always leaves rare stump patterns; breaks after 136 chops instead of 32.
Silver slingshot	After you have shot down about 15 balloons, a toolbox carried by two silver balloons appears.	Fires two shots in a V.
Silver watering can	Leif gives it after you buy 50 bags of flower seeds.	Waters up to five flowers at once.

Tips

• Use the island: its summer bugs and fish count towards the golden net and rod in any month.
• Buying 50 saplings or 50 fertiliser takes a while; Leif’s stock is limited each day, so buy some on every visit.
• Donate early: the museum shop’s silver net, rod and shovel are cheap upgrades long before you can earn the golden ones.
• Gold roses are impossible while Keep the Town Beautiful is in force, because flowers can’t wilt.