New Leaf in December: Fish, Bugs, Diving & Events Animal Crossing: New Leaf

Winter returns. Toy Day on the 24th, the aurora on the solstice and the Countdown on New Year’s Eve. Here is everything you can catch in December, what’s new, what’s about to leave, and the events and birthdays on the calendar.

Fish: 31
Bugs: 10
Deep-sea: 23
Events: 4
Birthdays: 29
Prev / next: November · January

Best earners this month

Fish: Stringfish Coelacanth Whale shark
Bugs: Bee Hermit crab Dung beetle
Diving: Giant isopod Red king crab Snow crab

Arriving & leaving

New in December: Stringfish Oarfish Sea butterfly Squid Pond smelt Dung beetle
Last month to catch: Pike Spiny lobster

Tortimer Island is always summer, so its fish, bugs and sea creatures don’t follow this calendar. Creatures marked “Island only” never appear in town.

Events in December

Event	When	What happens
Toy Day	24 December, from 6 PM	Dress as Santa and deliver Jingle’s presents to your villagers for Jingle and Festive furniture.
Winter Solstice	21 December	The sun never really rises, and the aurora shines until 10 PM.
New Year’s Eve	31 December, countdown from 11 PM	A countdown clock in the plaza; Isabelle hands out a regional treat and Redd sells party poppers and hats.
Fishing Tourney	2nd Saturday of February, April, October and December (9 AM–6 PM)	Same contest as above.

31 fish in December

Fish	Sells for	Where	Time
Stringfish	15,000	RiverShadow: Huge	4 PM–9 AM
Coelacanth	15,000	Sea (rain or snow)Shadow: Huge	4 PM–9 AM
Whale sharkIsland only	13,000	Tortimer IslandShadow: Huge (fin)	All day
Oarfish	9,000	SeaShadow: Huge	All day
Tuna	7,000	SeaShadow: Huge	All day
Blowfish	5,000Sold for 125 Bells before the Welcome amiibo update	SeaShadow: Medium	9 PM–4 AM
Giant trevallyIsland only	4,500	Tortimer IslandShadow: Very large	All day
Koi	4,000	RiverShadow: Large	4 PM–9 AM
Red snapper	3,000	SeaShadow: Medium	All day
Football fish	2,500	SeaShadow: Large	4 PM–9 AM
Pike	1,800	RiverShadow: Very large	4 AM–9 PM
Goldfish	1,300	RiverShadow: Tiny	All day
Popeyed goldfish	1,300	RiverShadow: Tiny	9 AM–4 PM
Sea butterfly	1,000	SeaShadow: Tiny	All day
Bitterling	900	RiverShadow: Tiny	All day
Olive flounder	800	SeaShadow: Large	All day
Ribbon eelIsland only	600	Tortimer IslandShadow: Long and thin	All day
Squid	400	SeaShadow: Medium	All day
Carp	300	RiverShadow: Large	All day
Freshwater goby	300	RiverShadow: Small	4 PM–9 AM
Black bass	300	RiverShadow: Large	All day
Pond smelt	300	RiverShadow: Small	All day
Dab	300	SeaShadow: Medium	All day
Yellow perch	240	RiverShadow: Medium	All day
Pale chub	200	RiverShadow: Tiny	9 AM–4 PM
Dace	200	RiverShadow: Medium	4 PM–9 AM
Barbel steed	200	RiverShadow: Medium	All day
Sea bass	200	SeaShadow: Very large	All day
Horse mackerel	150	SeaShadow: Small	All day
Crucian carp	120	RiverShadow: Small	All day
Bluegill	120	RiverShadow: Small	9 AM–4 PM

10 bugs in December

Bug	Sells for	Where	Time
Bee	2,500	In trees	All day
Hermit crabIsland only	1,000	Tortimer Island beach	7 PM–8 AM
Dung beetle	800	Snow balls	5 PM–8 AM
Bagworm	300	In trees	All day
Centipede	300	Under rocks	4 PM–11 PM
Mole cricket	280	Underground	All day
Pill bug	250	Under rocks	All day
Wharf roach	200	On the beach	All day
Ant	80	On rotten food	All day
Fly	60	Flying near trash	All day

23 deep-sea creatures in December

Creature	Sells for	Shadow	Time
Giant isopodIsland only	9,000	Medium shadow, slowTortimer Island only	All day
Red king crab	6,000	Large shadow, very fast	All day
Snow crab	4,000	Large shadow, fast	All day
Horsehair crab	4,000	Medium shadow, slow	All day
Spiny lobster	3,000From 16 September in its first month	Large shadow, fast	9 PM–4 AM
Lobster	2,500	Large shadow, fast	All day
Pearl oyster	1,600	Small shadow, medium	All day
Mantis shrimp	1,250	Small shadow, erratic	4 PM–9 AM
Scallop	1,000	Medium shadow, slow	All day
Octopus	1,000	Medium shadow, slow	All day
Sweet shrimp	650From 16 September in its first month	Small shadow, slow	4 PM–9 AM
Spotted garden eelIsland only	600	Small shadow, slowTortimer Island only	All day
Oyster	400	Small shadow, slow	All day
Abalone	400	Medium shadow, medium	4 PM–9 AM
Turban shell	300	Small shadow, slow	4 PM–9 AM
Ear shell	300	Small shadow, slow	4 PM–9 AM
Clam	300	Small shadow, slow	All day
Seaweed	200	Large shadow, stationary	All day
Acorn barnacle	200	Very small shadow, stationary	All day
Sea slug	200	Small shadow, very slow	All day
Sea cucumber	150	Medium shadow, very slow	All day
Sea anemone	100	Medium shadow, stationary	All day
Sea star	100	Small shadow, very slow	All day

FAQ

What fish can you catch in December in Animal Crossing: New Leaf?

31 fish. The most valuable are Stringfish (15,000 Bells), Coelacanth (15,000 Bells), Whale shark (13,000 Bells).

What bugs can you catch in December?

10 bugs. The most valuable are Bee (2,500 Bells), Hermit crab (1,000 Bells), Dung beetle (800 Bells).

What deep-sea creatures are there in December?

23 deep-sea creatures. The most valuable are Giant isopod (9,000 Bells), Red king crab (6,000 Bells), Snow crab (4,000 Bells).

What events are in December?

Toy Day: 24 December, from 6 PM; Winter Solstice: 21 December; New Year’s Eve: 31 December, countdown from 11 PM; Fishing Tourney: 2nd Saturday of February, April, October and December (9 AM–6 PM).

Which villagers have birthdays in December?

29 villagers, including Rooney (1), Annalise (2), Robin (4), Hans (5), Kyle (6), Monty (7), Eloise (8), Becky (9) and more.

Sources & picture credits

Guide text is original retrogameindex writing, checked against Nookipedia and the Animal Crossing Wiki. Icons, renders and screenshots © Nintendo; local copies archived from Animal Crossing Wiki file pages (listed in the picture gallery).