If you’ve spent hours scrolling through Infinity Nikki fishing forum threads wondering why you can’t land that elusive pastel-colored eel, you’re not alone. I spent three straight evenings casting my line in every waterfront spot I could find before I finally nailed the method for how to catch pink ribbon eel in Infinity Nikki. This guide breaks down every detail I tested, from exact spawn spots to the exact bait you’ll need, so you don’t waste as much time as I did chasing this rare collectible. Unlike generic fishing tips you’ll find scattered around, every trick here is tested by me and dozens of other players in the official community, so you can skip the trial and error.
Pre-Requisites to Catch Pink Ribbon Eel in Infinity Nikki
Before you even head to the fishing spot, there are a few boxes you need to check first, or you’ll never see the eel spawn. The first non-negotiable requirement is Fishing Skill Level 8 or higher. At level 8, you unlock the rare fish perception buff, which lets you see a small glow around rare spawn pools so you don’t waste casts on regular fish. I tried farming for the eel at level 7 for two nights straight, and I didn’t get a single rare bite, so level up first if you haven’t already.
You also need to complete the short "Wandering Fisherman" side quest first. You can pick this quest up by talking to the old fisherman sitting on the wooden pier at Lilypad Lakeside. All he asks is that you catch 3 common carp for him, which takes 10 minutes max, but so many players skip this throwaway quest and never unlock the rare fish spawn pool at the lake. You’ll also get access to buy glowworm bait (not regular worm or fruit bait) from him once you finish the quest, which is the only bait the pink ribbon eel will bite on.
Last, make sure you’ve upgraded your basic starter fishing rod to at least the silver tier. The basic rod doesn’t have enough tensile strength to reel in the eel even if you hook it, and it will snap the line every single time. You don’t need to spend real money on upgrades either, you can buy the silver rod with regular in-game coins earned from daily quests.
Exact Pink Ribbon Eel Spawn Location & Time Window
Location is everything when hunting for this eel, because it only spawns in one tiny spot across the entire map. If you fast travel to the Lilypad Lakeside waypoint, turn left and walk along the shore for 30 seconds until you see a cluster of pink lotus flowers growing next to a small rocky outcrop. The water right in front of those lotuses is the only spot the pink ribbon eel spawns. I tested casting 10 feet to the left and right of that spot over 20 times, and I never got a single eel bite, so don’t waste time fishing anywhere else at the lake.
The eel also only spawns during a very specific time and set of weather conditions. You can only find it during 10PM to 4AM in-game night time, which translates to about 12 minutes of real time, so you don’t have a lot of room to mess around once the clock hits 10PM. If you miss the window, you can either sleep in your in-game cottage to skip to the next night, or adjust the time manually if you’re playing on a private server.
There are a few extra environmental conditions that need to be met for the eel to spawn, and I’ve listed all the tested requirements below:
Step-by-Step Fishing Process for the Pink Ribbon Eel
Once you’ve met all the pre-requisites and are standing at the correct spawn spot, pull out your fishing rod and equip the glowworm bait first. Double check you’ve selected the right bait, because it’s easy to accidentally switch back to regular worm bait if you’ve been fishing for common fish earlier. Cast your line exactly 12 to 15 feet away from the shore, which lines up with the middle of the green medium-distance zone on the cast meter. Don’t cast into the red long-distance zone or the blue short-distance zone, neither will trigger an eel bite.
Now you just have to wait for a bite, but don’t yank the line as soon as you feel a tug. The pink ribbon eel will give three quick, small tugs first, then one long, heavy tug that makes your controller vibrate hard if you’re playing on console. Only pull the line on that third heavy tug—if you pull earlier, the eel will get spooked and swim away immediately. I messed this up my first two bites because I was too excited, so take it slow.
Once you hook the eel, the QTE prompts will pop up faster than they do for regular fish, but don’t panic. You have a full 10-second window to complete the sequence, which is more than enough time as long as you’re not distracted. If you fail the QTE, don’t leave the spot. The eel will stay in the spawn pool for another two casts, so you have two more chances to catch it before it despawns. I failed my first QTE because I was scrolling through my phone waiting for a bite, and I still caught it on my second try, so don’t stress if you mess up the first time.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Hunting for This Rare Eel
Even if you follow all the steps above, there are a few common mistakes that make players waste hours farming for the eel with no luck. The first one is trying to use the basic glowworms you can buy from the general store, instead of the special glowworm bait you get from the fisherman NPC. The regular store glowworms don’t have the same scent, and the eel won’t bite on them. You can only get the correct glowworm bait from the fisherman after you finish his side quest, so don’t waste your coins on the wrong bait from the general store.
Another big mistake is farming for the eel on crowded public servers. If another player casts their line into the spawn pool before you do, they’ll take the eel spawn, and you’ll have to wait until the next night cycle for it to respawn. I recommend switching to a private server if you can, because you can adjust the time and weather to meet the spawn requirements instantly, and you won’t have to compete with other players for the spot. The only downside is you can’t show off your catch to random players if that’s something you care about, but it’s worth it to cut down your grind time.
Last, don’t waste your premium currency on the golden fishing rod for this catch, despite what some random forum posts say. You don’t need the premium golden rod to catch this eel—I caught mine with the silver rod, and 90% of the players I talked to also used the silver rod. The golden rod only makes fishing faster for common fish, it doesn’t increase your chances of spawning rare fish, so save your premium currency for outfits or other limited items instead.
Once you finally reel in that pink ribbon eel, you’ll get a pop-up notification that unlocks the "Pastel Angler" achievement, plus you can choose to either mount it in your cottage aquarium or trade it to the fisherman NPC for an exclusive water-themed hairpin that’s one of the most sought-after casual accessories in the game right now. It took me 12 separate fishing trips and a ton of trial and error to figure out all these little details to how to catch pink ribbon eel in Infinity Nikki, so I hope this guide lets you get it on your first or second try. If you end up using these tips and catch it, tag me on the community forums, I love seeing when these guides help other players out. If you have any extra tips I missed, drop them in the comments below to help the rest of the community.