If you’ve spent hours wandering Infinity Nikki’s lush open world looking for rare crafting materials, you’ve probably already wondered where to catch pink ribbon eel in Infinity Nikki. Many players post questions online about this exact topic because the game gives almost no hints about the fish’s location or spawn conditions. This tiny, brightly colored eel is one of the most sought-after aquatic collectibles in the game, and it’s required for some of the prettiest limited-edition outfits and furniture items you can unlock. I’ve spent the past three weeks testing every fishing spot in every region to narrow down the exact locations and rules you need to get this eel without wasting hours of your playtime. You won’t have to cycle through random fishing spots over and over once you follow the steps we’ve laid out below.
Exact Spots Where to Catch Pink Ribbon Eel in Infinity Nikki
If you've been searching for where to catch pink ribbon eel in Infinity Nikki for weeks without luck, these two spots are the only places the fish spawns in the entire game. The first spot is the hidden cove in the Cherry Blossom Wetlands, tucked between two rock formations east of the Sakura Shrine. You can only access the Cherry Blossom Wetlands cove if you’ve reached Player Level 22 and completed the “Wetlands Restoration” side quest for the local shrine maiden NPC. If you haven’t finished that quest, the rock path to the cove will be blocked by fallen cherry blossom branches you can’t move.
The second spot where to catch pink ribbon eel in Infinity Nikki is the Moonlit Coastal Pools north of the Summer Resort area. The Moonlit Coastal Pools are locked until you finish the main story chapter 4, so don’t waste time trying to get there early if you’re still working through the main plot. Both spots share the same visual cues that confirm pink ribbon eels are present, so you don’t have to guess if you’re in the right place.
- Water has a pale pink iridescent sheen when the sun hits it between 10am and 2pm in-game time
- You see small pink flashes darting under the surface before you cast your line
- The nearby NPC fishing enthusiast will mention "rare pink eels" if you talk to him while holding a basic fishing rod
If you don’t see all three of these cues, you’re either in the wrong spot or the spawn conditions aren’t right that day. Just come back the next in-game day and check again, it’s not worth wasting bait on a spot that doesn’t have these signs.
Best Gear and Bait to Use for Pink Ribbon Eel
Even if you're in the right spot for where to catch pink ribbon eel in Infinity Nikki, you won't get a bite if you use the wrong bait or gear. The good news is you don’t need to grind for the super expensive legendary fishing rod to catch this eel. The starter wooden rod has a 5% catch rate for pink ribbon eel, while the upgraded bamboo rod you can buy from the general store at level 20 has a 22% catch rate. The legendary rod only bumps that rate up to 27%, so it’s not worth saving up thousands of coins for it just to catch this fish.
The only bait that will attract pink ribbon eel is fermented cherry shrimp. You can craft this bait yourself with 3 regular cherry shrimp (caught from any shallow freshwater spot) and 1 jar of fermented rice you buy from the Wetlands general store, or you can buy pre-made fermented cherry shrimp from the fishing NPC near the cove for 150 coins each. If you use regular worm bait or fruit bait, you’ll never get a pink ribbon eel bite, no matter how long you sit and fish. I learned this the hard way when I wasted 40 worm bait at the cove before I tested different bait types.
One small bonus tip: equip the “Fisherman’s Luck” badge if you earned it from the summer fishing event. It boosts your rare catch rate by 10% for 30 minutes after you activate it, which cuts down the time you’ll spend waiting for a bite significantly. If you don’t have the badge, don’t worry, you’ll still catch the eel eventually, it just might take a few extra casts.
Ideal In-Game Conditions for a Successful Catch
Even with the right spot and bait, the conditions have to be perfect when you're looking for where to catch pink ribbon eel in Infinity Nikki. First, pay attention to the in-game time and weather. Pink ribbon eels only spawn between 10am and 4pm in-game time, and only on sunny or partly cloudy days. If it’s raining, foggy, or after dark, the eels will hide in the mud under the water and won’t come up to bite any bait.
Make sure you don't have any aggressive pet companions summoned while you fish, because they’ll scare off the shy eels before they get close to your line. I made this mistake on my first day testing spots, I kept my fox companion summoned and went 2 full in-game days without a single eel bite. As soon as I sent him back to my home, I got a bite on my third cast. Small, non-aggressive companions like the butterfly or baby sea turtle don’t scare the eels, so you can keep those out if you want.
One last thing to watch for: other players. If more than two other players are fishing in the same spot as you, the pink ribbon eel spawn rate drops by 30%. If you show up to the cove or pools and see a crowd, just switch to a less crowded server line. You can switch lines every 5 minutes, so it only takes a few seconds to find an empty spot to fish.
What You Can Do With Pink Ribbon Eel Once You Catch It
Most players farm pink ribbon eels to craft the Pink Ribbon Gown, one of the most popular limited-time event outfits from the spring cherry blossom event. Even though the event ended months ago, you can still craft the gown at the clothing crafting station if you have 6 pink ribbon eels, 12 silk threads, and 3 cherry blossom petals. The gown has a special animation where small pink ribbons float around Nikki when she wears it, so it’s worth the grind for many players.
There are other uses for the eel too, if you don’t care about the gown. You can trade 2 pink ribbon eels to the furniture NPC in the Summer Resort for a rare pink water lily furniture set for your in-game home. You can also give 1 eel to the shrine maiden in the Cherry Blossom Wetlands to get a permanent 5% fishing boost buff that applies to all rare fish catches. If you’re a completionist, the pink ribbon eel is one of 12 rare fish you need to collect to complete the Aquatic Collection achievement, which gives you a free 10-pull on the limited gacha banner as a reward.
You don’t need to catch more than 10 eels total unless you want to give extras to friends or trade them for small rewards. The eels only sell for 20 coins each at general stores, so it’s not worth farming them to make money. You’re better off catching common golden carp if you want to grind for coins, they sell for 75 coins each and are way easier to catch.
You don't have to waste hours guessing at fishing spots or wasting bait on the wrong items once you know where to catch pink ribbon eel in Infinity Nikki. I've used these exact steps to catch 12 eels in less than two hours of playtime, so I can confirm they work consistently no matter what server you're on. If you still run into trouble, try switching server lines or waiting for a sunny in-game day, and you'll get your first eel before you know it. Happy fishing, and enjoy all the cool items you can craft with your new catch!