If you’re looking forward to the lively community events in Animal Crossing: New Horizons (ACNH) this year, you're in for a treat! Both the Fishing Tourney and Bug Off events return in 2026, packed with a fresh round of point-grinding, racing against the clock, and an exciting haul of event-exclusive rewards. This guide gives you everything you need from event dates, scoring systems, and the entire list of trophy and item prizes, to strategies for making the most out of each event.

Let’s start with a quick breakdown of what these events are and then go over the specifics so you can maximize your time and item collection during the events!

ACNH Fishing Tourney & Bug Off Guide 2026

In ACNH, the Fishing Tourney and Bug Off provide players with a fun way to compete, rack up points, and unlock exclusive rewards. Each event challenges you to catch as many critters as possible in three-minute bursts, trading in your haul for themed items, trophies, and plenty of in-game cash. Villagers get dressed up, familiar hosts visit your plaza (CJ for Fishing, Flick for Bug Off), and the island brims with festive music and atmosphere as you dash about in search of fish or bugs.

Ready to join the fun and earn every reward? Here’s what to expect for both events in 2026:

ACNH Fishing Tourney 2026

The Fishing Tourney, hosted by CJ the beaver, is a seasonal mini-game event that tasks you with catching as many fish as possible within a three-minute round. Your catch automatically goes into CJ's cooler (no need to juggle inventory space), and the more fish you reel in, the more points you earn. You can compete solo or invite friends to join—when others are on your island, everyone participates together and earns additional bonus points. The festive island vibe even sees your villagers donning fishing attire and competing in spirit right alongside you.

You’ll find yourself racing against the clock, furiously casting lines anywhere fish spawn—ocean, rivers, or ponds, trying to make every second count.

ACNH Fishing Tourney Dates 2026

The Fishing Tourney runs four times a year, once per season. It always falls on the second Saturday of each season’s designated month:

• Winter: Second Saturday in January

• Spring: Second Saturday in April

• Summer: Second Saturday in July

• Fall: Second Saturday in October

regardless of hemisphere, the Fishing Tourney dates in Animal Crossing: New Horizons for 2026, based on the second Saturday of January, April, July, and October, are as follows:

On each of these days, the Fishing Tourney event runs from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. local time.

Fishing Tourney Points System & How To Check Your Score

During a Fishing Tourney round:

• Each fish you catch earns you 1 point

• Catching 3 or more fish grants a 2-point bonus

• Teaming up with friends can grant extra bonuses

CJ keeps track of your points (they do not carry over between events) and will let you check your total after every round. You can also exchange points for rewards:

• Every 10 points lets you swap for a random Fishing Tourney item via CJ

• Save your points if you’re aiming for trophy milestones

Just remember, you need to empty the cooler after each round before starting another.

Fishing Tourney Items: Trophy & Rewards

There are 16 unique rewards up for grabs during the event: 13 themed items and three trophies (bronze, silver, gold). Here’s what you can collect:

Trophy Milestones

• Bronze Trophy: 100 points (earned in a single day)

• Silver Trophy: 200 points (in a single event day)

• Gold Trophy: 300 points (in one day during the event)

These trophies arrive in your mailbox after the event. If you miss the milestone, you’ll have to try again next tourney.

Prize items are obtained by trading in 10 points for a random reward (no duplicates until you collect all 13, then repeats start). Here are the items you can expect:

Many of these can be customized at a DIY workbench with customization kits.

How To Maximize Points & Get All Rewards

Several strategies can help you climb the points ladder efficiently:

• Stockpile Fishing Rods: Have multiple rods ready, and remember you can reset their durability by customizing them.

• Gather Fish Bait Early: Dig up Manila Clams before the event, craft lots of fish bait, and use it to instantly spawn fish at any location—this minimizes running time and maximizes catches.

• Build Waterways Near the Plaza: If you’ve unlocked terraforming, dig a pond or river close to the plaza to save precious seconds running from CJ.

• Team Up for Bonuses: Playing with friends can yield bonus points, making prize collection faster.

• Sell Your Haul: CJ pays 1.5x the normal sale price for tourney fish, so you’ll make plenty of bells while chasing rewards.

If you play consistently and focus on bait and positioning, it's possible to reach 300 points within a few hours of dedicated fishing.

ACNH Bug Off 2026

The Bug Off is the bug-catching equivalent of the Fishing Tourney. Hosted by Flick, this event prompts you to catch as many bugs as you can in three-minute rounds, aiming to earn points for exclusive items. Everything you catch is stowed in Flick’s bug case automatically, and after each session, you get points based on your tally (with bonuses for catching at least 3 bugs). Like the Fishing Tourney, you can play solo or in multiplayer for more fun and extra points.

ACNH Bug Off Dates 2026

The Bug-Off dates in Animal Crossing: New Horizons for 2026 depend on the hemisphere of your island. For the Northern Hemisphere, the Bug-Off occurs on the fourth Saturday of June, July, August, and September; For the Southern Hemisphere, the Bug-Off occurs on the third Saturday of January, February, November, and December

Each event lasts from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Your resident bulletin board will usually post a reminder, so keep an eye out as the date approaches.

ACNH Bug Off Points System & How To Check Your Score

The system is similar to the Fishing Tourney:

• Earn 1 point per bug caught

• Catching at least three bugs per round nets a bonus of 2 points

• In multiplayer, group bonuses apply

You can talk to Flick after each round to check your point total and swap them for themed prizes (1 item per 10 points spent).

Bug Off Items: Trophies & Exclusive Rewards

The Bug Off offers a collection of 16 rewards:

• 13 Bug Off items (wallpaper, rug, furniture, apparel, accessories)

• Three Trophies (bronze, silver, gold)

Trophy Milestones

• Bronze Trophy: 100 points in a single day

• Silver Trophy: 200 points day-of

• Gold Trophy: 300 points in one day's event

Each trophy will be mailed after the event, so don’t miss them!

ACNH Bug Off Item List

Item	Type	Buy price (Only Can Be Traded with	Sell price
Bronze bug trophy	Furniture	100 Bug Off Points
Gold bug trophy	Furniture	200 Bug Off Points
Silver bug trophy	Furniture	300 Bug Off Points
Artisanal bug cage	Furniture	10 Bug Off Points
Spider doorplate	Furniture	10 Bug Off Points
Spider web	Furniture	10 Bug Off Points
Termite mound	Furniture	10 Bug Off Points
Toy centipede	Furniture	10 Bug Off Points
Toy cockroach	Furniture	10 Bug Off Points
Bug aloha shirt	Clothing	10 Bug Off Points
Bug cage	Clothing	10 Bug Off Points
Butterfly Backpack	Clothing	10 Bug Off Points
Ladybug Umbrella	Clothing	10 Bug Off Points
Butterflies Wall	Interior	10 Bug Off Points
Ladybug Rug	Interior	10 Bug Off Points
Bug wand	Tool	10 Bug Off Points

Once all 13 items are collected, additional trades will result in duplicates.

How To Maximize Bug Off Points & Grab All Rewards

• Stock Up on Nets: Go into the event with at least three standard nets to avoid breaks mid-round.

• Optimized Landscaping: Plant lots of flowers to boost butterfly and bug spawns, use tree stumps and leave out a few rotten turnips for rare bugs.

• Route Planning: Memorize bug-spawn areas (especially flowers and trees), and move methodically so you don’t spook bugs by sprinting.

• Multiplayer for Bonuses: Competing with friends can grant everyone extra points.

• Wait for Duplicates: Don’t redeem points until you have at least 130 or more; this ensures you can get all unique items before repeats start.

• Bank Points for Trophies: Hold onto your points to hit those trophy milestones in a single event day.

With steady effort and strategic bug-spotting, most players can collect every Bug Off prize and trophy in a single event session, plus cash in bells for your bug sales (Flick pays premium prices for your catch).